The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-18


He was SO years of age, and cap
tain in the department. having served
as a policeman for twenty-five years.
Things he did would fill volume"
stated his brother H. A. Hodgins. land
+he newspapers were % full of his ex-
plo1ts that we accused him OF having
a press agent"
William Hodgins came from the
old country thirty years ago, lived on
Kansas farm near Blacksmith
creek Shawnee county, revisited Ire
land, became interested IN police
duty when he landed in New York,
and rose higher in his profession each
year. until he had won the respect and
confidence of every officer: He was
warm friend of Roosevelts when the
ex-president was commissioner or
police.
Roosevelt Liked Him.
''The colonel put his life in WILL
:am's hands many times, said H. A
Hodgins. He was one OF the guards
when the president attended the IA
nous Hungarian banquet given in a
hotbed of anarchists in New York.
Plain clothes men and detectives were
guarding the streets, and officers were
natrolling the nearby roofs in case or
3 riot. William was one of the few
guards who was stationed inside. Mr.
Roosevelt liked him, believe, and my
brother was the first one to welcome
him when he returned from his trip
in the African wilds."
From PatroIman to Captain.
Hodgins was promoted from patrol
man to captain of the Bronx district
and had rs men under him. Harry
Thaw the famous murderer, was ar
rested in his precinct, and Hodgins
figured prominently in the celebrated
trial. He was connected, in fact. with
most of the sensational cases in the
great metropolis.
A few years ago Captain Hodgins
1afu N-fn nN
because of inefhciency or ohense, Dut
because the commission. just then
having one of it's periodical convulsions
over the civil service rules, found that
big Bill was above the weight pre-
scribed for police captains. He weighed
$50 pounds. Captain Hodgins proved
that he was more of an athlete than
a majority of the men under him ana
concluded by taking a course OF gym
nasium work which reduced his weight
and kept him his job.
1t was in the summer Of 1910 that
Captain Hodgins won the approval Of
the police commission by bringing 10
a close, by original methods of his
own "a serious Tong war which was
raging in Chinatown. One OF the tea-
lures of his method was to bring Tong
leaders into his Office and throw q
scare into them" It did not take him
long to get results. and no serious
outbreak among New York celestiais
has occurred since that time.
Captain Hodgins Vas known as =
cIear-headed, efficient officer, and hal
a reputation for honesty which few
ether New York officers enjoyed. DIR
ing the several upheavals and graft
stigations which have been visited
upon the New York police department
during the past 20 years. Hodgins was
untouched by any of the charges
There was one time when the table;
we're turned his brother reminiscently
observed, instead of making an arrest,
he was arrested. He visited Ireland T.
clean up some family business, was
charyed with teillg Il Iand-leaguer, ard
thirst IN ;anl n COVE rnrhcnt n',d
no grounds for keeping him there, and
he was soon set free
Hodgins was a loyal Kansan, despite
his success in the east. He was =
riember of the Sunhower society in
New York and was having his eldest
son educated at Kansas university. He
ras five brothers in Topeka, II. A.
Hodgins, r. F. Hodgins. S. j. Hodgins,
@. A Hodgins, and Fred Hodgins. H
owned a nice home in the porthern part
Il the Bronx district