The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-05-17
REITMAs DESCRIBES
HOW HE WAS TORTURED
BY MOB OF CITIZENS
king of Tramps" Says He
Begged Them To Kill Him
To End His Pain
.pLAsTERED WITH TAR
Believes Vigilants Were Made
Up of Business Men, Doc
tors and Lawyers

LOS ANGELES, Cal, May l6.-Al-
leging that inhuman fortunes mad been
inflicted on him by San Diego Sigi-
lantes who deported him from that
city, Tuesday night DIR. Ben. Reit-
man, manager of Miss Emma Gold
man, today detailed the treatment that
was accorded him by the committee
OF citizens" He declared that at
times the torture became so "fiendish'
that he begged them to kill him TO
end the pain.
Reitman said:
"The men who captured me in my
hotel looked like business men. When
| refused to 60 with them they put
revolvers against my body, covered
my mouth and dragged me TO an au-
tomobile. The police outside the ho-
tel cleared the way for them.
while taking me to the place o.
torture in the desert 80 miles from
San Diego, my captors thrust renclis
I'm my nostrils and ears, and struck
me with their fists and with clubs
throughout the whole terrible trip.
They continually called me the vilest
names I ever heard.
when we reached the desert an
other party was waiting They had
built big fire and they took me up TO
II, stripped me and began such fend-
ish, inhuman torture that the details
are unprintable. | begged them to
kill me and end the pain and taey re-
piled that they wanted me to 90 away
and tell how San Diego treated my
kind. They said II Miss Goldman were
there, they would give her the same
dose.
Then they ordered me to sing the
Star Spangied Banner cannot sing
very well and at every false note,
was struck In the face Several times
while was singing they knocked me
down. Then they made me pray and
my own cane was used as an instru-
ment OF torture. Being strong, was
able to stand what they did to me,
even when IL assumed most fiendish
forms.
After amusing themselves with me
for about half an hour, the men be-
gan to run about me In pairs. One
man who, am certain, was San
Diego detective, placed his face
against mine, screaming that he and
his friends were ordinarily business
men, doctors and lawyers, bur EoN
were thugs. Then they made me run
the gauntlet, beating me with hillies
as | made my way through the lines
they formed
Just before they put hot tar on ny
body, their torture became terrible.
Each man would come forward and
ask me a question If the answer did
not please him. | was struck in fhe
face. Finally was thrown Oh the
ground and a small American fag
was thrust down my throat until al
most strangled.
Then they discussed whether they
would put my eyes out. They decI1el
not TO. Just before the tar was APP
piled, they held me and burned .hc
flesh on my back with the live Goals
OF their cigars. Then, while | lay
PROSTATE, they plastered tar over me
and covered II with cactus and Desert
grass
After that they stoned me as
tried TO escape them in the desert,
the men following me until they
tired. After had walked a long way
| reached Berendo, naked, and bought
pair OF overalls and jumper which
! wore into Los Angeles"
Reitman was asked II he would
prosecute and replied:
What can do. nave appealed
In vain to the governor in other mat
tiers and there is little hope he would
do anything in this"