White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-12-07
GRID HERO FUMBLES
IN BURGLARY GAME
Former University Star Now
Shattered Idol.

Los Angeles, Calif.-On the foot
ball field, as star player for the
University of Southern California,
Capt Johnny Hawkins played the
| game and won, but when he stepped
out into life and played the game OF
burglary he lost.
And so today he sits in his cell In
the Los Angeles county Jail, shat
tered idol, convicted on five counts OF
burglary, and facing term In the
state prison at San Quentin of from
five to seventy-five years.
AS on the football field, Hawkins
| played the game for all 1t was worth,
SO as burglar he was no piker. Pc
lice estimated his total thefts, In
about twenty burglaries, at about
$4,000. His burglaries were commit
ted exclusively in homes of the well
to do, and his plumber consisted al.
most entirely of wearing apparel, sill
yerware, jewelry and the like.
Said His Wife Was III.
Naturally, when the tens of thou.
sands of persons in southern Cali
fornia who had cheered themselves
h0arse at Hawkins athletic exploits
for his alma mater read of his being
caught red handed by the police in
the act of burglarizing a Los Angeles
residence last June II they were
shocked. There must be some mis-
take, they thought, there must be
some explanation,
Well, Hawkins was there with the
explanation. He asked his friends
through the newspapers, to withhold
judgment until all the facts were
known. Inferentially, he had bona
fide alibi. There was no escaping
the fact that the police caught him
In the act, and the bulk Of his loot
was found cached in the attic of his
parents home in Whittier. town
lbout fifteen miles southeast of Los
Angeles, where he had gone to high
school.
AS soon as Hawkins retained an
attorney the explanations" he had
promised were Forthcoming. The ex-
plantations were two
First, he had an uncomfortable
urge to steal things due to head
injury received while playing foot.
ball. Second, he had experienced
financial reverses since leaving col
lege and taking UP the business of real
estate operator, and he had to steal
to obtain money to finance major
operation for his young wife.
These Explanations" Hawkins gave
to his friends through the newspa
pers. There was series of legal
jugglings, the outcome of which was
that Hawkins pleaded guilty to five
of thirty counts of burglary on which
he had been indicted. Tie twenty
six-year-old athlete was permitted to
file an application for probation The
belief among those on the inside
was that he would receive probation
Recently Johnny appeared before
Judge Charles Fricke of Los Angeles
County Superior court on his appli
cation for probation, 4 After his at
torney had made his plea for mercy
and another chance for his client.
Hawkins himself was given an op
portunity. TO say a word.
| Fails to Explain.
"Don't you think | would he re
spectacle citizen after all this trou
BILE If were given another cl,ance?"
he asked the Judge.
II am sorry" the Judge replied
'but l don't think you would. Why
did you commit these burgaries?"
And here was the big opportunit!
for the former football hero to give
his friends the Explanations" he had
promised.
II don't know" was his answer.
The talk of the delicate opera
ticn" on his head had gone no fur
Their than talk. No explanation was
offered to Judge Fricke about the
wife's operation. There was only the
report of the probation officer, which
the Judge said was mot encouraging
Judge Fricke sentenced Hawkins to
the penitentiary on each OF the five
counts. The former idol was pic
ture of detection as he was led from
the courtroom manacled to deput!
sheriff.
Hawkins may ask for new trial
and failing to receive 1t he may ap
peal Until these legal aspects are
disposed of he will be held in the
county Jail for about thirty days be
fore being taken north to begin serv
Ing his sentence.
Hawkins played on the University
of Southern California football team
as a guard for two years, and In his
senior year. 1925. he played quarter
back and was captain. He was rated
as an excellent player. but coast sport
writer's say he was not popular with
his teammates. despite his selection
as captain, because he was "canfan
kerous and domineering."