The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-02-01
A RUSSIAN FERDINAND Ward.
TIE Surprising Career er che director or the
sitopin Bank Fading In siberia.

ST. PETERSBURG. Jan. CA remarkable
sese was recently triod In the Moscow District
Court which has wildly portrayed not only tho
principal actors in the trial. but oil classes Of
society in tho Russia OF to-day. II Is not only
. cause cSieJrc. but social chronicle. Tho
basis Of The trial Is tho failure OF IL bank but
90 poopc say here. the case WAS the ou,growth
OF long soriGs Of wonders. 1t WAS wonderful
that bank in nn obscure provincial town could
ind dopositors all over Russia. Including tho
Inhabitants Of Siberia and the Caucasus; 1t
was In comprehension no the de positors could
trust virtually to u single man tho enormous
amount oil 2.0O0.000 roubles about S.. 800 o00l
II was astonishing that an uneducated man.
fhe director OF tho bank. could preserve for
twenty years absolute centrol over the deposits
and the depostors. over tho bank and tho town
and hundreds OF officials who were in ono way
or another concerned with the management of
tho bank.
The hero OF tho caso was Ivan Gayrilovi:ch
Rykor. He was born In Skopin n small town
pur ss @ e@d not s him n nFena Ig1r
beyond that afforded by thc, primary school OF
she town ne uncle. a millionaire merchant.
Then Ivan Rykoi had his own sweet Will. He
!ried his utmost to sauander his fortune, md
l6GO Ivan found himself penniIess. About that
time the provinces were granted o certain do:
sha right Of establishing banks Of their own.
ivan itykoil saw his opportunity at onoe, He
elect Him ss rs q ofsn ISGS hnd
capital Of the bank wns 10000 ronbies. The
Town authorities had authority TO examine the
punk at any time and tho town wls res ponsible
tor its management. Director Rykon how
over. wanted to run the bank alone md he
nIst placo he loaned from tho bank large sums
sfmoney to every bank officer. the viee-direc-
tor. the cashier. the book keeper. and al tho
clerks. These, men could mover, make their
nebts good, Then 10 went for the town 9n-
!ntInl Aldermen became debtors OF tho bunk
tAr beyond their means. some citiIsns. headed
6y riG merchant ant named poP3 formed an
~ Director kykon went 10 see Popoif. 'A''"
-. You arc G9ingto ruin tho bank" said tho
.t eo6 ron ana the town. too and am worth
MI Here are 70 900 rontles for yep." answered
=" You are fast making money and fame. and
Iap eft in th :, shade a continued popor.
you ?" asked the Director.
It was enough, and the opposition vanished.
IL he w ysds % who tGy Ssre
~ the Director ad libtum. soon in many OF
Re Pa1ers both lay and religious
StoPin DIV Bank. which' unlike H other bant ks
newspapers OF the capital there appeared ar
ticles commencing 10 public attention the new
said that BY his nt we smi
aew enterprises the Director of the stSkopin
Bank ,S WAS Increasing the captal Entrusted e
his town. and erected educational and char
liable institutions and was fast developing
nonEs Widows fePed n's assrs Old f nebe
men. and others rushed skoptn and entreat-
1f the Skopin Bank swelled enormously aud
sonG with tn them sweiied The Direetors pride.
iashion. The Governor. the Vice Governor. the;
Attorney the Judges and other officers q the
q hazSn Ivan yto the sar rns fe y
1 =" the fhra ss q hs aa
Ssty's own ChanceIery took an interest .i in tie
Rsdd Gt ysa Any i Vas
Sim igr his services This CAPITAL ws remem no
and drivers hundred rouble bills for tea" In
home absolute ruler Of the bank and the town
Q, SEo pin Men who dispe;ased him no sent
Arrested such them to the ra
WY. and sent them to look for now homes.
II the p newspapers made Ivan kykSii known
him with great danger; A resident Of skopin
published in pr9vincial paper an account OF
that ali tie bank reports were mere fa5rict:
Hons. and that tho bank was empty. Kykoir
thorites to examine the bank. that is to sign a
ant6or Of the letter publish It in the newspaper
tas 1sgna appeared Thus the
Meanwhile the deposits Increased to millions.
A. Rykon could not invest tho capital advan-
Gs ssnGaEs to pay oEh, per cent inter-
% preserve his own and his banks reputation.
among his debtors there appeared generals
donations to the charitable institutions OF his
town. and In the skopin churches. which also
we're oeei r the seah pay ray
ana salvation Of Gods servant Ivan" He WIS
him and Et sod his hands Which we're a ever ,s@ ia
q money Thus he went on fully twenty. years.
bis 2 bs 1soa ne hs was ii
tons he came dry out, Of tho water. In fact.
against the bank Officers. Cities themselves
acknowledgement they we're responsible. "A09'
naaa ysn arr RyEo SGy pb
Sy the provincial authorities. The court Of
the Skopin Bank Thoreupon tho depositors
made ,h furious rush Upon the bank. They
asnsle million. Tn crowd Of Veteran ran S on
children. They bcsiogeiNhe house. Of the Dirsc.
sSI put !, strong iron door ballled all their
Of old men and women--all was swept away
By order Of the Hia2an Court tho Skopin Bank
was closed. and Ivan Rykofr. with his subordl-
s nStes and the city officers twenty:six men all
tolu, We're thrown into prison. The receivers
worked on the books for over year. At last
the case was handed to tho Moscow Court.
Even on the trial Ivan l.ykof remained true
% his nature; His insolence and arrogance
knew no bounds. He shouted at the witnesses
and interrupted the Court 80 much that several
times 1t was necessary to put him out of tho
court After reviewing. tho conduct OF a long
list OF officials, beginning with post carriers
and ending with the G99ver!nn2r Of the province
these mon pawned their oath Of ONCE, their
honor. honesty. and Conscience"
Hykof said in his defence: would gladly
escend a pilo and light Il ysclf II by so doing
! couid satisfy my creditors. My, misfortune
VIII give mo my freedom will 80 to some con-
xC Snt nnl pray for the forgiveness OF my sins.
1he Government ought to pay my creditors"
The Jury found tho defendants guilty. Ry-
koH was sentenced TO eN!le to Siberia for Lille
end the others for fifteen years. Their prop
erty was coniscated for tho creditors. Rykoff
eone owed the bank eight million roublcs.