按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
or you。 There's Mr。 A。 and Congressman X。； they started out from little beginnings just the same as me。 I'm going along their line。
‘‘Do you know I got sued by the Evening Star for libbel。 That's what I got for testifying in that case。 I tell you what I would like and that's vice investigation work。''
At another time： ‘‘Well； doctor； I am general manager for my brother's business now。 He's got a bottle business。 There's money in that； ain't there？ I was down in court to…day。 I tell you； there was a fellow who got what was coming to him。 It was a case before Judge H。assault and battery。 He was fined 10 and costsall amounted to about 30。 Well； I had a little dog and I tell you I have a heart for animals just the same as persons。 He kicked the dog and I told him not to do it and he says； ‘You're a liar；' and then he ran down stairs and pushed me along the stones over there。 I called the police and they did not come for about three quarters of an hour。
‘‘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 lyin