Evening star., 1926-04-22
UNIVERSITY STAR
HELD IN ROBBERY
Former Kansas u. Athlete
Captured After ChaSein
New York.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 22.-The trir
around the world which Alexander
Reilly Hodges. 26, former star athlete
of the University of Kansas and sor
of prominent Kansas City family
contemplated as he worked his way
to New York was abruptly halted yes
terday when he was held without oal
on suspicion of robbery.
Hodges arrest and his subsequent
revelation of his identity followed the
hold-up of a West Fifty ninth street
restaurant Tuesday night. A chase
through theater crowds, in which the
patrons of the restaurant participated
ended when Parolman Swoboda
hurled his nightstick at the fleeing
man The club hit its mark.
Hodges first gave his name as Frank
Baker. changing it during his story tC
Alexander r. Hedges, then William
Baker. then Hodges. He later said
that fear of disgracing his family
name caused him to attempt TO hide
his identity.
In telling his story Hodges saio
that his father died a year ago. that
he has sister teaching school and
a brother teaching law. He presented
the difficulties which preceded his ar
rest as follows:
Worked Way East.
Neither my family nor myself had
much money when | graduated from
the university. | owed $3.50, which
/ had borrowed to complete my work
After some difficulty I secured a Jot
as a railroad conductor at Sl2o q
month and later worked as bono
salesman for the Real Estate anC
Mortgage Co. of Kansas City.
y 4
of S25 | borrowed from my mother
In order to avoid paying fare, l work
ed as a cattleman on train. L wash
paid for this. but saved my fare
When arraigned in court under the
name of Baker he was represented oy
an attorney who offered to defend MN
when he heard that the man was a
college graduate. Prior to his ar
raignment Hodges recovered from the
wash room in the police station a
medal which proclaimed him as the
15S-pound champion boxer or the Cnl
versity of Kansas, He hurled the meta
and a fraternity pin away before he
acknowledged to having been mem
ber of the university foot ball team
and a base ball player.
Had Imitation Gun.
The police charged Hodges with the
hold-up and supported their complaint
with the statement that they found a
metal cigarette holder shaped like an
automatic pistol and S240, the. sum re-
ported as stolen from the restaurant,
in the prisoners pocket.
Hodges said that he had failed To
find employment in New York and
that after his capital had been de-
pleted through expenditures made IN
taking girl TO the movies ne pur-
chased a cap and a cigarette holder
shaped like an automatic pistol.
II don't know what impelied me to
do the stickup," Hodges is reported
as having told the police.
"When | entered the restaurant the
thought came over me like flash and
7 acted. | don't drink or smoke" he
added
Had Money. Says Mother.
Hodges mother sent word from
Kansas city that he had left there OF
April L. with 5000 and the assurance
that he could get more if he needed 1t
lie has money coming to him from
his fathers estate. she said. She eN
pressed the belief that the man arrest
ed was some one else who had falsely
identified himself as her son.
Friends of Hodges in Kansas, par
ticularly fraternity brothers, regarded
the hold-up as a practical joke. They
intimated that his proclivities for
practical joking had involved him in
minor eScapades during his university
career.
At the request Of Hodges voluntary
defender the case was adjourned for
hearing next Tuesday. Hodges was
remanded to Jail.