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CASE 4
Summary： A girl of 16 had been engaged in an extraordinary amount of clever shoplifting under the influence of her ‘‘mother。'' In the courts where the cases against her were heard there was much sympathy with the girl； but it was difficult to carry out any measures for her benefit because of the excessive prevarications which had characterized her for a long period。 Under oath she falsely accused her ‘‘father'' of sex immorality with her。 She was removed from her home； and with knowledge of the mental conflicts which beset her； splendid efforts to ‘‘cure'' this girl met with success。 It is another case where supposed inherited traits turn out to be the result of environmental influences。
Through frequent communication with the highly intelligent woman with whom Edna F。 was placed in a small western city after she was taken from her previous miserable environment； we have been able to keep close check on the progress of the case for several years。 It was also very fortunate for our understanding that a nurse who knew the girl's real mother in New York； where Edna was born； appeared on the scene and gave us data upon which we could base some opinions of the outcome。 The case in its entirety had proved very baffling to detectives because of the mass of contradictory lies told by both the girl and her ‘‘mother。''
Our attention was first called to this girl when a number of court people were trying to solve the mystery。 She had been arrested for shoplifting and her curious attitude and statements had made some believe she was not quite right mentally。 Once before she had been detected stealing things in a shop。 One of her remarkable statements this last time was that her parents were implicated in the thieving and she named certain stolen articles which might be found at their home。 She went with the detectives and accused her ‘‘mother'' of wearing a dress which she； Edna； had stolen。 The woman was forced to give up the dress and other articles； but it was found later that these goods had been actually bought and paid for by the parents。 Later it was found that the woman was a party to the girl's stealing and this made the girl's story seem all the more strange； for if she were going to involve the people at all why did she not pick out the actually stolen articles？ However； long study of the case brought out the fact that this type of statement was a characteristic of Edna's。 Her word on even important points was absolutely unreliable and her own interests were frequently thwarted by her prevarications。
The case in its different aspects came up in court again and again until finally most of the truth was ascertained； enough to justify radical measures being undertaken。 During this period the mother was discovered to be an atrocious liar； even with her last bitter confession that all she had said about her motherhood had been untrue； she manufactured more quite unnecessary falsehoods。 In the meantime the family physician and the family lawyer had both informed me of the peculiar mysteries of the case and of the perfect mass of lies into which the statements of both mother and daughter led。 This sort of thing had been going on for years。 It is of no small interest to note that the woman was greatly over…dressed and made up。 On numerous occasions she appealed to us to study the girl and find out why she lied so much and why she had such an inclination to steal； in the meantime attempting to fill us up with many inventions about the girl's antecedents。
Physical examination showed a perfectly normally developed girl。 No sensory defects。 Pleasant features。 Well shaped head。 Weight 101 lbs； height 5 ft。 1 in。 We found no hysterical stigmata。 Menstruation had first occurred at 14。 No trouble or irregularity was reported。 We learn the girl has never had any serious illness。 She herself told of fainting spells after being whipped and so on； but these were undoubtedly falsifications。 The family physician informed us he had operated on the girl for appendicitis about three months previous to the time we first saw her。 He had found some evidences of an old appendiceal inflammation； but it is quite likely from the various accounts which we heard that her symptoms recounted to him were largely fabrication and that the signs which he found； at least in their excessive phases； were partly deceptions。 The most important point for the court proceedings was his findings that the girl had never been sexually tampered with and had no local disease。 At the time when we knew Edna she was being treated for a local infection which must have been recent and superficial； for it rapidly subsided。
We had ample opportunity to test Edna's ability and found it quite normal。 She had been out of school much and had been careless in general about her education； but she had finally finished the grammar school。 A long list of tests was done almost uniformly well。 Where a prolonged task which required concentration was asked； Edna was inclined to work carelessly； but in general her capacities proved to be decidedly good。 She was accustomed to read nothing but the lightest literature and fairy stories and her interests were of the superficial sort。 Neither in powers of imagery or imagination； nor by anything else ascertained about her mental abilities did we come to know of any point of special bearing upon her behavior。
On the ‘‘Aussage'' picture test； she gave only 12 details； all correct； on free recital。 Upon questioning she gave 28 more items and almost the only variation from accuracy was in respect to the colors。 Evidently she let her fancy run when she could not remember correctly； through this she got 6 items incorrect。 She readily accepted 3 out of 4 suggestions。
Our earliest impressions of Edna state that she seemed much confused in her stories and in her manner of telling them； leaving sentences unfinished and trying to explain inconsistencies by other inconsistencies。 At this time she was referring constantly to her doubts about her age； her family； and her origin。 She then seemed highly suspicious of every one and talked of suicide。 However； when she was showing these signs she could be diverted； for she worked with much pleasure at the tests； particularly certain memory tests on which she did well。
On account of the difficulties of the solution of this case under the law considerable time and effort were spent in looking up her record。 It was found that some years ago Edna had run away from home and there was a newspaper article published about her。 Even at that time an officer who went to the home was unable to ascertain the truth in the case。 The family had frequently moved and the mother asserted it was because of the bad reputation which the girl's actions had given them。 The neighbors complained of the cruelty of the parents to Edna； but this meant only the whippings which the mother had given her。 By all accounts the father was a good man who insisted that affairs between his wife and Edna were not his own。 （Edna always maintained that this man had been unusually good to her； although she so strangely made in court the false accusations of prolonged sex immoralit