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uch 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