pathology of lying-第13章
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encies： Mentality： Lying。 Fair ability with Running away。 poor educational Sex。 advantages。 …
CASE 3
Summary： In its wonderfully clear presentation of characteristics this case classically represents the type。 A woman of 27 years （usually claiming to be 17）； during a career of 7 or 8 years has engaged in an excessive amount of misrepresentation； often to the extent of swindling。 Alleging herself to be merely a girl and without a family； she has repeatedly gained protection； sometimes for a year or more； in homes where her prevaricating tendencies； appearing with ever new details； have sooner or later thwarted her own interests。 By extraordinary methods she has often simulated illnesses which have demanded hospital treatment。 For long she was lost to her family； traveling about under different names； making her way by her remarkable abilities and unusual presence。
This case illustrates； again； two points we have often made； namely； that the difficulty of getting safe data concerning genetics increases rapidly with age； and that the chance of altering tendencies after years of character formation vastly diminishes。 These features appear strongly here； yet our long knowledge of the person and of the many details of her career gives the history great interest。
A young woman； whom we will call Inez B。； a name she once assumed for a time； arrived at a girls' boarding home in Chicago with merely a small traveling bag and money sufficient only for a few days。 In appearance and conversation she gave distinct evidences of refinement。 She showed indecision and confessed she knew no one in the city。
Just at this time a wealthy eastern girl； Agnes W。； was missing from her home； and the police everywhere were on the lookout for her。 A detective who was ordered to visit the boarding club showed a picture of Agnes W。 to the matron； who instantly discerned a likeness to Inez and informed him of her recent arrival。 Inez was questioned； but could or would give no satisfactory response concerning her own home。 She maintained she was just 17 and had come to Chicago to make her own way in the world。 After some account of herself； the details of which were somewhat contradictory； it was inferred that she might be Agnes W。 She vehemently denied it； but being the same age and some likeness being discerned； the questioning was continued。 Various matters of Agnes W。's antecedents were gone into and after a time Inez burst out with； ‘‘Well； if you must have it so； I am Agnes W。'' The girl was thereupon taken in charge by the police authorities； and she herself registered several times as Agnes W。 After the family of the latter had been communicated with； however； it was ascertained that Inez was not the lost heiress。
She now said that anyhow she really was a runaway girl。 She had left her adopted parents because they were cruel and immoral。 It was her unhappy brooding over her own affairs that led her to lie about being the other girl。 She insisted she was sorry for the many lies she had told various officers； but felt； after all； they were to blame because their obvious desire to have her tell that she was Agnes W。 led her on。 They deceived her first because they misrepresented themselves and did not say they were police officials。 Nevertheless； she makes much of how she hates her false position； being registered under a false name and figuring as a deceiver。
The significant points in the long story of Inez； as told to us in the days of our first acquaintance with her； are worth giving。 （At this period she was with us thoroughly consistent； at all times she has appeared self…possessed and coherent。） Inez states she is 17 and has just come from a town in Tennessee where she has been living for a couple of years with some people by the name of B。 who adopted her。 At first they were very good to her and she loved them dearly。 She was quite unsophisticated when she went to them and did not realize then that they were not good people。 She met them at an employment agency in St。 Louis where she had gone after leaving the Smiths； the people who had brought her up。 At that time the B。's appeared fairly well…to…do； but Mr。 B。 had been running up debts that later carried him into bankruptcy。 Inez was sick and exhausted now from having worked so hard for them。 She finally ran away from that town because the B。's wanted to go elsewhere； leaving her in a compromising position with a young man who rented their house。 She first tried boarding in two places； however； before she ventured to go。
The Smiths were the people she lived with until she was 14。 She remembers first living with them； but faintly recalls bearing the name of Mary Johnson before that。 Who the Johnsons were she does not know； but she feels sure of the fact that she was born in New Orleans。 However； Inez does not worry about her parentage even though it is unknown。 Mrs。 Smith was an elderly woman of wealth who was very good to her； and by the time she was 14 she had studied German and French； algebra and trigonometry。 She had a French tutor and took lessons on the piano。 Always did well in school and loved her work there。 The Smith children； who were much older； were very angry with their mother for all the money she spent on Inezthey would have preferred its being expended on their children。 The son grew quite abusive and Mrs。 S。 was made to suffer so much that the girl came to feel that she was largely the cause of the old lady's unhappiness。 After one particularly deplorable scene she slipped away from their home in New Orleans； traveled to St。 Louis and went to an employment agency where she found the B。's。 At the present time； above all things； she does not want the Smiths to know about her when she is temporarily a failure。 She will never go back to them until she can help the old lady who was so good to her。
Inez tells us she is now suffering from a wound still open as the result of an operation for appendicitis performed two years previously。 She also suffered from tuberculosis a few years ago。 （She was found to be running a slight temperature； and some slight hemorrhages in the sputum were observed。）
It may strengthen the portraiture so far sketched to give our impressions as stated after our first study covering a week or two； nor will it lessen the reader's interest to remark that it was not for lack of acquaintance with the pathological liar type that we failed to correctly size up this individual。 Indeed； we had already studied nearly all the other cases cited in this monograph。 Our statement ran as follows： ‘‘This girl is very frank and talkative with us。 With her strong； but refined features and cultivated voice she is a good deal of a personality。 She is sanguine and independent。 Very likely she does not exaggerate the hard times she has had in going from one home to another。 One cannot but respect this unusual young woman for wanting to keep her early history secret。 It would be fortunate if some one would care for the girl and get her ailments cured。 With her very good ability she might easily then be self…supporting。''
A woman of strength and judgment undertook to look after Inez。 The girl's personality commanded interest。 In a few days she complained more vigorously of her abdominal trouble； an operation seemed imperative and was performed。 （An account of this will be given later。） Later the girl was taken to a convalescent home and then to a beautiful lake resort。 While here she suddenly was stricken desperately ill。 Her friend was telegraphed for； a special boat was commissioned； and the girl was taken to a neighboring sanitarium。 The doctors readily agreed that the case was one of simulation or hysteria。 She was brought back to Chicago and warned that this sort of performance would not pay。 After being given further opportunity to rest； although under less favorable circumstances； in a few weeks she was offered work in several homes； but in each instance the connection was soon severed。 Then without letting her guardian…friend know； Inez suddenly left the city。
Inqu
