The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-10
HOCH OWNS TO TEN.
Chicago "Bluebeard" Confesses to
That Number of Wives.

Chicago. Feb. 1O.#Johann Hoch,
indicted for bigany, suspected Of muir
der. and a man OF many aliases,
arrived in Chicago last night and for
several hours after reaching here was
Intercepted by the police, with little
result. The train bearing HOch and
OfBcer- Lotus, who had him in Gus
tocy. was due in Chicago at 5:25. but
st was Z o'clock before it rolled into
the La Sale street station large
crowd had gathered to see the famous
prisoner, but none of his alleged wives
was among the number.
Hoch had evidently expected
number of his wives to meet him at
the station, and he was plainly disap-
pointed that they did not come.
Where are those fourteen wives
you talked so much about2' he asked.
II guess you have been joking me
about that part OF the bu eness-& Any
way there could not be%fourtAen of
them. for / never had that many.
There seems to be a lot of women who
think that am the only man in the
world who could marry them and get
away with some of their money
When Hoch and LOTUS alighted
from the train the detail of six pO-
hcemen who had been sent to the sta
ton to meet them was able to control
the crowd with great difficulty. The
people pushed and showed in an ex-
cited manner as they strove to get
close enough to the prisoner to get a
look at him. When he was recognized
8 number of people jeered and hooted
him The police hurried him
through the station and on the side
walk outside had another crowd to
deal with, but they quickly hustled
him into a patrol wagon and started
for the East Chicago avenue police
station, mile distant Outside of the
station third crowd had gathered
and it was larger and more obstrep-
erOus than the others. It was found
necessary to call officers from the in
side of the station before the walks
he ole
the prisoner to be taken into the sta
ton. He was taken at once to the
once of Police Inspector George
The Interrogation of Hoch was COM
menced at a few minutes after 1880
aud was still in operation at midnight.
Hoch at the outset admitted that he
had married Mrs. Marie Goerk HOch, /
and that the marriage was illegal. He
would admit nothing else.
During the evening five women who /
claimed to be wives of Hoch called
At the police station One of them, Z
Mrs Emile Fischer Hoch, saw the
prisoner for a minute and saluted him /
with the exclamation:
You old hog, you got my $3.50. /
didn't yOu?"
Hoch made no reply to this, but
smlec as though he considered the 4
affair of $3.50 rather joke than other !
wise
Later the five women were one at (
a time admitted into the Office of the +
inspector, and all of them Identified
HOch as the man to whom they were
married Mrs. Ellen Hoppe at first
declared that she had married Hoch /
but later said she was not sure
about it.
Inspector Shippy asked. 'Hoch. did
you marry this woman2'
No" replied Hoeh. but maybe I 1
will if you don't hustle her out of here
pretty quick"
Mrs. Mary Rankin Hoch. who ad-
rnitted last week that she had com |
ritted bigalny when she married /
Hcch, was repudiated in strong terms /
b. the prisoner. He declared that he /
had not married her, and had never |
seen her before.
When Mrs. Marie Goerlx Hoch was
admitted into the room, Hoch de-
clared that he married her, but that
the marriage was illegal. He also
confessed to having married Mrs !
Emily Fischer Hoch when she was
shown into the room
a physician who had attended Mrs.
Walcker Hoch. the last wife of Hoch
identified Hoch as the husband of
Mrs. WaIcker, and showed him a bin
FOR 800 for attendance upon the
woman.
"Oh. yes said Hoch. st remember
something about that Bring it
around In the morning. III still be
here" and he laughed heartily at his
joke.
The examination Of Hoch BY the
police was concluded after midnight.
and just before its close he confessed
that he had married ten women.
ter ded to commit suicide, and that the
white powder found in fountain pen
taken from his room in New York city
was arsenic. which he had purchased
with the intention OF killing himself.
The names of two of the women