Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-20
Comic Book to Trap Deviotes
Is Described at Revens Trial

Former Defense Department
Psychologist Reuben L. RevenS to-
day outlined for a District Court
jury plan. he had drawn up to
expose sex pervertS through the
use of a Specially-written comic
book.
The 41-year-old psychologist, on
trial himself for alleged sex
'offenseS. protested strenuously
against exposing his scheme as the
trial entered its second day with
the defendant under cross-eX-
animation.
Ordered to proceed, however, he
told of a plan to publish a comic
book under Government supervi-
sion which would appear innocu-
Gus on its face, to normal people"
but which would mean something
to perverts."
Attached to the book would be
a coupon soliciting comments
from readers which would be re-
turned to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation through indirect
channels.
Says Scheme Is Spoiled.
RevenS described the plan as
one which would be most useful
to the Government" through which
names of pervertS would be obtain
able before they committed any
crime" He complained that pro-
secutor Joseph Sommers had
spoiled the scheme by its prema-
ture disclosure.
ReVens is on trial on charges
arising from series of sessions
with a former Veterans Admins
tration employe and his wife in
which, he said, he attempted to
bolster the husbands feelings of
inferiority through a bizarre psy-
chodrama."
He is charged with attempting
to commit unnatural sex acts in
the course of various visits to the
couples home in the 800 block of
Otis place NV.
Names Collectors.
Under cross eXamination today,
the defendant went further into
his associations with collectors of
erotic literature and art-a subject
on which he described himself as
an author and lecturer.
The group of erotica collectors
named by the witness included a
former high official Of the De-
tense Department, a former local
university official and several
other District residents.
1t was at one of these meetings,
he said, that he met the VA en-
ploye and agreed to cooperate
in treating his nervous condition.
Tells of Being Slapped.
The attractive, 46-year-old
mother of two married children
testified at yesterdays session that
she had been slapped and forced
to submit to variety of other in
dignities in the course of Reven's
attempts to build up her hus-
bands ego. Her husband was
subsequently committed to New
York Sanatorium.
Taking the stand in his own de-
Tense, RevenS declared that the
pSychodrama, involving a print
tive tribal ceremony in which he
gave away" the wife to the hus-
band, was his friends idea.
He met the man, he said, last
June.
Soon after their meeting, he
said, the friend outlined his
nervous difficulties and asked his
help to effect an Improvement in
his relations with his wife. A stu
dent of Freud, the friend suggest
ed the marriage drama as thera-
peutic measure.
Sought Conquest From Authority
The jury of 10 men and 2 Wom-
en- were told:
He thought psychodrama
might do something. He de-
.scribed what he wanted. He
wanted to take by conquest some
one from tribal authority. He
wanted to take his wife from me
ito give him a feeling of conquest.
He asked if l would act as this
tribal authority"
The witness said he was in
structed to intone ritualistic
statement that the woman was to
be his friends wife land not his
mother or sister"
After some objections about the
iunorthodoXy of the treatment
IRevens said, he agreed. He went
to the friends apartment, where
he met his wife, and described the
plan to her.