U.S. Police Not Impressed By Suicide Story

Chronicle (Levin), 18 August 1948, Page 5

U.S. Police Not Impressed By Suicide Story

( N.Z.P.A. -

-Reuter.

, Copyright)

. Reeeived Tuesday, 7 p.m. NEW YORK, August 16.. The Russian Consul'-General, Mr. Jacob Lomakin, said today that Mrs^ Kosenkina wastattempting to take heL o.wn life when she leaped from a window of the Consulate last Thursday aua blamed the "White Guard bandits" (anti-Communist Russsian refugees), New York police and courts, the American press aiid radio. Mr. Lomakin issued the statement at a press conference called at the eonsul- j ate to answer question's whieh reporters had submitted in writing. "The statement made no referene to thequestions but set forth the Consul's version of the Kosenkina case. The statement said Mrs. Kosenkina had: been submitted to drugs and' torture while in the hands of the White Guard bandits and these experienees had' undermined her health and mental state even before Lomakin rescued her from her kidnappers on August 7. The statement said that after t'he rescue all neeessary measures were taken for restoring her health and peaee of mind and she gradually began to recover. "The only things whieh irdtated and depressed her were the increased and. continuous flow of hostile, malieious fabrieations of the United Btates press and .radio coneeming the future of Mrs. Kosenkina, ,and the threats of the United States police and courts. through tlie press and radio, that' she would be called by force to the American' Court. " The statement said Mrs. Kosenkina repeatedly said: "I want to go home- as soon as possible because: L ara afraid of being caught again by tliose White Russian Guar\ fiends. ; Aecording to the statement, Mrs. Kosenkina toid the wives of two consulate employees that she could no louger stand the persistent hostile crowds whieh gathered outside the consulate or threats of the police and courts to force her to appear in court. " Wliile talking- with the two women she looked through tlie window and saw a crowd running towards the consulate.. She ran away from the window in horror and cried 'It looks as if they are eoniing to get me. ' Then losing control of herself she rushed ijito the nexl- room and leaped from tlie window." ' ' k The statement continued: "It is clear that the responsiWlity for evervthing that has oceuri-ed lies with those who organised the kidnappiug and committed violence' towards Mrs. Kosenkina. a Soviet citizen, and with those American officinls who, by their actiqns. and statements, have caused a neryous breakdown of Mrs. Kosenkina whieh has dri'ven her to attempt suicide." The Soviet Vice-Consql, Mr. Cliepurnykli, described todav as "not true," the police statement that Mrs. Kosen kina pointed to him from her hospita! bed last week and aecused him of hold ing her prisoner in the Soviet consulate. He added that only a few words wci'ft spok^n duyjng^Q/^. briet; i Jsjt I whieh, slie said, was terminated when a police inspector annoqnced "that's all" and pushed him from tlie room'. The Washington Post demanded today that the United States Government declare the Soviet Ambassador, Mr. Banyushkin, persona non.gi'ata beeause of his actions in tlie *ase of tlie Rus sian schoolteachers wlio are resisting orders to .return to Russia. The news j papei- said the Ambassador was contesti ing two American riglits — tlie right 'of tlie United States to give as.ylum to j foreigners seeking it and United ' States' jurisdiction over foreigners | within its borders. ! Countess 'J'olstoy today said: "1 do ! not feeJ disturbed by Mr. Lomakin 's 1 statement. I have a clear conscience j and have done no harm to anybodv. - Mr. Lomakin certainly persists in. j standing at tlie back of his lies obviI ouslv because he had not other way out. I The poor nian is so scared lie does [ not know what to say. How can he go ! back on lies he told Mr. Molotov in Moscow. It is absurd for anyone to - take him serioiisly. " The New York Times tfiis morning reports that it has learned from t'mStworthy sources that an exhaustive report by tlie Police Department says the charges that Mrs. Kosenkina was kidnapped are unt'ounded. .Copies of the police report, the contents whercof have been kept secret, have been given the District Attorney, the United States Attorney-General and a copy was reeeived yesterday by the State Department. It is on that that the Sate Department will base its answer to the Soviet protests. The Times says it is learned the report contains a eomplete stenographie statement from Mrs. Kosenkina given to the police in ques-1 tion and answer form, through a eompetent interpreter. ' In it she refutescom'pletely Mr. Lomakin 's statement; and says she jumped from the window to escape. con.finem.ent ih the building. The police report, whieh originated from tlie complaint by the Soviet Consul-General to the Police Commissioner, closes with the considered police opinion that the charge of kidnapping is unfounded.