The San Francisco call., 1906-10-07
On a Hosoa<Ers FERISr cLEee FE1eNED a FRI

sanity due to epilepsy Expert msdf-
cal evidence was brought up to show
that the prisoner WAS an epE1eptie and
theTefore not wholly responsible for his
acts at the time of the stabbing. The
defense secured a mItfgated sentence
to seven years of penal servitude.
-Ciegg was then transferred 10 Mil
bank Prison. and there he underwent a
rigid medical examination. and the
physician according to CIegg pro-
nOuneed him an epfleptio by the ex-
preston % his eyes From MiIlbank
he was transferred to Chatham where
lie again practieed the fsfgning Of fits
The medical ofEieer there was little
suspicious Of him and put him through
some pretty severe tests. such as hav-
ing a lance thrust under his finger
nails and irritants put into his syes
whenever he ehucked a dummy Clegg
says that never once during these tests
did he finch or so much as turn a
hair and In the end the physician be-
came convinced that it was a genuine
case and Clegg was sent to woking.
In Woking he was confined with
several epiIeptics and he was considered
the worst of the lot. The place had its
advantages for C1eEg. however for he
was able TO observe and study genuine
cases and to familiarize himself with
the various symptoms and conditions
which they exhibited in the intervals
Of psroXysTns and also 70 observe the
medical treatment the patients received.
4 knowledge of which he made good
use later in carrying cut his own de-
ceptions.
After Woking CIegg went to Dart
moor. in which place he never let up
chucking dummies to save himself from
hard work. So he went from Dartnoor
70 Parkhurst- prison. Isle of Wight.
feigning fits which, he admitted to me-
were very exhausting, mentally ana
physically, when he had to work them
hard to carry his point. 1 observed this
in my examinations of him when at
Auburn. 1t was a severe strain on him
at times.
A Thirty-Foot Fall.
Among the other prisoners at Park
hurst were number Of eplIeptics who
were inpostors. One % them was
finally detected and convicted. and this
led the ohcials to grow suspicious of
the others Clegg. OF course, came un-
der their suspicion, and. knowing this.
he resolved upon a desperate method
OF convincing the officials that his case
was genuine. One Sunday morning.
when going from his cell. which was
located in the third tier, to the chapel.
he chucked a dummy on the corridor.
feet below. He had not anticipated this
last fall and his injuries this time were
serious. His face and head were badly
lacerated. his nose was disfigured and
one of his front teeth was knocked ont
He remained unconscious for twelve
hours. but the ut, severe as it was re-
moved all doubt as to the geuufneness
of his case from the minds of the off,
cials, and through this exhibition he
regained their sympathy and confidence.
He was retained in the hospital four
months on an extra diet of eggs and
porter and was treated first rate be-
sides having his sentence commuted
nine months.
Once on a Hoboken ferry C1egg
feigned 1T and was surrounded by q
crowd OF people, among whom was a
physician who came to the epileptfc's
assistance, his confederates relieving
him OF his watch in the meantime.
When the boat reached the siin fra
kind-hearted doctor called a cab and
took Clegg to his own once, where he
worked over him until the patient was
restored. BY this time the doctor dis
covered the loss OF his watch. CIexr
expressed his sorrow and denounced
the thief. He admitted to me that aft
erward he tried to secure the watch
for the man who had been so kind to
him, but by the time he could corn
municate with his pals the watch had
been sold He eased his conscience-
however, by sending the doctor an am
ethyst ring.
"A BeIlevue ambulance later took
him to the hospital after one OF his "a
vorfte ferry-bozt exhibitions and the
authorities, being suspicious OF him.