The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-19
GAMBLING
DEBT SHOWN IN SUIT
Rich Russian. Munitions
Agent. in Answer. Tells Of
Roulette Loss.
PLAINTIFF MYSTERIOUS

Papers filed IN the United States Dis
trict Cour yesterday tell Of "A mysterious
game Of roulette in which Nicholas
Ria%bouchinsky. a member Of one Of the
oldest and wealthiest families In Russia,
may have lost $4,000 somewhere in this
city. The Russian came to this country
on October rs last on business having
to do with a project for building mum
ton plants I'm his native land. lie was
quoted at the time as saying that he
was authorized to spend 100000. 900.
Riabouchinsky In his affidavit filed in
the Federal court through the law firm
claims legal exemption from any debts
that he may have incurred IN a game
Of chance. He raises this point in an
swer to u suit for $45 900 brought
against him by Timothy J. Mckenna.
whose name. habitat and business are
not revealed in the papers.
Plaintiff Reticcut Too.
In his complaint MIR. Mckenna is
equally reticent about the basis for his
alleged claim against Riabouchinsky. lie
simply sets forth that prior to January
10, 1915, the plaintiff and defendant had
dealings together and the plaintih ana
defendant met and had "A settlement OF
their several accounts IN which u Wa
decided that the defendant owed the
plaintiff St5.0o0. J. Ward Toilette, at
torney for Mckenna, refused iatly TO
give any further details concerning the
suit or reveal the identity OF his client.
The sum and substance OF Riabouch-
insky's answer Is that he does not I'VE
McKenna any money in the ;irst place
and that even If he does he IL NOT
obliged to pay II. After denying all the
Allegations In the complaint Riabouch-
insky says:
On January 10. 1915. the defendant
and plaintiff engaged In IA gamc or
chance known az roulette. which was
the only transaction ever had be-
tween the plaintiff and the defcndan';
and the defendant is informed n
believes that the dealings between
the plaintiff and the defendant re
ferred to in the complaint were the
game Of chance, and the defendant al
leges that all said transactions ana
all and any accounts between the
plaintiff and the defendant were
wagering contracts without considera-
ton and void.
After the bringing Of the suit Ria
bouchinsky and his Italian wife left
their suite IN the Hotel kntckcrbocker
and went TO live at the Hotel Wander
/ bilt. \ telephone call put in for him
at the hotel last night brought a re-
[ sponse In English tingad with a foreign
accent. When the suit was mentioned,
however. the person on the telephone
who had admitted that he was RIA
bouchinsky. insisted that he couldn'
understand English.
we don't even admit that we owe
s+5 900, or any debt at ALL" said Walter
4. Kohn Of the Russians law Arm N
reference 10 the suit against their client
last night. w don't. however. deny
that there was a gafne To illustrate
our position. | might state IN" ease
hvnorheticalIv: You are a foreigner.
! knowing nothing about the EHs'sN
language or games of chance. We PLAY
"A game n when We get tnrough ! de-
clare that you owe me- S''.op'. lou
merely reply that o do not
Connected with Newspaper.
Nicholas Riabouchinsky comes fro
Moscow. where he is associated with MS
brother Paul in the proprietorship of thu
Russian paper the Ddun Of h' Ndtio"
His brother is the president ~ the
Russian Imperial Council n the Mos
| COW stock Exchange. Nicholas Ria O
! chInsky came here via Hardin. tnTta
and Japan. landing AT San Francisco. or
his way to this city he stopped at Gin
cinnatl and Pittsburg 10 buy factory
material lie made the purchases. II was
said. as the representative OF "A rrour
Of Russian capitalists who We're makinr
preparations to build tho munition fac
tories IN Russia.
Arriving I'm this city In January. 1915,
he continued to receive hid on fac
tory materials. In an interview he also
professed an intimate knowledge Of the
European war situation He predicted
that the Russian rmy would work It's
way into the heart Of Germany and that
the latter nation would be forced event
ually 70 give UP Poland and Belgium.
Riabouchinsky is a stalwart, heavily
bearded man with the mannerlsms ~ a
Frenchman. Both here and in RUSSIA
he is known in art circles "a a "ou-
noisseur and a collector 81 old masters
He brought with him TO this country
thirty paintings. which formerly be-
longed to Prince Golinich, -koutousof
secretary to the bowager Empress,
Marie Feodorovns. This entir" ooll-c-
ton, including Sodoma's "linly Family
With 50. john was sold for $3l,N5t
at the American Art Associations "N.
hlb!,ion in the Plaza Hotel on April