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on promptly； and reads well。 Her association and memory processes have been proved normal； but given a task to do she is prone to show inhibitory pauses and other phenomena which interfere much with a satisfactory result。 She has some little reputation of being able to give long； almost verbatim accounts of sermons which she has heard； but the accuracy of her report we have not been able to verify。 She gave the antonyms of twenty words in average time of 1。4''； which is a good record。 There was one failure； but that was quite typical。 At the end of 20''； which is beyond the time of failure； she gave ‘‘unhappy'' as the opposite of ‘‘happy；'' adding that she had thought of that before； only she did not speak it out。 Her tests for psychomotor control were miserably done。 She was rapid in movement； but absolutely inaccurate and did not follow instructions。 However； we felt that even this did not indicate her full ability； for she had capably held a position in a millinery establishment where she was required to show manipulative dexterity。 Perhaps the best statement of her performances is that she demonstrated great irregularities from time to time； and even at the same examination in her work on different tests。
On account of her peculiar testimony against herself； her memory processes and especially her performance on the ‘‘Aussage'' test the case seemed of great interest。 We found； as we stated above； in various ways that her abilities to remember； when at her best； were normal； but using the ‘‘Aussage'' picture we obtained only 6 details in free recital； she was sure that was all she saw in the picture。 Then on cross…questioning she mentioned 9 more items correctly； and gave 8 others much altered from the truth。 No other item was added； but her report on these was almost illusional in its incorrectness。 Of 5 suggestions offered she accepted 2 of the least important； refusing the others entirely。 This was a remarkably poor result for a girl of her age； but may not be indicative of her best abilities even on this type of work。 Our final opinion was that she was not clearly subnormal in native ability。
Annie has grown somewhat more stable as the years have gone on。 Following our first acquaintance with her we have known this girl to make serious false accusations against others （vide infra） and to again damage her own reputation by alleging herself to be pregnant when she was not。 Her word in other matters all along has been found somewhat unreliable； but there has been no extensive weaving of romances such as those indulged in by typical pathological liars。 Our original diagnosis of this as a case of pathological accusation upon the basis of mild hysteria we have seen no reason to change。 Both Annie and other members of her family are representatives of a most important type for court officials and all other social workers to understand。 A great deal of trouble has been caused in several religious congregations by the unusual character of the behavior of these people。 Also the number of times they have been in courts for various reasons is astonishing。
The history of physical and mental development merges closely with the story of evolution in the moral sphere； and all can be given together。 On account of the mother having long been dead and the father being the peculiar man that he is there is some question about the truth of some of the details which have been given us； but we have reason to believe that the main facts are true because they have been held to be the truth in the family circle generally and were not merely given to us。 Verification of details would be very difficult because the family are distributed between Europe and America； and no relatives outside the immediate family are at hand。 The mother was in excessively poor condition at the birth of Annie。 She had miscarriages preceding and following。 It is stated that the diagnosis of malaria was made and that the mother had convulsions both before and after confinement。 At the birth the prolonged labor and instrumentation were not known to have done any damage。 As an infant Annie is said to have been frail； but not to have had any definite sickness or any convulsions。
However； at about Annie's fifth year there began a long list of illnesses。 She had scarlet fever severely and also a number of other children's diseases。 At 8 years she had an attack of muscular jerking； and then had a number of successive attacks until she was 14 years。 At one time she was in a public hospital for three weeks on account of this。 It was stated that this was chorea； but of course we can not be sure on this point。 Annie was always regarded as a very nervous child； she was frequently a somnambulist until she was about 12。 She is very nervous before the onset of menstruation。 Of recent years she has been an excessive user of tea at times before we first saw her she is said to have had 12 cups of tea in a day。 At times she was then suffering from sleeplessness； and was wont to feel tired in the morning。 As a young child she had severe night fears； seeing terrifying shadows upon the wall。
On account of her illnesses and her general nervous condition； Annie was very irregular in her school attendance。 However； she reached 6th grade。 As to the family opinion of her mentality we hear that they have regarded her as being an odd type； not lazy； but irritable； hateful； and moody by spells。 Her memory is said to be most irregular； sometimes exceedingly good。 The other children find it difficult to get along with her because she slaps them so much。 At times she swears。 At the time of the revival meeting； shortly before we saw her； she is said to have come home from church in an hysterical state。 When in custody she was in rather a dazed condition。 Where she was detained they say she acted as if she were stunned。 Her memory did not seem at all clear； nor has it ever seemed other than confused about the events immediately surrounding the main episode of her career。 She maintained she could not remember just exactly what she had said； and her account of it contradicted that of her father。
As we afterwards learned from the church people； it is undoubtedly a fact that her notions of self…accusation came from a Sunday School session in which her teacher repeated what had been talked about in the revival meeting concerning the scarlet woman。 A day or two afterward the girl told that she herself was ‘‘a scarlet woman。'' She told it first to the teacher； was then taken to the pastor； when she reiterated the story； and the police authorities were called in。 Of course her story implied lack of home guardianship and consequently the whole affair was handled for some days by the police alone； after the girl had given a very detailed description of her immoral life。 By the time we saw the father it had been ascertained that this girl had never been away from home a single night in her life and probably had never been in the least immoral sexually。
It is necessary to have knowledge of the heredity and environmental background to understand this case。 Almost nothing is known of the maternal family。 After losing his first wife； the father was twice remarried； and even the third wife has divorced him。 He had a brother who； after going insane and killing two laborers； committed suicide。 His grandmother； and probably also a cousin； were insane。 Two of his sisters were of a nervous and hysterical type and said to have attacks of aphonia。 A child by his second wife is epileptic。 This man gives us a long account of his own defective heredity and of his own physical ailments。 He does not recognize the fact； however； that he also is mentally below par。 We have seen him on numerous occasions and known of his great activity in the courts； and have attempted to size him up。 He is undoubtedly a constitutional inferior； in poor general physical condition and subject to episodic mental states。 One would be inclined to call him a semi…responsible individual with mild delusions； defective reasoning ability； great energy in self…assertion； and of combative disposition。 This latter shows itself in his voluble emphasis on the alleged ill treatment of himself and family； even by his wives。 He is never physically violent。 On account of false accusations； whether delusional or not； he got at least one pastor into a peck of trouble； and； strangely enough； his wives have been involved in some other church embroilments when his own character was called severely into question。 On one occasion we were interested to enumerate an astonishing list of people and organizations which； he stated； had treated him and his family unfairly。 It seemed to us that during the last two or three years he must largely have lived in the courts to carry on his transactions there。 His concern for his daughter seemed genuine and her delinquency led him to seek the law more than ever。 Some of the good people who have become interested in his affairs tell us that his is the strangest story they have ever heard。 His veracity is often in question。 On more than one occasion with us he has dwelled on his nervous states； and on the fact that he is subject to times of mental confusion； but h