Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) a lie.

1902

F.P. Dunne Mr Dooley’s Opinions 87: Th’ earnest youth in sarch iv a career in life ’ll be taught lyin’ individjally an’ in classes [...] the r-ready fake, th’ bouncer, th’ stiff, th’ con, th’ bunk, th’ poetic lie, th’ business lie, th’ lie imaginative.