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Friday, April 21, 2017

Princess Margarete identifies Hessian jewels



April 21, 1947

The elderly Landgravine Margarete of Hesse was called today as a witness by the defense today in the "reopened" trial of Col. Jack W. Durant of Chicago.

Durant has been accused of complicity in the theft of $1,500,000 Hesse jewel collection, stolen eighteen months ago, reports the New York Times.

The defense attempted to show that the Landgravine, born Princess Margarete of Prussia, a granddaughter, was not able to "identify properly certain items of jewelry."

The Landgravine "tapped her foot" while the prosecution charged she was "being harassed by the defense."   Her response was tart: "You don't see pieces of jewelry like this every day, and I know they are ours."

The defense lost an attempt to have the Landgravine's previous testimony identifying the jewelry, "stricken from the record."

The Landgravine will celebrate her 70th birthday tomorrow.

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