pathology of lying-第31部分

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We　studied　Libby　S。　as　a　delinquent　some　eight　months　after　her　mother　and　step…father　had　been　acquitted　of　murder。　　These　unfortunate　people　had　been　held　and　tried　almost　entirely　upon　the　testimony　given　by　this　girl。　　It　goes　without　saying　that　they　were　very　poor　and　not　ordinarily　self…assertive；　and　so　did　not　obtain　competent　legal　advice。　　We　were　naturally　interested　in　this　remarkable　affair　and　were　glad　to　be　able　to　get　at　the　truth　of　the　matter　and　bring　about　forgiveness　and　reconciliation　within　the　family　circle。

Libby　was　now　under　arrest　for　stealing　and　for　prostitution。　　Her　statement　to　us　was　that　she　had　been　immoral　and　wanted　to　be　sent　away　to　an　institution　where　she　would　be　kept　out　of　trouble。　　She　had　been　working　in　a　factory。　　Her　mother　and　step…father　were　temperate　and　the　latter　was　always　good　to　her　and　to　her　brother。　　She　told　about　being　extremely　nervous　when　she　got　to　thinking　about　different　things；　and　maintained　that　she　worried　so　much　at　times　that　she　did　not　know　what　she　was　doing。　　Later　we　learned　from　her　of　her　little　sister's　death；　of　the　fact　that　the　child　was　not　really　her　sister；　and　that　her　mother　had　not　been　married　to　her　present　husband　until　the　time　of　the　trial；　although　for　long　they　had　been　living　together。　　She　added　that　she　had　been　a　witness　five　times　in　court　against　her　mother　and　step…father。　　A　younger　brother　had　also　testified　against　them　to　some　minor　extent。　　‘‘We　had　to　tell　what　we　sawwe　told　enough　lies　as　it　was。''

Following　the　latter　remark　as　a　clew　we　went　as　thoroughly　as　we　could　into　the　details　of　the　whole　case。　　No　report　of　the　court　proceedings　being　available　we　obtained　what　we　could　from　the　newspaper　accounts。　　Obviously；　however；　much　of　these　was　impressionistic　and　unreliable。　　The　coroner's　physician　testified　to　many　bruises　being　on　the　body；　and　to　the　bottom　of　the　feet　being　blistered。　　The　report　of　what　the　police　said　at　the　inquest　made　anything　but　conclusive　testimony。　　Even　from　that；　the　murder　seemed　highly　improbable。　　It　was　shown　that　a　physician　was　called　to　the　child　before　she　died；　but　did　not　respond。　　Libby　testified　at　the　inquest　and　later　against　her　mother；　stating　that　the　child　had　been　beaten　and　tortured　in　various　ways。　　We　also　learned　from　other　than　newspaper　sources　that　when　Libby　was　waiting　to　testify；　with　her　mother　suffering　imprisonment　in　the　same　building；　the　girl　was　nonchalantly　singing　ragtime　songs　in　the　court…house　corridors。

The　facts　about　the　alleged　murder　of　the　five　year　old　child　as　we　could　finally　summarize　them　from　various　accounts；　and　after　hearing　the　confession　of　Libby；　are　as　follows。　　This　child　was　an　epileptic　and　had　frequent　attacks　of　falling；　when　she　injured　herself；　once　having　fallen　in　this　way　against　a　hot　stove。　　The　little　child　engaged　in　extremely　bad　sex　habits。　　Indeed；　Libby　herself　had　been　somewhat　involved　with　her　in　these。　　Once　when　she　was　ill　hot　bricks　had　been　placed　in　the　bed；　and；　while　unconscious；　her　feet　had　been　blistered。　　The　child　had　also　suffered　from　various　other　ailments；　including　a　skin　disease　which　left　sore　places　and　scars。　　When　she　died　Libby　first　told　a　neighbor　that　the　parents　were　responsible　and　this　person　referred　her　to　the　police。　　The　false　testimony　began　there　and　continued　at　the　inquest；　before　the　grand　jury；　and　at　the　trial。　　Upon　thorough　final　sifting　of　the　evidence　in　court　nothing　was　found　in　the　least　indicating　that　the　child　had　died　from　mistreatment。　　The　younger　brother　had　been　told　by　Libby　to　testify　against　the　mother。　　There　was　no　question　but　that　Libby　started　and　continued　the　whole　trouble；　but　the　unnatural　fact　that　she　was　willing　to　make　sworn　statements　jeopardizing　her　mother　made　her　testimony　have　all　the　earmarks　of　antecedent　probability。

The　mother　herself；　in　whom　we　gradually　came　to　have　full　confidence；　informed　us　that　the　dead　child　had　an　epileptic　attack　and　was　unconscious　for　several　hours　before　she　died。　　They　lived　on　the　outskirts　of　the　city　and　it　was　bad　weather；　and　although　they　sent　twice　for　doctors；　no　one　appeared。　　The　child　had　been　mildly　whipped　at　times　in　an　attempt　to　cure　her　of　her　bad　sex　habits。　　She　had　many　sores　from　her　skin　trouble　and　these　were　by　some　interpreted　as　caused　by　beatings。

When　under　our　observation；　and　during　our　attempt　to　analyze　her　career；　Libby　underwent　a　change　of　attitude　and　confessed　thoroughly　and　definitely　that　the　story　about　the　murder　was　lies　all　the　way　through。　　For　the　sake　of　the　poor　little　mother　we　had　the　girl　make　a　sworn　statement　to　this　effect。　　It　was　of　some　little　interest　to　us　to　note　that　the　police　account　given　in　the　newspapers　about　the　little　child　being　beaten　with　a　rubber　hose　was　derived　from　the　story　told　by　Libby。　　It　was　a　wonderfully　dramatic　and　pathetic　scene　when　this　woman　met　her　daughter　and　the　latter　confessed　to　her　lies　and　asked　forgiveness。　　All　the　mother　could　say　was；　‘‘Oh；　the　suffering　she　has　caused　me！　　But　I　do　want　her　to　be　a　good　girl。''

From　the　girl's　long　stories　to　us　we　may　derive　the　following　points　of　interest。　　Before　her　confession　she　was　very　emotional　on　the　subject　of　her　little　sister。　　She　dwelled　much　upon　her　dreams　of　the　child；　but　proved　self…contradictory　about　the　matter　of　her　death；　as　well　as　about　her　own　history。　　Even　then　she　began　telling　us　what　a　bad　girl　she　herself　was　in　various　ways。　　She　said；　‘‘I　did　not　see　Laura　die；　but　I　guess　they　did　burn　her　up　because　her　finger　tips　were　all　gone　and　her　hands　were　all　swollen　up。　　Ma　said　she　would　burn　her　up　if　she　did　not　quit　wetting　the　bed。　　Yes；　I　used　to　worry　about　Laura　awful。　　She　always　had　been　the　trouble。　　I　would　have　been　a　good　girl　if　it　had　not　been　for　her。　　I　used　to　worry　so　fierce　that　I　could　not　help　from　stealing　and　then　when　I　stole　I　was　scared　to　go　back　to　my　jobs。　　I　had　to　have　money　and　so　I　made　good　money　by　going　with　these　fellows。　　I　used　to　feel　fierce　about　the　money　I　took　from　my　mother　and　used　to　put　it　back　and　then　would　say；　‘No；　I　just　must　have　it。'　''

This　girl　had　been　working　at　different　factories　and　homes　since　her　mother's　trial。　　She　confessed　to　thieving　from　stores。　　The　stealing　she　had　done　at　home　was；　it　seems；　long　before　the　death　of　the　little　child。　　Libby　made　much　of　her　mental　states　and　of　her　dream…life　in　talking　to　us。　　‘‘I　like　to　go　to　nickel　shows。　　I　saw　a　sad　piece　once　and　if　I　feel　sad　now　I　think　about　it　and　it　makes　me　want　to　go　to　my　mother。　　I　have　a　funny　feeling　about　going　home。　　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　　At　night　I　dream　about　it　and　something　keeps　telling　me　to　go　home。　　I　want　to　go　to　an　institution　now　and　learn　to　do　fancy　work　and　to　be　good；　and　then　I　want　to　go　home。''

Libby　told　us　enough　about　her　first　father　for　us　to　know　he　had　had　a　terrifically　bad　influence　upon　her。　　She　also　long　associated　with　bad　companions　who　instructed　her　thoroughly　in　the　ways　of　immorality。　　She　described　attacks　in　which　she　felt　weak　and　thought　she　was　going　to　fall；　but　never　did。　　（The　young　child　in　the　family　who　had　epilepsy　was　no　relation　whatever　to　her。）　　She　knew　that　her　mother　had　long　been　living　with　her　step…father　in　common…law　relationship；　but　insisted　on　what　was　undoubtedly　the　truth；　namely；　that　they　were　temperate　and　very　respectable　people。　　Libby　never　gave　us　any　explanation　for　her　testimony　against　her　mother；　but　acknowledged　that　she　herself　had　been　delinquent　earlier。

The　physical　examination　showed　a　normally　developed　girl：　weight　108　lbs。；　height　5　ft。　3　in。　　Well　shaped　head　and　rather　delicate　features。　　Her　teeth　showed　a　defective　line　in　the　enamel　near　the　gums　on　the　incisors　and　the　cuspids。　　Bites　her　finger　nails。　　Slight　irregularity　of　the　left　pupil。　　Careful　examination　of　the　eyes　in　other　ways　entirely　negative。　　Prompt　reaction　of　pupils　to　light。　　No　sensory　defect　of　importance。　　Knee　jerks　active。　　Heart　sounds　normal；　and　all　other　examination　failed　to　show　defect。　　Complained　of　frequent　headaches；　but　these　were　not　of　great　severity。　　After　information　from　the　mother　we　felt　that　Libby's　feelings　of　weakness　and　tremblings　were　probably　of　the　hysterical　variety。

During　the　period　in　which　we　had　Libby　under　observation　she　showed　more　or　less　emotional　disturbance；　but　even　so　we　were　able　to　assure　ourselves　that　her　mental　ability　was　fair。　　We　did　not　expect　good　results　from　formal　education　because　in　her　case　it　had　been　very　irregular。　　Many　of　our　ability　tests；　however；　were　done　well；　but　she　failed　where　she　was　asked　to　demonstrate　good　powers　of　concentration　and　attention。　　We　noted　that　she　showed　a　very　eager　attitude　toward　her　work；　but　was　nervous　about　it。　　Always　pleasant　demeanor。

Most　significant　results　were　obtained　on　the　‘‘Aussage''　or　testimony　test。　　After　viewing　our　standard　picture　she　volunteered　only　8　details　in　free　recital。　　On　cross…examination　she　gave　21　more；　but　no　less　than　7　of　these　were　incorrectly　stated。　　Then　she　accepted　the　4　suggestions　which　were　given　her。　　This　result　from　a　girl　of　her　age　and　ability　was　exceedingly　poor。

We　never　found　any　evidence　whatever　of　aberrational　mental　conditions。　　Our　final　diagnosis　was　‘‘fair　in　mental　ability　with　poor　educational　advantages。''

It　should　be　definitely　understood　in　considering　this　case　that　even　to　the　time　of　our　last　interview　with　Libby；　after　she　had　acknowledged　her　own　extensive　prevarications；　we　had　evidences　of　the　unreliability　of　her　word。　　In　giving　details　she　never　made　any　special　effort　to　tell　the　truth；　whether　it　was　in　regard　to　the　date　of　her　father's　death　or　any　other　immaterial　detail。　　We　were　inclined　to　classify　her　as　a　pathological　liar；　as　well　as　a　case　of　pathological　false　accusation。　　Her　traits　as　a　liar　and　a　generally　difficult　case　have；　we　learn；　been　maintained　during　her　stay　up　to　the　present　time　in　an　institution　for　delinquent　girls。

From　the　fairly　intelligent　mother；　who　cooperated　well　with　us；　we　obtained　a　carefully　stated　developmental　history。　　During　pregnancy　with　Libby　th