Evening star., 1948-08-26
ax thu A,.asiatsd Prem


up her mind long before she came
10 the United States that sbe was
going TO quit her homeland for good
a few hours after the interview
In which Mrs. Kasenkina spoke di.
rectly TO newsmen for the first time
since her Jump on August l2-Soviet
Vice Consul Zot I. Chepurnykh
sailed aboard a freighter for Russia
IT am going home" said Mr.
Chepurnykh, and there Is no coun.
try in the world like home"
Lomakin to Leave Saturday.
His superior, Consul General Jacob
M. Lomakin stripped Of his creden.
tials yesterday by President Tru.
man has booked passage 70 leave
Saturday.
The consulate itself has been or
dered closed by Moscow because OF
the action against Mr.. Lomakin.
He had given sharply differ ing
version OF the Kasenkina affair than
that which came from the lips OF
the injured teacher
She said Mr.. Lomakin and Soviet
Ambassador Alexander Panyush1in
had told me what to say" during
an earlier interview at the consulate.
At that time Mr. Lomakin said
he had rescued" her from an anti
Communist White Russian camp
near New York City to which. he
said. the teacher had been kid
naped"
Actually. Mrs. Kasenkina said yes
terday, they arrested me" and
"they did not permit me to leave
the consulate"
Il jumped out the window to
escape" she said. Il didn't want
to kill myself. I wanted to escape. u
At a time when Mrs. Kasenkina
was in critical condition at the
hospital from multiple fractures
and other injuries, Mr.. Lomakin
told newsmen she was trying to
commit suicide when she jumped
He said she had been driven into
a nervous breakdown and despair
by harassment by White Russians
and American officials.
Tells Of Husband and Son.
\ "I wanted to escape" she said
through an interpreter, because
in 1897 they took away my husband
and I have no idea where he has
gone to. He disappeared"
She said her son. university
student, was placed in storm
troopers division without training
and was killed in Leningrad in 1912
Then she raised her voice and
added:
They have destroyed my entiv
life, since I spent all my life on my
son and husband Neither OF the two
were political people. My son was
student and my husband was
teacher, as was L.
She said the Russians had termed
her an enemy OF the state" and
prosecuted her In many 'picayune
ways"
Brought here two years ago Il
instruct children OF Soviet officials
the teacher was scheduled to sal
! for home In July. Not wanting Il
return to Russia, she missed tht
ship.
She said her desire to remain II
America prompted her to leap from
the consulate window, because ''
knew that since they did not per
nit me to leave the consulate.
would not be able TO escape In Rus
sia either"
Closing Declared Good"
Before Mr.. Chepurnykh sailed yes
terday, he expressed belief the sew
ering OF Soviet-American consula
relations was for good"
Asked whether he meant the &C
ton would be beneficial or was TO
all time. he said:
Decide that for yourself"
Saving his farewells at the con
sulate, he told reporters:
Il have the greatest respect 10
correspondents who spend tim
building up and cementing good re
lationships, but this He looke'
around, threw up his hands In
gesture of dispair. As he left tn
consulate, Mr. Chepurnykh said h
was on his way to La Guardia Field
Later-after newsmen located hin
aboard the Soviet freighter Marsha
Govorov at a pier in Jersey City
N. J.-he denied he had indicated
he was going TO depart by plane.
| Asked If he ever intended to re
turn to the United States. the vic
consul shrugged his shoulders ant
said, Maybe, who knows
II was Mr. Chepurnykh who sew
eral days ago visited Mrs. Kasen'
kina in her hospital room and, ac'
cording to police accounts. was toll
by her: You kept me a prisoner
You would not let me 60"
The vice consul later denied sht
had made any such statement.
Thereafter, Russians demanded
that they be allowed other visits u
her room. That they be permitted
TO move her to another hospital
and TO regain her custody.
Will Seek Citizenship.
The requests were refused.
Finally, the State Department in
formed Russia that Mrs. Kasenkins
was In United States custody anc
would remain so as long as she
desired to stay in this country.
Representatives Of an anti.
Communist organization, Common
Cause. Inc. planned bedside
meeting today with the teacher u
discuss means Of obtaining Ameri-
can citizenship.
Peter Hoguet. attorney Tor the
organization, said a group will bt
named al the meeting TO try II
help Mrs. Kasenkina acquire United
States citizenship as quickly as pos.
sible
During yesterdays interview tn,
teacher said that while Il was still
In Russia I thought that II I 60
TO America ! would be able 70 re-
main there and not return to Rus
sta They made big mistake.
...e said, in bringing me here from
Russia"
During her stay here. she said sht
had become more and more dis
satisfied with Russia"
She said she loved her people and
/ her country. but Il don't akree with