Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-07-31

die as soldier. l am going befor
my Maker and Jesus Christ, my Sa,
ious. | believe in God and | believ
shall meet in the life beyond thos
who were near and dear to me here
How could l stand at the judgmen
seat with lie on my soul?" On tn
next day ne denied having told thi
story.
AT different times Hoch claimed I,
have been born in Strassbourg an,
fulon, French cities that passed int,
Hoch's right name is Schmidt, and
| wife, supposedly the first one, b,
whom Hocn is said to have had tw,
children, now resides in Germany.
| Information that led to the arres
of Hoch was given the police by Mrs
Emelia Fischer. his last wife. Sh,
married him January Is. 1905, few
days after the funeral of DER sister
who had been her immediate prede
| cessor as Mrs. Hoch On December
| 10 of last year Hoch married Mrs. Ma
| rie Welker and took her to his house
l
on January 12, after snort illness
and when Hoch was alone with her
Preceding her death he obtained from
The woman all her money. as he hat
done in mis- previous marriages.
Three days after her death he mar
rled Mrs. Fischer, and. the day fol
lowing the wedding he obtained from
her $3.50 TO be used, he said, in pay
ing mortgage on the furniture and
louse at 643O Union avenue A day
or two later he disappeared.
The search for Hoch extended 10
New York, where he was arrested
Suspectlng he would seek conceal
ment in Germany, his former home
he police kept watch on outward.
bound vessels.
complete list of Hocn's "specu.
lations" in matrimony would be diff
cult to compile So far as can be
learned, he was born in Germany for.
ty years ago, studied medicine, and
in Vienna married Anna Hoch in 1881.
Two years later he emigrated with
her to America. Several years later
she died.
His next wife mo, 2) he obtained
in Chicago in May, 1892. Her name
is not known, but 1t is known that he
rented a fiat under the name of C. A.
Mayer. That wife died three weeks
after the marriage.
The next month Hoch rented anoth-
pa.
name of II. Trick. A month later his
third wife mo. 81. name also un-
known, died there, and Hoch, or
Trick" disappeared.
In 1894 ne lived for two months
with another wife mo. ~ in a fat
'at zoos Northwestern avenue, when
she died. In June Of the same year
he married Mrs. Julia Steinbrecher
mo. 81, 333 West Belmont avenue
Two months later she became i'll and
died, leaving Hoch property valued
at $4,000. Before ner death she ac-
cused Hoch in the presence of step
daughter OF poisoning her. Her fun
eral was stopped by the coroner, but
was permitted to proceed when Hoch
produced burial certificate signed
by DIR. Grimme.
After Mrs. Steinbrecher- HOch's
death, Hoch married Mrs. Mary Ran
kan mo. 81. Mrs. Rankan was too
cute for MIN, according to her story.
After several unsuccessful attempts
TO get possession OF her savings he
1af hat. In, h.
ried Miss Martha Hercfeldt (No. D.,
gained possession of 1880, and de-
serted her. Mrs. Hercfeldt-Hoch now
lives in Pasadena. Cal.
In 1896 Hoch was arrested under
the name of c. A. Calford and charg-
ed by Mrs. Janet Spencer (No. 81,
1867 Wabash avenue, with having
married and deserted her, after TAX
ing her money. He was acquitted
but year later was arrested again
under the name of Dewitt C. Cudney
on complaint of Callie Charlotte An
drews mo. 81. The woman said she
had met "Cudney" at the Wellington
hotel, married him and was deserted
two hours after the ceremony, he TAX
ing $500 of her money. The police
hen Identified him as the abductor of
little Hulda Stevens, and accused him
of participating in a diamond robbery,
but he escaped prosecution.
In 1896 Hoch appeared in Wheel
ing. W. Va, and married a woman
tNo. 10) under the name of Jacob
Huss This woman died suddenly
ihree months afterwards leaving
'Huss" property worth &2500. I'm
mediately after the funeral Hoch left
Wheeling. Early in 1897 he reappear.
ed in Chicago with woman sup
posed to be wife No. IL and install.
ed her in a fiat at 1866 West Four
leenth place under the name Of Mar
lin Dotz. In June his wife died
Hoch was arrested and sent to the
Bridewell for swindling Simon
Strauss, a furniture dealer who fur
| nished the fiat. He went to Cincin
| natl and there married Clara Bar
tell. widow OF saloon keeper. Mrs
Bartell-Hoch (No. 12) died within
three months OF supposed nephritis
Hoch married Julia Doess (No. 13:
| in Hamilton q January 1897 II,