pathology of lying-第33章
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mpersonate a policeman in the middle of the night； and to pose as an amateur detective by telling stories of alleged exploits to newspaper reporters。 A long story which he related even to us； involving his discovery of a suspicious man with a satchel and his use of a taxicab in search for him； was made up on the basis of his playing the part of a great man； a hero。 When we ran down this untruth （it was long after he had told us what a liar he was） it seemed quite improbable that he had suddenly improvised this story。 It was too elaborate and well sustained。 Later； when the boy again tragically begged to be helped from making such falsifications； he said the incident had been thought out some days previously and it seemed an awful nice story about the things that he might do。 Daydreaming thus masked as the truth。
… Environmental maladjustment： Case 10。 incongruity between Boy； age 14 yrs。 supernormal ability and home conditions。 Innate characteristics： nervous； active； dramatic type。 Stimulants： excessive use of coffee。 Mental habit…formation。 Delinquencies： Mentality： Lying excessive。 Supernormal in ability。 Petty stealing。 …
CASE 11
Summary： An orphan girl of 10 had been in several institutions and households； but was found everywhere impossible on account of her incorrigibility。 The greatest difficulty was on account of her extreme lying which for years had included extensive fabrications and rapid self…contradictions； as well as defensive denials of delinquency。
We were asked to decide about this girl's mentality and to give recommendations for her treatment。 We need take little space for describing the case because the facts of development and heredity and of earliest mental experiences are not known by us。 The case is worthy of short description as exemplifying a type and as showing once more the frequent correlation of lying with other delinquency； and especially with sex immorality。
We found a girl in good physical condition； small for her age； but without sensory defect or important organic trouble。 Hutchinsonian teeth。 High forehead and well formed features。 Expression old for her years and rather shrewd； and notably unabashed。 No evidence of pelvic trouble。 Clitoris large。 All the other examination negative。
Mentally we found her rather precocious。 Tests well done。 Reads and does arithmetic well for her age； in spite of much changing about and other school disadvantages。 No evidence whatever of aberration。 The examiner noted that she seemed a queer； sophisticated child； laughing easily and talking fast and freely。 Evidently tries to put her best foot forward。 Cooperates well on tests。
On the ‘‘Aussage'' test this little girl did remarkably well both as to the details and general ideas expressed in the picture。 Absolutely no suggestibility shown。 The examination was made before our later methods of scoring this test； and the inaccuracies were not counted； but even so the positive features are of interest； namely； the good memory and non…suggestibility 。
We found this youngster all along to be evasive； shifting and self…contradictory； even on vital points。 She glibly stated anything that came into her mind； and ideas came very rapidly。 She told us stories that with a moment's thought she must have known we could discover were false。
This child was a foundling； and was adopted by people whose family was broken up by death when she was about 6 years old。 By the time she was 8 years old she was expelled from school and was generally known as an habitual liar and a child who showed most premature sex tendencies。 She then went much with little boys and was constantly in trouble for stealing as well。 Occasionally good reports were made of her； but sometimes she was stated to have a perfect mania for taking things。 A number of people who have tried to help her have spoken of the elaborateness of her verbal inventions。 At one place she destroyed letters and took a check from the mail and tore it up。 She talked freely of sex affairs to many people； particularly to women； and showed evidence of intense local feelings。 At one time she expressed great desire to be spanked； probably from a sex impulse。 One intelligent person reported her as being simply animal…like in her desires。 In a country home a thoroughly intelligent woman was unable to cope with her and she was finally delivered into the hands of an institution。
Through dearth of reliable information about the antecedents in this case we were unable to make a card of causative factors。 It is sure； however； that the pathological lying and other delinquencies sprang from a background of congenital defect； probably syphilitic in nature； of lack of early parental care； of precocious sex desires； and sex experiences。
In the school for girls； where this unfortunate child remained for four years； it is stated that her tendencies to prevarication were mitigated； but never entirely checked。 Her school record was decidedly good； she was regarded as a bright girl； and advanced rapidly to the eighth grade。 She was tried again in the world midway in her adolescent period with the most untoward results。 She found temptations offered by the opposite sex irresistible and began a career of misrepresentation concerning her own conduct。 Through her lies； proper oversight was not given in the home which received her once more。 Pregnancy ensued and again she had to receive institutional care。
CASE 12
Summary： An extremely interesting case showing strong development of a tendency to swindling on the part of a young man of curiously unequal mental abilities； a subnormal verbalist。 Pathological lying in this case quite logically developed into swindling。 The main behavior…tendencies of this individual closely follow the lines of least resistance； the paths of greatest success。 As a matter of fact； the use merely of his general subnormal abilities would never have led to as much advancement as he has enjoyed。 His special capabilities with language have brought him much satisfaction at times； even if they have also led him into trouble。 An astonishingly long list of legal proceedings centers about this case； illustrating very well the urgent need for cooperation between courts。
Adolf von X。； now just 21 years old； we； through most unusual circumstances； have had more or less under observation for a number of years。 Correspondence with several public and social agencies has given us close acquaintance with his record during this time； and earlier。 Our attention was first called to Adolf in New York； when he was a boy under arrest in the Tombs。 A fine young lawyer； a casual acquaintance of Adolf's through court work； asked us to study the case because he felt that perhaps grave injustice was being done。 Before his arrest the boy； who seemed to be most ambitious； had been about the court rooms looking into the details of cases as a student of practical law。 He had attracted attention by his energy and push； he earned money at various odd jobs and studied law at night。 At this time the boy was under arrest charged with disorderly conduct； he had beaten his sister in their home。
We found a nice looking and well spoken young fellow who said he was 17。 Although he had been in this country only three years from Germany； he spoke English almost without an accent and did quite well with French also。 He had been brought up in Hamburg。 His statement added to that previously given by the lawyer aroused in us great interest concerning the constructive possibilities of the case。 It seemed as if here was an immigrant boy for whom much should be done。
‘‘I was taking up law suits； little law suits。 There was a case on before Judge O。 and I wanted a new suit of clothes to wear to go to court in。 My sister said I could not take my brother's suit。 He told me to take it and bring it home in good condition at night。 My sister is supposed to be the
