pathology of lying-第38章
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eep…set。 Her mental traits seemed to conform most nearly to the type designated as constitutional excitement； or hypomania。 Further observation of the case confirmed us in this first view of it。
On the ‘‘Aussage'' or Testimony Test she gave 13 items； all correct； upon free recital。 On questioning； 14 more details were added； but 6 of these were incorrect。 Of the 6 suggestions offered she accepted none。
Birdie immigrated from Austria with her family when she was 10 years of age。 She came of a healthy family； all of her grandparents and many of her uncles and aunts are living。 We get no history of any insanity； epilepsy； or feeblemindedness on either side。 She is one of 7 children； several of whom have had nervous troubles。 Two of the children had convulsions in infancy； but then only。 One brother at 10 years old is an excessive stammerer and extremely nervous。
Birdie was born after a pregnancy during which the mother was much worried and in poor health。 The father； too； was sickly at that time。 The family conditions were defective on account of poverty and illness during a large share of the period when the children were born。 Birdie at birth was very small and there was difficulty in resuscitation。 She； however； was never seriously ill until she was 7 years of age； when she had something like peritonitis。 No spasms or convulsions at any time。 She was a very small child during her infancy； but walked at 8 months and talked very well indeed when she was only one year old。 Developmental history otherwise negative； but all along there has been poor family control on account of ill health and the slight earning capacity of the father。
During the several months we knew Birdie she was always a most unreliable person。 She repeatedly ran away from home and was lost track of。 On one occasion she got as far as Omaha。 By the use of elaborate； but plausible stories she always succeeded in winning the friendship of reputable people。 Once she was found； after she had been away several weeks； residing in a good home in another State where the people thought of adopting her on account of her brightness。 Many times she wandered about her home city and in the most active and sly fashion purloined anything she cared for。 Several times when she was taken by the police she invented clever stories； without the least faltering； that seemed entirely fitted to the occasion。 As the investigator said； she talked incessantly with not the slightest hesitation and was always airy and sure。 No one to whom she had gone with her misrepresentations questioned her veracity she always came out with a clearly connected and plausible story。 We noted that her parents in comparison seemed quite stupid。
Of course Birdie passed under various names。 Once we recognized her picture in the newspaper representing a weary； disheartened girl who was tired walking all day long from one employment bureau to another。 She stated to the reporter it was her ambition to become a model servant。 When in Omaha her mental peculiarities were recognized and she was studied by a competent alienist who； however； was not willing to render a verdict of non compos mentis to the police。 This was when she had run away from Chicago and had told a lot of stories all of which had turned out to be untrue。 The trouble which she created in various communities by reason of her hyperactive delinquencies has not been small。
With much merriment and an excessive amount of facial expression this little girl held forth to us。 It is hardly necessary to say that the account varied somewhat from day to day。 She did not like it at home and did not propose to go back there。 There were too many in the family。 As soon as the floor was scrubbed one of the children would get it all dirty again。 She had started for New York； but the old gatekeeper at the station was mean and she could not slip by him。 She got along all right in Omaha； but finally she gave herself up to the police there。 She thinks perhaps she might go up to the people in Wisconsin who wanted to adopt her。 In any case； she can do a great deal better than Viola B。 who ran away from New York and got caught； and was so much talked about in the newspapers。
Thus her story would run along at great length； Birdie in the meanwhile chuckling with the thought of her own escapades。
We never recommended institution life because it seemed as if better things might be done for this girl。 We felt that if she were built up from a physical standpoint her tendency towards nervous excitement might grow less。 Her tonsils were removed。 Every one felt that the girl's good mental abilities should be conserved to the utmost。 Attempts at management in a different environment gave some hope of success； and after a time her parents moved to a smaller town； when we lost oversight of the girl。 Following our acquaintance with the case it had been managed in the light of her characteristics； and her falsifying tendencies were constantly discounted by those in charge。 We felt that her tendency was to grow more stable。
Three years later： We have just gained further information concerning Birdie。 The family is still in straitened circumstances； the father having proved too weak a character to support them。 He posed as somewhat of a gentleman and made off to another country。 Birdie is said to have worked steadily for months at a time； but over a year ago suddenly left home once more； this time going with a stage company。 Although the police in several cities have been appealed to； no trace has been obtained as yet of our young friend。 Whether her lying was continued at home we cannot satisfactorily learn； nor do we know accurately about any continuance of her state of excitement； but without doubt Birdie in her present wandering is fabricating anew； and is what she was before； namely； a young adventuress。
… Mental conditions： Constitutional excitement。 Case 22。 Girl； age 14 years。 Developmental conditions： Defective pregnancy。 Early impaction of teeth。 Poor general physical conditions。 Home conditions： Poverty。 Irritability of father and mother。 Delinquencies： Mentality： Running away。 Ability good； Stealing。 Constitutional Lying。 excitement。 …
CASE 23
Summary： A girl of 16 having been out all of one night； related a story to the police of having been led off； and incidentally made the statement that she had been repeatedly immoral； once with a relative。 She dictated and signed a detailed account of the affairs； giving times and places。 This was used in investigating and led to much fruitless effort even on the part of experienced peopleher story was quite untrue。 When studied she proved to be a mild case of chorea； exhibiting the typical psychotic tendencies of that disease； such as we have observed in court work a number of times。
Nellie M。； when brought to us by her grandmother； following the girl's experience with the police who had been told by her of immoralities practiced； was found to be rather a nice looking and gentle girl； pleasant and responsive with us。
On the physical side we found her to be poorly developed and nourished。 Weight 93 lbs。； height 4 ft。 9 in。 Vision about 20/40 in each eye； but wears glasses which correct this。 Rather poor color。 Complains somewhat of headaches。 Marked tremor of outstretched hands。 Moderate amount of choreic movements in arms and legs； exaggerated when attention distracted。 Knee jerks exaggerated。 Conjunctival and palatal reflexes almost absent。 Small regular features。 Well shaped head。 Said to drink at least 4 cups of tea a day。 Heart sounds negative。
Mentally； she seemed to be fairly normal in ability； but was undoubtedly in a peculiar psychical condition。 She had reached 7th grade in spite of much moving about； even to different cities。 We found evidence of lack of good apperceptive powers and the history of the case led us to see clearly that she had been just recently in a very unstable； if not quite confusional mental condition。
The ‘‘Aussage'' or Testimony Test was not given in this case。
The history of heredity and development shows many points of importance。 The mother died when Nellie was a very little girl。 She was terribly abused by a husband who was excessively alcoholic and in general a tremendous brute。 They lived in a roadhouse where drunken fights were not uncommon。 Nellie has been brought up since her mother's death by other relatives。 Outside of alcoholism on the father's side there is said to be no family peculiarities。 The mother came from a very reputable family。 Nellie suffered early from several severe illnesses。 When only six weeks old she is said to have been in a comatose condition with scarlet fever and diphtheria。 Later she had measles； whooping cough and other mild ailments； and at one time suffered extremely from constipation。 Walked and talked early。 No convulsions。 Menstruated first several months ago。 Sometimes complains of severe headaches。 One observer reported that the girl had been subject to slight melancholia within the last year。 Choreic movements have been present off and on for about a year； but have not been marked until a little while previous to the incident which brought her to us。 The diagnosis had been made that it was a case of mild St。 Vitus dance。 During all the year Nellie had been regarded as in general unreliable； but nothing of importance had happened prior to the above episode。
Nellie's story as told to us seemed coherent enough。 Apparently she had entire memory of her past actions and； in general； of what she had said。 Her own statements convinced us as much as anything else of her unreliability at times。 It seems she had run away and gone to a picture show and had fallen asleep there。 When she got out it was very late； but it was election night and people were about on the street。 She finally was accosted by a woman who took her home。 After her story of being led off by a man the police were called into the case and she gave them her remarkable statement。 Nellie told us of picking up with a man； too； who lured her to a theatre； but who left her there。 There was no way of corroborating this。 She fully acknowledged to us the lies which had created so much trouble。 ‘‘Well； I was telling the first lies and then when I was going to tell him that I knew that I was telling wrong he acted so cranky and said such things to me。 He said he knew somebody had done bad things to me and so I thought I had to give the name of somebody and so I gave those names。
‘‘The girls around in the schools I used to go to talked about these things。 I never went with them。 I was always by myself。 None of the boys said bad things。 The police were so cranky I did not know what else to say。 They said someone must have done it to me when I was younger and I said it was my cousin because he always used to want to。 He said he would give me a pair of skates i
