pathology of lying-第30节

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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　plaintiff；　but　she　did　not　make　the　complaint。　　The　landlady　came　in　and　hit　me　three　times　in　the　head　with　a　broom。　　My　sister　called　her　in　and　then　she　threw　a　piece　of　wood　after　me。　　Sister　started　crying；　but　she　did　not　get　hit。　　The　landlady　got　hit。　　When　I　fell　down　I　striked　her　with　my　head　and　hurt　my　head　bad。　　I　think　I　hit　her　with　the　left　side　of　my　head。　　The　landlady　made　complaint　in　German　to　an　Irish　policeman。　　He　could　not　understand。　　The　officer　did　not　do　what　the　law　tells　because　he　took　a　complaint　from　a　boy　of　the　age　of　6　years。　　He　translated　for　her。

‘‘The　trouble　started　because　I　wanted　to　get　my　brother's　suit　because　I　wanted　to　appear　before　Judge　O。　to　protect　a　party　in　the　hearing　of　a　case。　　I　took　a　few　lessons　over　in　the　Y。M。C。A。　class　and　in　a　law　office　I　read　books　through。　　I　have　books　at　home；　rulings　of　every　court。　　I　know　I　got　a　good　chance　to　work　up　because　I　know　I　have　a　good　head　for　the　law。　　My　father　he　wont　believe　it；　that's　the　trouble。　　I　know　I　could　stand　my　own　expenses。　　I　said；　‘Officer；　wait　here　a　minute。　　I'll　explain　how　this　is。'　　He　began　stepping　on　me。　　He　threw　me　on　the　floor。　　I　wanted　to　go　out　the　back　way　so　nobody　would　see　me。　　He　kicked　me　down　the　front　way。　　There　was　a　big　crowd　there。　　Another　rough　officer　pinched　my　arm。　　At　the　station　when　the　officer　said　this　boy　hit　his　sister；　my　sister　said；　‘No；　he　did　not　hit　me；'　but　she　said　it　in　German。

‘‘I　was　in　court　awhile　ago　because　father　thought　I　would　not　work。　　I　was　paroled。　　I　was　trying　to　find　a　position。　　This　man　that　had　the　rehearing　said；　‘You　wont　lose　anything。'　　He　made　as　much　as　a　contract　with　me。　　He　said　to　another　person　in　my　hearing；　if　that　fellow　wins　my　case　I　will　pay　him　10　for　it。　　The　first　case　I　had　was　in　X　court。　　I　was　interpreter　there。　　I　want　to　make　something　out　of　myself。　　Labor　is　all　right；　but　I　like　office　work　or　law　work　better。　　I　tell　you；　doctor；　if　I　come　up　before　the　judge　I　will　tell　him　just　the　same　story　I　tell　you。　　I　can　remember　it　just　that　way。''

This　young　man　told　us　he　had　graduated　from　intermediate　school　in　Hamburg；　in　this　country　he　had　attended　for　about　a　year　and　a　half　and；　in　spite　of　the　language　handicap；　he　was　in　sixth　grade。　　There　is　a　brother　a　little　older　and　an　older　sister。　　Mother　has　been　dead　for　5　years。　　His　father　is　an　artisan　and　makes　a　fair　living。

We　soon　found　means　of　getting　more　facts　concerning　this　case。　　The　first　point　of　importance　was　concerning　his　age。　　It　appeared　that　he　at　present　was　lying　about　this；　probably　for　the　purpose　of　concealing　his　previous　record　in　the　Juvenile　Court　and　in　other　connections。　　There　had　been　previously　much　trouble　with　him。　　He　had　been　long　complained　of　by　his　father　because　of　the　bickering　and　quarreling　which　he　caused　in　the　household　and　on　account　of　his　not　working　steadily。　　He　had　shown　himself　tremendously　able　in　getting　employment；　having　had　at　least　twenty　places　in　the　last　year　and　a　half。　　He　was　known　to　lie　and　misrepresent；　on　one　occasion　when　he　was　trying　to　get　certain　advantages　for　himself　he　falsely　stated　that　he　was　employed　by　a　certain　legal　concern；　and　once　he　tried　to　pass　himself　off　for　an　officer　of　a　court。

The　father　willingly　came　to　see　us　and　proved　to　be　a　somewhat　excitable；　but　intelligent　man　of　good　reputation。　　We　obtained　a　very　good　history　before　studying　the　boy　himself。　　Mr。　von　X。　began　by　informing　us　that　we　had　a　pretty　difficult　case　on　our　hands；　and　when　we　spoke　of　the　boy's　ambition　he　became　very　sarcastic。　　He　stated　that　up　to　the　time　when　the　boy　left　school　in　Hamburg　he　had　only　been　able　to　get　to　the　equivalent　of　our　third　grade。　　To　be　sure；　it　is　true　that　Adolf　had　learned　English　quickly　and　much　more　readily　than　any　one　else　in　the　family；　and　in　the　old　country　had　picked　up　French；　but　‘‘he　hasn't　got　sense　enough　to　be　a　lawyer。''

Both　the　older　children　did　very　well　in　school；　and　the　father　and　mother　came　from　intelligent　families。　　All　the　children　are　somewhat　nervous；　but　the　two　older　ones　are　altogether　different　from　this　boy。　　They　are　quiet　and　saving。　　A　grandfather　was　said　to　have　been　a　learned　man　and　another　member　of　the　family　very　well…to…do。　　The　mother　has　one　cousin　insane　and　the　father　one　cousin　who　is　feebleminded。　　All　the　other　family　history　from　this　apparently　reliable　source　was　negative。　　Both　the　father　and　mother　were　still　young　at　the　birth　of　this　child。　　The　mother　died　of　pneumonia；　but　prior　to　this　sickness　had　been　healthy。

The　developmental　history　of　Adolf　runs　as　follows：　　His　birth　was　preceded　by　two　miscarriages。　　The　pregnancy　was　quite　normal；　confinement　easy。　　When　he　was　a　few　days　old　he　had　some　inflammation　of　the　eyes　which　soon　subsided。　　Never　any　convulsions。　　His　infancy　was　normal。　　He　walked　and　talked　early。　　At　three　years　he　had　diphtheria　badly　with　delirium　for　a　couple　of　weeks　and　paralysis　of　the　palate　for　some　months。　　After　this　his　parents　thought　the　boy　not　quite　normal。　　He　had　slight　fevers　occasionally。　　At　9　years　he　was　very　ill　with　scarlet　fever。　　Following　that　he　had　some　trouble　with　the　bones　in　his　legs。　　Before　he　left　Hamburg　he　had　an　operation　on　one　leg　for　this　trouble　which　had　persisted。　　（It　was　quite　significant　that　in　our　first　interview　Adolf　had　told　us　his　leg　had　been　injured　by　a　rock　falling　on　it；　necessitating　the　operation。）　　Up　to　the　age　of　14　this　boy；　although　apparently　in　good　physical　condition；　used　to　wet　the　bed　always　at　night；　and　sometimes　during　the　day　lost　control　of　his　bladder。　　Also　lost　control　of　his　bowels　occasionally　after　he　was　10　years　old。　　He　sleeps　well；　is　moderate　in　the　use　of　tea　and　coffee；　and　does　not　smoke。

When　young　he　played　much　by　himself。　　After　coming　to　this　country　his　chief　recreation　was　going　to　nickel　shows。　　He　was　fond　of　music　as　a　child。　　He　had　been　a　truant　in　Hamburg。　　As　a　young　child　he　was　regarded　as　destructive。　　The　general　statem