The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-16
Anarchist Reitman Tells a Remark-
abie Story Of Treatment He
Received From the
vlsilantes.
BEGGED TO BE KILLED
Some Of the Punishment Is Described,
But Some Of It He says
IL Imprint
able.

j
LOS ANGELES, May 16-Alleging
that inhuman tortures had been In
ficted on him by San Diego vigilantes
who deported him from that city
Tuesday night, DR.. Ben Reitman,
manager of Miss Emma Goldman, to-
day 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 cap
tured me in my hotel looked like busi-
ness men. When refused to go with
them, they put revolvers against my
body, covered my mouth and dragged
me to an automobile. The police out.
side the hotel cleared the way for
them.
While taking me to the place of tor
ture in the desert. thirty miles from
San Diego. my captors thrust pencils
In my nostrils and ears, stuffed filth
into my mouth and struck me with
ehCAi hCtS dAu VIII SiuOS
the whole terrible trip They contin-
uously called me the vilest names
| have ever heard.
When we reached the desert, an
other party was waiting. They had
built big fire and they took me NJ
] to IT, stripped me and began sncl
fiendish. inhuman torture that the de
tails are unprintable. begged then
to kill me and end the pain and the.
jreplied that they wanted me to 81
away and tell how San Diego treatet
my kind. They said II Miss Goldman
were there they would give her tn,
same dose.
Then they ordered me to sing th'
l'Star Spangled Banner I canno
sing very well and at every false not'
4 / was struck in the face. Severa
times while was singing they knock
| ed me down. Then they made me pra,
and my own cane was used as an in
strument of torture Being strong,
was able to stand what they did to mt
even when 1t assumed most fendisl
! forms
After amusing themselves with mt
for about halt an hour, the men be
gan to run about me in pairs. Ont
man who, | am certain, was a Sal
Diego detective, placed his facs
I against mine, screaming that he ant
/ his friends were ordinarily business
men, doctors and lawyers, but nov
were thugs Then they made me ruI
i the gauntlet, beating me with billie
as | made my way through the line
4 they formed.
! Just before they put hot tar OF
my body, their torture became terrible
Each man would come forward an,
ask me a question. If the answer di,
\ not please him was struck in th'
4 face. Finally | was thrown on th
ground and smeared with filth and
small American flag thrust down m,
throat until | almost strangled.
"Then they discussed whether the,
4 would put my eyes out. They decides
not to. Just before the tar was ar
Piled, they held me and burned th
flesh on my hack with the live coal
of their cigars. Then, while la.
4 PROSTATE, they piastered tar over M
and covered it with cactus and deser
grass.
after that they stoned me as
tried to escape them in the desert
lthe men following me until they tired
4 After had walked long way reach
ed Bemendo, and bought pair o
4 overalls and a jumper which wor
into Los Angeles"
Reitman was asked II he woul
prosecute and replied
What can do? have appealed t
the governor but there is little hop
that he will do anything in the mai
ter"