Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-07-31
when sne was warned that Hoch "was

ed under the name OF Jacob Adolpt
: In 1901 Hoch appeared in st. Loui
, under the name OF Jacob Schultz an
J posing as millionaire. He Marie
Mrs. Mary Becker mo. IL after
sne died under circumstances tina
aroused the suspicious Of the attend
ing physician. In December of tn
same year Mrs. Elizabeth Goerk INC
~ 102 Eugenie street, took in"
boarder in answer 10 an advertise
man called himself Jacob Schmidt
and after few weeks courtship sh,
married him. He attempted to per
suade her to turn ner property owe
10 him. but without success. He dis
appeared within week. Mrs. Goerl
Schmidt and Hoch are the same.
Toch went to Milwaukee again II
1903. and in January married Mrs
T. O'Connor (No. 19). calling himsel
Edward Gerald James He deserte,
her on Jan /, 1904, taking 5000 o
her savings
Hoch appeared in Chicago In Jan
uary of last year and married Mrs
Anna Hendrickson (No. 2O). He Sc
cured 81 900 from her and then desert
ed her. The following June in Nil
waukee he married Mrs. Lena Hoct
tNo. 2D, who died in three weeks
leaving him $500 In October a,
married Mrs. Caroline Schafer mo
22) in Philadelphia, deserted her 6
week later. taking her savings
amounting to $500.
Returning to Chicago last Decem
her. Hoch married Mrs Marie Walk
err tNo. 29). She died on Jan. Ii last
leaving him $3.50. Her body was ex
| humed and examined by Coroner's
| Physician Lewke for trace OF poison
The analysis discovered arsenic.
January l6, 1905, Hoch married
Mrs Emelia Fisher mo. 24) the sis
| ter of Mrs. Walker-Hoch, and disap.
peared with $3.50 OF her money. Mrs
| Fishers complaint first directed the
attention OF the police to Hoch's
record.
h' was toui NihE
Mrs. August Praxmerer in New York
January 81, when the woman saw
his picture and an account of his
crimes in newspaper. She straight
way wrote a letter informing the
Chicago police of Hoch's whereabouts.
He was arrested and returned TO Chit
cago for trial. -Four weeks ago ne
was convicted and sentenced.
CHICAGO. July 2S.-At the elev-
enth hour Johann Hoch. convicted of
numbering several of his wives, re-
ceived a ray of hope that he might
not be executed. The execution of
Hoch was slated to occur between 10
and 10 o'clack this forenoon and
Hocn prepared for the ordeal. prac-
tically abandoning all hope, as 1.loO
was necessary to carry the case to the
supreme court and this amount he
was unable to raise. Then Sheriff
Barretts, States Attorney Healey and
Jailor Whitman agreed to postpone
at the last moment the march to the
scaffold. pending the result of final
effort of Hoch's friends to obtain the
$500 balance necessary to make a
transcript of record for the supreme
court. DIR. Montgomery and Mrs.
May Wilson, wealthy woman are
the persons who interviewed in behalf
of Hoch. Mrs. Wilson is rich wom-
an. and says she is interested in
i the case from humanitarian measures
only. Sne enlisted to her aid DIR.
Lyston Montgomery, one of the most
prominent physicians in the city, who
acted as her Intermediary in the me-
gotiations, DR.. Montgomery stating
that he was interested in the case
from a scientific standpoint. He said
Reading the testimony over careful
ly, regard it as absurd that Hoch ad-
ministered arsenic TO ais wives.
think he is a poor unfortunate man,
and | am very glad Mrs. Wilson came
to his aid" =.
After the necessary money was put
up the sheriff talked with the govern
or over the long.histance telephone
and he instructed the officials to stop
the execution, and later announced
the reprieve. which is until the mid
die of September. When Hoch was
informed of the governors action he
smiled, placed his feet upon a table
and called for a fresh cigar. and said {:
This only proves my repeated con
| tention that | will not nang."
The death watch says Hoch is the
strangest man over whom they have
yet stood guard.
| WASHINGTON, July 27.-Tht
prize lands in the Ulntah reservation
are evidently to be cut down. The
reclamation service has applied IL
| Commissioner Richards TO mold ou
$4,000 acres for reservoirs anc
bitches. This request will be grant
ed. which will materially reduce tbs
number of acres available in the res
ervation. Commissioner of the Lane
Office Richards leaves here tonign
for Utah and will take general super
vision over all OF the matters per
tanning to the opening.
| STOCKHOLM, July 27-Botl
houses of the Swedish parliament To
day approved the report of the spe
Lola nriatG uffl