New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-14
SAYS HE'S BEING
MADE INSANE IN T0MBS
HFenCe" for Thieves Who Cor
fessed Charges That Keepers
Are Plotting Against Him.
MANIAC GIVEN HOT WATER
Sends Letter to District At
torney and Tells Story of
Cruelty to Prisoner-Wsr-
den Makes Denial.

Isjdor RAIDER the East Side fence"
end FaCin who has been in the Tombs
since his conviction for grand larceny.
Yesterday told Morris b. MOskowitz. As
sistant District Attorney, that the keepers
in the Tombs were conspiring to make
him insane Not long ago RAIDER said the
prisoners in the Tombs were in COM
bnation against him and were plotting
his death. That story resulted in an in
v,stipation by Judge Swami, Mr.. Mos
kowltz and John J. Hanley, warden of
the Tombs.
RAIDER was brought over from the
Tonbs yesterday in response 70 the fol-
lowing letter. which he wrote to the Dis
trict Attorney:
'T am in trouble Would like to speak
10 you about the way tiey are treating
me They are trying TO make me crazy
'ISIDOR RAIDER. Cell No. 1Ol.''
RAIDER told Mr.. Moskowitz that all
prisoners who assisted the District At
torney. or turned "sQuealers,' were sub
tected TO petty abuses by the keepers.
The keepers were trying TO make him m
sane. so he could not tell what he knew
about conditions in the Tombs. RAIDER
said. He was kept in solitary conine-
ment. he said. and frequently visited by
a physician who shook his head and said
RAIDERS was a serioIs case and that he
would have to "cut out the dope" RAIDER
saws he never used drugs.
In solitary confinement he was unable
10 receive packages from his friends, he
said. and was thus cut off from all deli
cacies and clean clothes. He was put in
n cell by himself, he said. because a
keeper charged him with using abusive
language.
The thing which RAIDER said the keepers
feared he would tell concerned the al
legged IN treatment Of an insane prisoner.
RAIDER said that one day last week ne
saw a prisoner led from one cell TO an
other with one hand shackled behind his
back That night, RAIDER said, the
prisoner shouted for water. No atten-
don was paid TO his yells and at last
they died down TO a pitiful moan, which
so wrought upon the nerves of the other
prisoners that they joined in shout for
the keeper.
The keeper finally appeared. RAIDER
the man could not drink 1T. When the
insane prisoner refused the hot water,
RAIDER said, the keeper made off with it
and soon returned with a pail Of scald-
Ing water which he doused over the
prisoner This performance was repeated
Ssvoral times, RAIDER said.
J John ]. Hanley. warden OF the Tomos'
yesterday said RAIDER was placed in soil
! tary confinement for five days because OF
abusive language TO keeper. The
charge Of the keeper. Hanley said. was
substantiated by the night warden. who
said he several times warned RAIDER to
moderate his language.
When confronted with the keepers
charge, Hanley said, RAIDER told the
story Of cruelty 10 the insane prisoner.
He Investigated that story, Warden
Hanley said, and found no basis for It,
except that one of the prisoners became
insane and was kept In the prison Tor
two DAYS because Of the absence OF the
Judge who had the power TO send him TO
Bellevue hospital.