pathology of lying-第33节
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‘‘I'm studying law。 Taking a correspondence course。 They give you an L。L。B。 It's a two years work and you get all the volumes separately；'' etc。 ‘‘Then we have a slander suit。 A neighbor called my sister dirty names。 I am going to file a 5000 slander suit。 I would not let that man call names like that； and then he's got about 5000 in property。
‘‘Some people are down on me； but I tell you I have been a leader of boys。 We got the Illinois championshipyou know； the boy scout examinations。 There was an examination on leaves。 I was their leader。 I had 9 boys up and there were 117 leaves and every boy knew every leaf。 Of course I told them or they would not have known。 Some people are down on me for what I do for the boys； but I tell you I've been in court and I've made up my mind I will help other kids。 Sometimes kids can be helped by talking to。 Then there is me。 I won the boxing championship this year。'' （At this period I enquire about his prowess and the recent encounter with the young boy who dragged him over the stones。 With a blush he says he never was any good at real boxing or real fighting。） ‘‘I'm this kind of a fellow。 If they let me alone I'm all right； but if they start monkeying with me something is going to happen。 When you start a thing don't start it until you can carry it through。 These people that started with me were not able to do that。''
Later it came out that the alleged fighting with the boy is all in Adolf's mind。 He tells us； without noticing any discrepancy； that no complaint against this boy； who he said had been already tried and fined； would be received by the police authorities； nor will they issue a warrant。
Within the last year or two there has been almost complete cessation of Adolf's attempt to become a lawyer。 At an earlier time he came to us with a speech written out in a book。 He was going to recite it when a certain case came up in the Municipal Court。 As a matter of fact we heard that the boy said nothing on the occasion。 At various times we have heard of his getting mixed up in different ways in a number of cases。 Once he succeeded in giving testimony in a notorious trial。 His own account of his interest in the case is shown in the following：
‘‘Doctor； you remember that X。 boy and that Y。 boy。 Judge B。 is going to try them。 They are down in the S Station and they are going to stay there unless they sign a jury waiver and they can't do that。 They are only 15 years oldI got their agesit cost me 1 to get their ages and I am going to be there when they are being tried。'' （The statement of the ages is untrue。） ‘‘It ain't right to keep these boys down there。 They look pale。 They don't give them anything but black coffee。 I'm going to represent them boys。 You know； doctor； I'm working in three places nowholding three jobs。 Two days in the week I work for the A's； two for Mr。 B。he ain't exactly my bossand then for myself。 The A's pay me 6； Mr。 B。 pays 3； and then I make 7 or 8 myself interpreting。 I'm saving it up to go to law school。 In three years I graduate。 They are going to hold it up against them boys； their records； and I am going to deny it。 It ain't right。 I was talking to the detective that arrested X。 and I says to him； ‘Look here； you took the knife。 What right have they got to take in one fellow without the little fellow？' I want to represent this case myself。''
Adolf has worked for law firms and aided at times as an investigator of criminal and vice situations。 Occasionally he has been much worried about his own court record。 He did not want it to stand against him。 He thought he could get his sister to swear that he never quarreled at home。 Shortly afterwards he served a short sentence for stealing from a law firm。 Later he came in and said he had a job in the legal department of a large concern and that he had changed his name because he believed his old name was ruined。 ‘‘I'm determined to be a lawyer。 Ever since a little fellow I have wanted to beever since I have had an understanding of what the law means。 I used to play court with the other little ones and talk about law。'' At this time he wanted a little loan。 He had become particularly interested in philanthropic work and thought he could do something on the side about thatperhaps become a leader of boys； or help the unprotected in some way。 Adolf was really employed now to investigate cases by some lawyer。 About this time he had been wearing a badge； impersonating an officer of a certain philanthropic society。
For long this young man was concocting all sorts of schemes how he might work in at the edge of legal affairs； as an interpreter； a ‘‘next friend；'' an investigator； etc。 More recent activities have taken Adolf away from the field of his first ambitions and he has tried to use his talents in all sorts of adventuresome ways。 The accounts of his lying and impostures belong logically together； as follows。
During all our acquaintance with Adolf we have known his word to be absolutely untrustworthy。 Many times he has descended upon his friends with quite unnecessary stories； leading to nothing but a lowering of their opinion of him。 Repeatedly his concoctions have been without ascertainable purpose。 His prevaricating nearly always centers about himself as some sort of a hero and represents him to be a particularly good…hearted and even definitely philanthropic personone who loves all creatures and does much for others。 Pages might be taken in recounting his falsehoods。 Most of them； even when long drawn out； were fairly coherent。 I remember one instance as showing how particularly uncalled for his prevarications were。 After hearing one of his tales； we started downtown together； but missed a car。 Adolf walked to the middle of the street and said he could see one coming just a few blocks away。 Being doubtful； I a minute later went to look and no car even yet was in sight。 Adolf sheepishly stared in a shop window。 He never took any pleasure in his record of misdeeds。 He was never boastful about them and indeed seemed to have quite normal moral feeling。 But so far； none of his perceptions or apperceptions has led him to see the astonishing futility of his own lying and other misrepresentations。
Already this young man's court experiences we know to be very numerous and possibly we are not acquainted with all of them。 Early we knew of his forging letters and telegrams and engaging in minor misrepresentations which were really swindling operations。 Later his transactions have been spread about in different cities； as we have already stated。 The young man borrowed small sums frequently on false pretenses。 He has found the outskirts of legal practice a fruitful field for misrepresentations galore。 For instance； at one time he stood outside the door of a concern which deals with small legal business and represented to the prospective patrons that he as a student of the law could transact their business with more individual care and for a less sum。 He really succeeded in getting hold of the beginnings of a number of legal actions in this way。 In one city he posed as the officer of a certain protective agency and posted himself where he would be likely to meet people who knew of this organization； in order to obtain petty business from them。 We have heard that he has been a witness in a number of legal cases and has earned fees thereby。 In Cleveland Adolf succeeded in starting a secret service agency and obtained contracts； among them the detective work for a newly started store of considerable size。 This was a great tribute to his push and energy； but his agency soon failed。 In St。 Louis； where he stayed long enough to become acquainted with not a few members of the legal fraternity； he forged a legal document。 A great deal was made of the case by the papers because of its flagrancy and amusing details。 It seems Adolf had become enamored of a certain woman who was not living with her husband。 The account runs that he urged his suit； but she refused because she was not legally free。 Adolf replied that he would make that all right and in a week or two produced papers of divorce。 These were made out in legal form； but it seems that he over…stepped the mark。 The alleged decree stated that the fair divorcee must be remarried inside of a week。 This seems to have aroused her suspicion； as had also some violence which Adolf had prematurely displayed。 The young man was duly sentenced for the fraud。
Concerning punishments we can say that in the five years since he left New York he has served at least four terms in penal institutions and has been held to trial on one other occasion。 This latter event concerned itself with Adolf's impersonating a federal officer。 He made his way into a home under these conditions； just why we do not know。 The case was difficult to adjust and was dismissed because no statute exactly covered it。
Perhaps nothing in his remarkable history shows Adolf's aggressiveness and peculiar tendencies any more than his political career。 He had been voting long before he was of age and had even succeeded in getting a nomination for a certain party position during his minority； polling a considerable vote at
