davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-04

house at Austin, Mimi, and upon being
presented with picture of Mr.. Hoch.
declared that the photograph was a
life-like reproduction of her los,
count"
How His Downfall Came About.
The last of Johann Hoch's alleged
dupes, however, proved his downfall
and with the accusation of Mrs. Anne
liza Fisher, Chicago woman, came the
apprehension of a man whose career,
the police say, is without an equal or
even rival in the history of any city
in this country. Last December Hoch
inserted a matrimonial advertisement
in local German publication, stating his
longing for companionship and asking
that some kind woman become his life
companion. Mrs. Marie Welker, a
widow who owned prosperous con-
fectionery business, replied to his APP
peal by answering the lad" After a
brief courtship she allowed herself to
be persuaded that she was the only
woman who could relieve his loneli-
ness. Hoch, who had previously rent
ed and furnished small fiat. took his
latest wife to the house, which, Incl
dentally, happened to be near the To-
cation of the notorious Holmes "cas-
tle" She had disposed of her store
and turned the money derived from its
sale over to her husband, who, repre-
senting himself to be wealthy, said he
did not care for the cash, but desired
to invest it in safe project, for her
benefit. The day following her mar
riage she became deathly sick A ply
Stefan was called, and Mr. Hoch was
informed that his wife was suffering
from kidney trouble. The arrival of
trained nurse followed, but, although
her condition was worse, the nurse was
sent away the following day. Then
Mrs. Fisher, the sister of the sick
woman, came to care for her One day
later. while Mr.. Hoch was alone with
his wife, she died. Mr.. Hoch went
downstairs to inform the dead WON
ans sister. after which Mrs. Fisher
went upstairs to clean the death cham
Der. Very soon after this operation
the alleged bigamist proposed to Mrs
Fisher that she become his wife.
IT am an unfortunate man." Mrs
Fisher reports Hoch to have said to
her. Marie was not my first wife. !
was married before, and my first wife
was an invalid, and now, just as |
thought I was tc have another happy
home, my new wife is dead. I am
lonely and have no means You are a
good woman and good housewife. and
want you to marry me- will bring
your children here from Germany and
you can be happy with me-"
Repulsed Then Accepted Hoch.
Mrs Fisher has nine children in Ger
many. Continuing her narrative of the
occurrence, she said:
81 resented his proposal, and told him
he should not talk of such things SO
soon after his wife's DEATH January
Is | rode with him to the cemetery,
and again, over his wife's grave, he
asked me to marry him. The follow
ing Wednesday he came to my home
and consented to become his wife.
He told me we would go out of town
and no one would know of it until my
sister had been dead a long time
went with him to Joliet that afternoon
and we were married We came back
and went to my house that night. The
next morning he asked me to give him
$3.50 had saved to pay off mortgage
he claimed was held against the house
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-04

Strange as it may seem, no clear cases
of Johann Hoch's work had come to the
knowledge of the police anywhere in the
United States until the present dis
closure although his marriage business,
it is declared, has been carried on ever
since 1881. This fact may be due to the
Sdesire of many sensitive women who
have been duped by this man to keep
their desertion from the public
Worked from Town to Town.
Hoch's policy, it seems, was always
to extract as much money as his intend
ed victim could summon without waste
OF time, and after begging leave of abb
sence on some pretext, would disappear
as if the earth had completely swallowed
him up. Then the tale of wife in a
nearby town, who would pitifully de-
clare that she had given her newly ac-
,quired husband all her money, and that
he had not been home for several days
and some accident must have befallen
him, would bring to light the fact that,
in all probability, Mr. Hoch was carry
ing on operations in the neighborhood.
Hoch's method was to advertise in
the daily papers, preferably the German
publications, saying that his loneliness
had forced him to seek life companion
who could tend his wants. Some women
answered out Of curiosity, others who
felt the same absence of some person
to share their condolences, would COM
municate with him. Then the German
would select what he considered the best
for his purpose and devote his whole
energies in that direction. Hoch never,
according to reports, sought out those
would make them the target for other
mems affections, but women whom, by
his superior will he might find easy to
persuade. These women, mostly German,
had had little sympathy expressed for
their welfare during their lives, and the
tender passion which Johann Hoch ex-
pressed in his letters seldom failed to
execute its aim.
Samples of His Courtship.
All through his missives to his in
tended victims runs a strain of feeling
which would do credit to the most high
ly accomplished Beau Brummel" of
the old days Of chivalry. One repre-
sentative epistle that came to Chi
cago woman, supposedly from Hoch
when he was in San Francisco, simply
breathed love to the woman who read
it. A portion of it follows:
Dear child, you took my heart by
storm | can't get over it, my dear Jo-
hanna How is it with you, dear child
you like to spend the rest Of your life
alone? If you only feel toward me as
| feel and could bring one-half your
love to me as to you, how lucky would
be. If you could wed your heart to mine
for the rest of our days | would be the
luckiest man in the world" The in
tended victim, who had almost sue
cumbed to the tender passion of Hoch,
when she read letter sent to him in
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-04

tensively in all those cities In the same
manner as Hoch is thought to be the
"Bluebeard." 1t is believed that more
wives will be heard from in each of
these cities as the picture of Hoch is
more widely circulated.
Hoch's method with such of his
wives as he did not find it necessary
to otherwise dispose of is illustrated
in the case of Mrs. Anna Schmidt Hen
erickson Hoch, one of the women he
deserted. He married this woman in
Hammond, Ind, in 1903, and took her
to live at III Watt street Two days
later he fled with, $500 she had saved
"The day after the marriage Mrs
HendricksOn told Inspector Ship
pey who is in charge of the Hoch case.
my husband told me he was heir to
an estate in Germany A few hours
later he hurried in from downtown
with fake cablegram which read:
Father is dead Your brother, Will
liam
HE told me $4,000 was coming to
him from his fathers estate and |
must prepare to leave for Germany
with him the next night. He said he
had no money for the voyage and
asked how much | had. l told him
$500 in the Illinois Trust and Savings
bank.
T He asked me to draw it out and
give it to him for our trip to Germany
Just to show that he was on the square
with me. he said, he made his will in
my favor Then we went to the bank
| drew out the money and gave it to
him. AT the same time he handed me
the will he had made out. Then he
hurried away to buy the tickets That
is the last i have ever seen of him. Z
Calls Police "Foolishnesses.v
Hoch, when approached regarding
his alleged multi-marriages emphat-
ically denied ever having INDUCED in
such an escapade as bigamy and in his
quaint German way indicated that the
very thought of such a thing was ex-
tremely repulsive to his highly toned
character He strenuously denies mar
rying as many persons as have APP
peared claiming Mr.. Hoch as their
long-lost life companion. In broken
English he said that there were 5000
deserted wives in Chicago, and If the
police persisted in connecting him with
! so many, they must be "big foolish
nesses" Mr.. Hoch gives the follow
ing version of his trouble: That's all
humbug about 1881 How could | be
running around marrying women when
wasn't here? I came to this country
in the first week of July, 1895.
When first got to Chicago
opened saloon paid $1,000 for it
to a man named Louis White, but my
trade is sheet metal working, and I
found out in few months that the
best thing I could do was to go back
to it.
"After that worked for the Pullman
company and the Northwestern rail-
road and the Rock Island. In 1900
married Mary Hendrickson, and / had
trouble with her. guessed then
wouldn't stay home any more
Last December I got lonely, and I
got my eye on widow that I thought
would make me good wife. That was
Marie Welker. l was told Mrs Hen
erickson had got divorce, and so
got tied up again, but no sooner did I
get tied than Marie died, and l am
just the same as before
"Then I said to myself 'Ill marry
her sister, and | asked Emile. if she
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-04

Besides these a number OF WlscOn-
sin and Iowa towns report traces OF his
work. Some of the names used by the
German are as follows:
New-York tribune., 1905-07-12

enforcing the minimum rates against countries
which are willing to allow US the benefit Of
similar minimum rates.
But such an enlargement OF the reciprocity
theory perverts its meaning and defeats its OBJ
jects. Worldwide reciprocity" is a contradic-
tion In terms. In essence any scheme of reci-
proc,ty is q special bargain, justified by special
conditions Concessions necessary to promote
trade with one country may not be needed 20
promote trade with another. We have enacted
a tariff system TO suit our own purposes and
needs. If in special cases we can allow spe-
cial rates on certain products of other nations,
we Justify those concessions by showing that
In such particular cases we gain more than we
surrender. Inequality OF conditions Is the true
basis Of bargains of this sort, each party TO
the agreement making the concessions which
cost 1t least. But TO set up hard and fast
minimum tariff on all imports and to allow
that minimum rate to any country which asks
for it confuses all the distinctions which make
reciprocal bargains rational and advantageous
II simply re-establishes, when carried far
enough, a new general tariff law.
Germany is having this experience with its
proposed new tariff. The German government
has arranged to levy minimum duties on the
products Of Russia, Austria Hungary, Rumania,
Servia, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium, and
maximum duties on imports from the rest of
NOtIu
and manufacturing interests are complaining
that German trade with the United States win
be sacrificed If the United States is put on
the persona non grata list Trade with other
non-favored countries will also be endangered,
il is urged, II their imports are Disseminated
against The German government had definite
purposes TO serve in making the new CONNER
cial treaties. But if it yields TO the demands
of the dissatisfied commercial and industrial
interests and extends the benefits Of the mini
mum scale to the United States-and later,
possibly, to Great Britain and FTance-the
original reciprocity compacts lose all their
value TO the powers which signed them, and
the whole reciprocity structure falls In other
words, when reciprocity becomes Worldwide"
or even half worldwide" 1t ceases to be reel
procity. We hope that the congress in Chicago
viii thrash out some Of these questions. II 1t
does it viii accomplish much positive good.
New-York tribune., 1905-07-12
KNOX SEES PRESIDENT.
Pennsylvania Senator a Sycamore
Hill Vistor.
IRY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BrSr 7

E.
Oyster Bay, l.. l., July 11-President Roose-
over State and national politics at Sycamore Hill
this evening. The Senator arrived on the SAP
p m. train, and was met at the station by
conveyance from the Presidents stables Archio
and Quentin. the Presidents youngest sons,
came down on the train from New-York. where
they had been spending the day with relatives
under the chaperonage of Mrs. Richardson. who
is a house guest at Sycamore. Kermit. the
Presidents second son. also spent the day I'm
New-York, but reached home an hour earlier
than his brothers
The President and Secretary Loeb have re-
ceived replicas of the inaugural medal by St
Gaudens. Only a small number of these medals
has been struck of. the recipients being limited
to the President, Vice-Presdent, Secretary Loeb
and the members OF the inaugural committee
The Presidents and the Vice Presidents are of
gold. and each contains about $500 worth Of
the yellow metal The others are of bronze
The diverse of the medal shows the left profile
OF the President, without his glasses. and bears
the legend: Theodore Roosevelt. President OF
the United States; Aequum cuique," the Latin
literally translated meaning square deal" On
the reverse is the American eagle also in profile
surrounded by the words. Washington. d. c.,
March ~ MCMV, Pluribus Unum'
The st. Gaudens eagle differs much from the
familiar bird with outstretehed wings. Instead
or standing facing the beholder, a side view Is
given and the effect OF power and virility thus
gained by the change of pose is apparent MANY
critics believe IL is one OF the sculptor's hest
efforts at bass relief.
President Roosevelt will make an address IN
the members Of the Long Island Physicians AS
sociation at the High School Building to-mor-
row afternoon.
New-York tribune., 1905-07-12
THE EQUITABLE SITUATION.

The publication of a mass Of the testimony
taken in the course OF the investigation Of the
Equitable Society by the Insurance Department
reveals many details OF profigate management
which were not specifically covered in the re-
port of Superintendent Hendricks. That report
was expressly described by Mr.. Hendricks as
preliminary, and it may be reasonable TO as
sumo that he has been intending to supply here
after omissions which have now been brought
TO public knowledge by means which he viii
probably feel called upon TO explore. 1t is OBJ
vious that the official record Of the case will not
be complete until such omissions have been sup
piled, and impartial citizens are likely TO feel
that the delay has been unfortunate.
So far as the public is able to judge from
what it is permitted to know, the new manage
ment is vigorously engaged in roofing out an
cient abuses. reforming recent practices and
settling the society on a solid foundation, while
the trustees who have been vested with the con-
troll of the stock are conscientiously exercising
their special powers. For the moment, there
fore, the policyholders probably could not be
better served in any other way, but every fresh
development confirms us in the belief, which we
have repeatedly expressed that the present
status, without reference TO the legal uncertain
ties which surround it. ought to be regarded as
tentative and temporary. The legislature should
endeavor TO provide way by which, as Super
lntendent hendricks mas urged, complete NUT
ualization with the elimination OF the stock
may be accomplished, and we have no doubt
that the classes Of securities In which life in
surance funds may be Invested ought to be pre-
scribed by statute.
We have believed that the extra session af-
forded opportunity for action along these
lines which ought not to be neglected Thus far
have not been convinced of the need Of
changing that opinion, but it is possible that
the existing situation may be so affected by
court proceedings and otherwise as to render
wise legislative action before next winter i'm
practicable. 1t is plain that the sitting process
must go further, as there is every reason 10 sup
pose il will, and in the mean time the chance of
action at Albany may pass. But sooner or
later, and as soon as possible the legislature
should be compelled by public opinion to adj
dress itself in earnest to the task Of making an
other such scandal inconceivable
New-York tribune., 1905-07-12
NO PANAMA MONOPOLY.

Mr.. BriStow's report on commercial conditions
at Panama is commended by Secretary Taft,
and will doubtless be approved by the business
sense and by the sense Of justice of the Ameri-
can people II reveals a state of affairs which
must be regarded as intolerable. and it recon-
mends reforms which Will obviously be for the
welfare of commerce and for the relief of the
government from disqualification.
The United States owns the Panama Rail-
road. 1t acquired it as an appurtenance to the
Panama Canal, and logically and morally holds
and should operate it on the same basis as
that ON which the canal is TO be held and oper-
ated. The canal is to be open to all commerce on
equal terms. So, therefore should the railroad
be. AT the present time ii Is not. 1t maintains
a monopoly. 1t discriminates not only in favor
Of one nation against others, but also in favor
Of one steamship line against Others and in
favor Of two ports against ell others. That is
wrong. 1t practically makes this government
violator Of its own laws in maintaining mo-
nopoly in restraint of trade, and 1t works a
serious hardship to American commerce The
monopoly should be broken, and the railroad
should be put upon the same basis that the
canal viii occupy--namely, that of a common
carrier, ready TO transport at equal rates the
passengers and freight Of any shipping lines
that may touch at Colon or at Panama.
Apart from international considerations which
this government cannot afford to ignore
in its great international undertaking on the
isthmus there are domestic considerations of
the most direct and strenuous kind. We have
four great Gulf ports, Pensacola, Mobile, New
Orleans and Galveston, facing the isthmus, ca
pable and desirous of conducting large and
profitable commerce with and across it. Such
commerce ought TO be encouraged and facili-
tated. In fact, IL is prohibited Mr. Bristows
report gives that astounding reminder that
"the Panama Railroad Company operates
steamship line between Colon and New York
'aDd has refused TO allow the use of the 18TH
mus TO any competing line the Atlantic
side" NewYork, therefore, Is the only United
States Atlantic port that is permitted TO have
commercial connection with the isthmus. II
man wants to 60 from New-Orleans to Panama
he must come up 10 New-Yorl1 TO take passage!
If any one wants 10 ship freight from Pensacola
10 Panama he must send ii by way OF New
York; Similarly, on the Pacific side the rail.
road gives a monopoly OF traffic to a steamship
line that plies between Panama and San Fran
cisco and omlts all intermediate ports; so that
passengers and freight from Panama for San
Diego must go a thousand miles out OF their
way up TO San Francisco and back again
Practically, isthmian commerce is restricted TO
those two ports Of San Francisco and New
York.
The folly Of such restriction OF trade is fur
New-York tribune., 1905-07-12
THE RECIPROCITY THEORY.

The announcement is made from Chicago
that a national reciprocity conference viii be
held next month In that city. The call issued
by the promoters of the conference contains
some interesting suggestions. 1t has the merit
roo. Of defining little more clearly than usual
the objects which reciprocity is 10 accomplish
and the methods by which, as a working sys-
TEN, ii is TO be applied. We have heard a good
deal Of talk from Massachusetts about reci-
procty. Governor Douglas stood for election
last year on a reciprocity platform, and feels
sure that the issue be used in 1904 viii be SER
viceable again from party point OF view in
1906. Hitherto rne Massachusetts, politicians
have contented themselves with very simple
programme. They have demanded the estab-
nshment Of reciprocal trade relations with Can
ada, whether Canada relished such proceed
ing or not. and have abused the federal gov
ernment for not concluding a treaty with the
Dominion. in spite Of the fact that the Do
minion authorities prefer 10 maintain the status
quo. Recently, however, Governor Douglas has
declared that the Massachusetts Democrats
have broadened their reciprocity policy They
now want worldwide reciprocity" and viii
be satisfied with nothing less
The promoters Of the Chicago conference seem
also 10 be headed toward world wide reci-
procity." They say that il is mistake 10
assume that they are conducting 1.-The same old
-agitation for the same old reciprocity treaties
negotiated in the same old way" This means
that they hsye wearied Of the effort to nego-
tiate trade agreements singIy and 10 readjust
our trade relations with foreign countries piece
meal They do not want 10 let each separate
convention stand on its own merits. They want
10 uniyersalize the principle of reciprocity by
enncting maximum and minimum tariffs. and
New-York tribune., 1905-07-12
DOGS IN TIE MANGER.

For borough which is always at the head OF
the procession in demanding things from the
city with show of Indignation over its hard
fate, Brooklyn seems uncommonly slow to take
advantage Of the blessing offered to 1t. II the
Rapid Transit Commissioners for any reason
had failed to provide for four track subway in
Fulton-st the guardians of Brooklyn's rights
would have read the riot act. When the exten-
sion Of the subway from the City Hall to the
Battery and under the East River was planned
it was necessarily limited to two tracks. 1t was
two tracks or none, because the owners OF the
lower Broadway skyscrapers were in a panic
lest their foundations should be disturbed, and
ii was well known that in the face Of their op-
position and its own previous ruling about
Broadway line the court would not consent to
four track scheme involving excavation close to
the Broadway building line. The Rapid Transit
Commission did the best it could at the time.
Nevertheless, it has been abused in Brooklyn for
Its alleged Indifference in giving that borough
only two track connection with Manhattan.
In providing for subway extensions in Brook
lyn the commission has planned for four tracks
In Fulton-st, two OF them beside the original
two which form part of the Battery and East
River extension. No doubt these viii sooner or
later be built. The point is to get them built
now, while the street is torn up for the other
work and while the contractors can do the work
cheaply. IL the property owners woIifo at once
give the necessary consents the four tracks
could be built all at once. IL they refuse. no
doubt after long hearings the court would give
the necessary authority in lieu OF consents of
abutting owners. Under such circumstances the
expense of the road would be greatly Increased,
the streets would be unnecessarily disturbed and
the service of the travelling public would be de-
layed by several years. Yet some Of the prop
erty owners are so narrowminded that they are
holding up this improvement.
If Brooklyn public opinion is Of any weight it
should make itself known to these men, who are
merely petty obstructionists. They do not even
serve their own selfish interests. Improved
traffic facilities in Brooklyn are worth more to
them than few street vaults And even If
they think otherwise they cannot expect per-
manently to have the vaults block progress.
They may delay the building of the extra tracks,
add enormously TO their cost force new digging
up Of the street to the injury of their own busi-
ness, and at the end have gained nothing. Their
consents are sought as an economical and bene-
fetal short cut to what must finally be secured.
Is Brooklyn so inert and helpless that it can be
made the victim of few such dogs In the
manger?