The Scholar Who Became a Burglar
A University of Washington athlete turns to a life of crime, only to be processed into prison by a former classmate.
Alexander H. Gardner, a former University of Washington athlete, has been sent to the state penitentiary in Walla Walla. While being booked by Garfield McGlinn, the chief clerk at the prison and a former schoolmate, Gardner's criminal career was laid bare. Gardner had previously been expelled from the university for a series of thefts in locker rooms and dorms. Following his expulsion, he dropped into the underworld, adopting the alias G. N. Adams. His downfall came when he attempted to burglarize the residence of Police Sergeant Mike Powers. Awakened by his dog, the officer held Gardner at gunpoint until his arrest. Despite his bravado, Gardner's encounter with his former peer at the prison office revealed the stark divergence of their paths.
“My God, what are you doing here?”
This story captures the 'fallen athlete' trope that persists in modern media, but reflects the specific social stratification of early 20th-century collegiate life where a 'sheepskin' (degree) served as the definitive barrier between success and the underworld.
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