New-York tribune., 1921-12-17
Slew Doctor to
Free Her. Soul,
Wonlan's Plea
Insanity Defense for Mrs.
Raizen Revealed After She
Undergoes Inauisition in
District Attorneys Office
Alienists Continue Study
Elderly Waiter Tells of Her
Incoherent Cau Following
Murder of DIR. Clickstein

1t was to regain the freedom of her
soul that she shot and killed DR.. Abra-
ham Glickstein at his home. 5S5 Bed
ford Avenue, Brooklyn, last Saturday
right, Mrs. Lillian Schaffer Raizen,
who is charged with murder in the
first degree on her own confession, de-
clared in The Office of District Attorney
Harry E. Lewis yesterday.
Her counsel, Benjamin Reass and
Aaron w. Levy, have new evidence in
the form of letters which they believe
will prove that brooding over her
wrongs drove her to temporary in
sanity. Her continual desire to tell her
story and her incoherent and excited
condition on the day of the murder, as
described by Albert Bradley. waiter
employed in q lunchroom at 1876 Broad
way, point to the fact that she did not
know what she was doing. they contend
Pending the report of the four alien
lists who examined her yesterday aft
ernoon and will continue their obser-
vations in the Raymond Street jail to-
day, her counsel have not yet decided
whether they will apply for a commits
sion to pass upon Mrs. Raizen's sanity
In the event such commission is ap-
pointed, District Attorney Lewis will
call in aienists to make an examina-
tion for the prosecution. His present
expectation is that the case will GO to
trial in January.
Woman Cool at Inquiry
For two hours yesterday afternoon
Mrs. Raizen was questioned in the of
flee of the District Attorney. In cool,
collected fashion she answered all
questions put to her, beginning with
her earliest knowledge of DR.. Click
stem and tracing events up to the
night of the killing.
1T is not for me to say at this time
whether or not | believe her normal
or abnormal said Mr.. Lewis following
the session. ITO ME she seemed to
possess very acute mind. My main
effort this afternoon was to find the
trend of her mentality"
The District Attorney sought to dis
cover whether she set out for DR..
Glickstein's home with murder in her
heart. Her answers were to the effect
that she did not know what was on
her mind. and that she simply went
there by instinct. She talked calmly
Of a revolver, saying she knew what
the effect would be if bullet hit a
vital spot.
Mrs. Raizen arrived at the District
Attorneys office at 2 o'clock, looking
wan and listless. She is steadily los
ing weight, and her eyes are red with
weeping. First she was closely ex-
amined by DR.. George H. Kirby, direc-
tor of the psychiatric institute of the
New York State Hospitals DR.. G. Harris
lsham, superintendent of the Brooklyn
State Hospital; DIR. Charles w. Pilgrim,
formerly president of the State Hos
pital Commission, and DR.. Edward E.
Hicks, chief of the nervous and mental
division Of the Broad Street Hospital.
Afterward she was taken to the Dis
trict Attorneys private Office and there
submitted to the long questioning
When she emerged she reeled to the
elevator, scarcely able to hold herself
together. She smiled wearily when
addressed and said:
Il am SO tired"
Father Shows His Emotion
Her father. Jacob Schaffer, followed
her. Less composed than his daugh-
ter, who seemed to be dazed. he was
sobbing and wringing his hands.
Counsel for Mrs. Raizen are pre-
pared to present testimony based on
observation by experts both before
and after the shooting to support their
contention that their client suffered
temporary 'brainstorm." The history
of her case, kept by physicians, will
show, they say. that temporary insanity
was brought on by the effect upon a
constant brooding over supposed
wrongs.
In support of this plea they have
secured the testimony of the elderly
waiter, Bradley. who has described to
them in detail his association with Mrs
Raizen Immediately prior to the mur-
der His story is as follows:
He became acquainted, with her when
she worked near the restaurant where
he is waiter. She frequently lunched
there. He took a kindly interest in her
and they became friends. She was kind
to him and sent him money when he
was i'll last February. He told her to
turn to him if she was ever in trouble
When she went to Florida she wrote to
him, and again when she was ready to
return she asked him to meet her at
the bout. They had talk, and she ap-
reared t3 be lncohercnt, saying that a
man had ruined her life, but she did
not name him, he took her to the Hotel
Breslin, left her there, and they agreed
to have luncheon together on the fol
lowing day. That was last Saturday.
Told Him of Shooting Some One
She was still excited when she met
him, and he tried to quiet her, but she
insisted on telling all about her rela
tions with DR.. Glickstein, this time
naming him. She left him at 2 O'Clock
aud arranged to meet him again at 7
p. m. At $3.50 o'clock she called him up
at the restaurant where he was on duty
and talked incoherently about having
shot either herself or someone else
Bradley could not be sure which. Feel
ing that she had done something seri.
Gus he went to her fathers house and
told him that he thought Mrs. Raizen
needed care.
District Attorney Lewis said that
Bradley would be produced il wanted
and that he probably would question
HIP closely.
Mra. Raizcn, who is utterly unstrung
and in hysterical condition much Of
the time, is being nurscd pv Olivia
Stone, who occupies the next cell to net
and is charged with the murder of
Ellis Kinkead, prominent Cincinnati at
torney, in Brooklyn three months ago
Miss Stone volunteered to care for Mrs
Raizen, saying that she wanted ito
relp sister in distress" Warden
Harry Honeck gave her permission
since she is a professional nurse.