davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 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 a fake cablegram which read:
Father is dead. Your brother, Will
liam
"He told me $21, 900 was coming to
him from his fathers estate and l
must prepare to leave for Germany
with him the next night. He said he
had no money for the voyage and
asked how much l had. 1 told him
$500 in the Illinois Trust and Savings
bank.
HE asked me to draw it out and
give it to him for our trip to Germany.
TIIct fn chnuv fhof ho Woc IN Tho cn,,o-0
with me, he said, he made his will in
my favor. Then we went to the bank.
1 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 l have ever seen of him"
Calls Police "Foolishnesses."
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
4 ING 90 Ahdhy PCA SOAO 90 AdtC dp-
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
l wasn't here? l came to this country
in the first week of July, 1896.
when l first got to Chicago I
opened a saloon. l paid 81, 900 for it
to a man named Louis White, but nv
trade is sheet metal working, and I
found out in a few months that the
best thing l could do was to go back
to 1t.
AFTER that l worked for the Pullman
company and the Northwestern rail-
road and the Rock Island. In 1900 I
married Mary Hendrickson, and / had
trouble with her. 1 guessed then I
wouldn't stay home any more.
Last December l got lonely, and l
got my eye on a widow that l thought
would make me a good wife. That was
Marie Welker. l was told Mrs. Hen
erickson had got a divorce, and so 1
got tied up again. but no sooner did l
get tied than Marie died, and l am
just the same as before.
Then / said to myself: 'Ill marry
her sister, and | asked Emile II she
The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 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
desire 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 Il waste
of time, and, after begging leave of alb
sence on some pretext, would disappear
as if the earth had completely swallowed
him up. Then the tale of a wife in 4
nearby town, who would pitifully de-
clare that she had given her newly &C
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 n~eighborhood.
Hoch's method was to advertise in
the daily papers, preferably the German
publications, saying that his loneliness
had forced him to seek a 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
women whose beauty or other charms
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 it's 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
Nv dCGOI1PkAoAOu oCo0 O1
the old days of chivalry. One repre-
sentative epistle that came to a 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. l 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 l to you, how lucky would
be. If you could wed your heart to mine
for the rest of u days l would be the
Iuckiest man in the world" The in
tended victim, who had almost sue
cumbed to the tender passion of Hoch,
when she read a letter sent to him in
The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-03-04

liked me. She said she did, SO ! mar
ried her, and here l am.
But I am not afraid. Let them
come On, all these other women, 81,
81, 101. Let them all come who have
been deserted and robbed by me-"
What about the arsenic, then, that
the Chicago police say they have dis
covered in the stomach of your dead
wife?"
Hoch fidgeted.
Arsenic? Pooh! 1t was her kid
neys that killed her. She was sick"
One Woman H~ypnotized.
Mrs. Leo Prayer, 1910 Cortez street,
has been added to the list of Mrs.
Hochs." When she married Hoch,
some time ago, it is said that he gave
the name of Leo Prayer. Mrs. Prayer
secured Sc, 800 through the death of her
former husband, and shortly after the
marriage to Prayer" she gave him
$1,000, with which he started a second
hand furniture store at 7O4 Sixty-third
street. They fitted out a fat at 4431
State street.
One day Prayer" purchased 81, 200
worth OF rugs from the A. s. Klein
Carpet company, and when the goods
were delivered the Sixtysthird street
store was found closed. Prayer" dis
appeared and has not been heard from
since.
Amelia Holm, 5122 Princeton avenue,
declared she was married to John
Healy" December IL, 1900, and desert
ed by him after he had secured 500
Of her money. She believes from the
description that Healy was Hoch.
The story came to light through the
good memory of Policeman Ward, of
the Hyde Park station. He recalled the
story the woman had told him, and,
struck by the similarity of it to Hoch's
methods, after a search of several days
found the woman. She said the man,
after six days acquaintance, showed a
roll of money and proposed marriage.
After the wedding he disappeared.
HE h%ypnOtized me. 1 was compelled to
obey him." Miss Holm said.
Career Began Early.
1t is very clear that Hoch's career
has not been Of the meteOric variety
as have the developments in the lives
Of many great criminals. He began
his career in this sort of life, 1t is said,
in Germany, his native country, by
petty swindling. From this, which he
carried on in Bingen, Germany; he
went to greater things. He was a wine
merchant in Bingen and associated in
high society, where he learned his
charming manners, that have proven
so captivating in this country. A swim
die in a German town compelled his
departure, and, leaving a wife and
three children destitute, he skipped"
All owe Germany where he has per-
petrated his swindles there is great
rejoicing because of his apprehension,
and the belief is expressed that the
magnitude of his crimes will be
found to increase Is developments pro-
coed. A dispatch from Berlin contrib
utes the following to the known facts:
Berlin.-Jehann Hoch, whose many
mysterious marriages are vexing the
Chicago police, was compelled to leave
Germany January, 1895, to escape i'm
prisonment as an embeZzler and COM
mon swindler. His real name is Jacob
Schmidt. He was born in the town of
The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-03-04
Finding of Poison in Stomach of "Next-to-
Last Spouse Points Accusing finger at
Versatile German Whose Record
Covers Two Great Countries.
Holmes. Archficnd of History. Declared to Have Been
His Teacher in the Terrible Art-Bigamist Then
Known to Authorities as Edward Hatch.

ChiCagO.-JOhann Hoch, whose record
as 4 bigamist is said to surpass anything
of the kind in police annals, and a for
midable rival of "~Bluebeard" Holmes,
hanged in Philadelphia som years ago,
has arrived here from New York to an
swer charges of homicide and bigamy.
The Chicago authorities have already
placed on this nan responsibility IN nu-
mercus cases of bigamy and murder,
but hardly a day passes that some de-
serted wife does not make herselt
known to the police, and, after having
seen Hoch's picture, declare hat IN
the versatile German lies her long-lost
husband. The number of these cases
has reached nearly 60, and new ones are
constantly coming to the fore.
Hoch's alleged doings are, to say the
least. remarkable in the extreme. 1t
is declared that he has operated / n w
in all parts of the country, and the
names which he assumed in his deal
n g are, as one police official puts II,
as numerous as Fo~urth-of-July
"'drunks." The list of cities in which II
e believed Hoch~ operated is as follows:
The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-03-04

New York. Norfolk, Va,
Ebicago Wheeling, w. Va,
philadelphia, Elkhart lnu''
Baltimore, Argos, mo
Brooklyn, Aurord' III
St. Louis, EFanSloH'
Cleveland, 81 PauI Mill,
NJuTaUkao Berlin, Germany,
Resides these a number of Wlscon-
sin and Iowa towns report traces OF MS
work. Some of the names used by the
German are as follows:
Count Otto Won Kern, Healy,
Cchmit+ BuStenberg.
Scbmidth Bustebergh,
Sill Adolph,
Hook, 2aniC9
HOCh, Lucas
HOhe. ROe1H,
tio6 Bartel.
IIoff Mayer,
1IoHfs Brown,
II"U Braune,
uH Schultz,
Trick,
Praeger,
The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-03-04

hcuse at Austin, Mimi, and upon being
presented with a picture of Mr.. Hoch.
declared that the photograph was a
life-like reproduction of her lost
count"
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18
WONDERFUL CURE
OF SORE HANDS
Nv Cuticura After the
Most Awful Suffering
Ever Experienced
And Many Remedies Failed
to do a Cents Worth
of Good

"I was troubled with sore hands, so
sore that when I would put them in
water the pain would nearly set me
crazy, the skin would peel off and the
flesh would get hard and break. There
would be blood flowing from at least
fifty places on each hand. Words could
never tell the suffering endured for
three years. tried everything, but
could get 10 relief. tried ct least
eight different doctors, but none did
me any good, as my hands were as bad
when 1 got through doctoring as when
1 began. 1 also tried many remedies,
but none of them ever did me one
cents worth of good. I was discour-
aged and heart-sore. would feel so
bad mornings, to think had TO go to
work and stand the pain for ten hours,
often felt like giving up my position.
Before I started to work I would
have to wrap every finger up sep
arately, so as to try and keep them
soft, and then wear gloves over the
rags to keep the grease from getting
on my work. AT night would have
to wear gloves; in fact, had to wear
gloves all the time. But thanks to
Cuticura, that is all over now.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18
4 eAa.E.r 1aAr ~os'r FIT.

Governor Broward. big, brainy. noble man that
he is, filled with an inspiration to be governor.
as Mt ar as possible. for the whole people. has
stated personally to the press of this state that
the gentleman whom he appointed to the posi-
ton had the best recommendations from the
people of Marion county of any aspiraut for the
position.
Would Napoleon B. Broward be a governor
allowed his personal friendship to have stepped
in and caused him to appoint to an Office another
man in the iace of the fact that the one appoint
ed had the best recommendations.
tits the humble opinion of the Herald. whose
editor has already been called fresh by the
Ocala oracle that the action taken by Cover
nor Broward was one worthy in every way of
the highest commentator He has shown
that he does not consider that he was elected
governo: OF this state merely to fill the appoint
i've Offices at his command with his personal
friends when there are others who are better
r commended -Taiups Herald
Let's see if Governor BrOward is
entitled to the Herald's eulogy.
There were two judicial Offices va
cant in Ocala at ithe same time and
both had to be appointed by the gov
ernor.
For one of which there were but
two applicants. One of the appli-
cants had list of endorsements that
would reach almost across the public
square In addition to his long list
of endorsements he::was fortified and
buttressed with many personal letters
from prominent and influential citi-
zens.
The other applicant had no endorse
ments at all; but, all the same, he re-
ceived the appointment.
The governor appointed him pri-
marty and absolutely to pay off a
personal and political obligation
that's what he did; there is no other
explanation
Measured by it's own standard,
How does the Heraid's beautiful and
exquisite garment, made from such
pure and spotless ermine, fit tie
noble BrowarG?''
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

Before Mr.. Holloway's term expires
the whole state will learn that we
have state superintendent that all
will be proud to have. We believe
Florida's superintendent is the equal
of any in the Union and among the
most progressive. ---Gainesviile Star.
When Mr.. Holloway needed friends
last year. his home papers were not
as kind to him as they profess to be
Index.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18
CURED FOR SOC.

"After doctoring for three years,
and spending much money, a soc.
box of Cuticura Ointment ended all
my sufferings. It's been two years
since I used any, and 1 don't know
what sore hands are now, and never
lost a days work while using Cuti-
cura Ointment"
THOMAS A. CLANCY,
$40 Y. Montgomery St., Trenton, NJ.
Sold throughout the world Cuticura Rasolvent. Soc
Tin form of Chocolate Coated Pills, sc per vial Of COL
Ointment, Soc. Soap, &c. Potter Drug Caem Corp
Boston. Sole Proprietors.
or send for The Great Skin Book"
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18
Cat what he Was Expecting.

The story OF another pathc tic TRACE
dy comes down from a small town in
Georgia. a husband was jealous and
suspicious of his wife. He told her he
was going oue to the farm to spend
the night. He went, put up his horse
and sneaked back to his home about
IL o'clock, endeavoring to make his
way inside without awakening or dis
turbing the real or imaginary inmates
of the house. On her part the wife
was afraid of burglars and sat up late
reading, going to bed with revolver
ON the table within reach. Hearing a
noise on the outside she shot twice,
killing the unfortunate fellow. In his
coat pocket were found a pistol and a
big rock. The coroner has held the
woman on a charge of manslaughter,
but if the story is true it would ap-
pear impossible to cenvict her.-Tam-
pa Times.
Paul Morton ran his auto into q
street car last week. A man with
nerve enough to run into the Equitable
would never hold back for . little
thing like street car.--Atlants
0urnL.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18
An Explanation that Doe: Not Explain.


The OcaIa Banner wonders why there are so
many horrible murders The explanation is
e~sy- When man he's murder IN his heart.
he knows he has al least four chances to escape
punishment OF the crime. These he may
not be detected II detected, he may not be con
visited if convicted. the supreme co.rt may in
terpose al these failing. he has an appeal to
the pardoning board. And there Jackson
vile justice who boasts that ne Ia, never yet
failed 10 SECURE pardon couimutatIon OF
sentence from the pardon.ag board-Pan,a
Punta Gorda Herald.
But what the Ocaia Banner want
to know is why man living in this
country and III this age Of the world
with so many sweet, benign and ele-
waiting Influences at work, should go
about with murder in his heart. Does
a man commit murder merely for the
purpose OF running the risk of obtain
ing pardon?
Pointing TO the pardOning board it
doesn't seem to Us is an answer to
the question.
Of course, If a man has murder in
his heart he is bound to commit muir
der despite courts, mobs, gibbets, or
what not, but why should a man, in
an enlightened, civilized, christian
land, have murder wrankling in his
heart?
1t seems TO US there is some
thing lacking somewhere in our re-
ligion and our laws-there must be
something wrong with our methods of
application.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

Those marriageably inclined per-
sons who have been perspiring for
marriage licenses can now OBTAIN
them. Judge Bell took possession of
the Office that issues these documents
Friday.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

Jacksonville is playing ball some
these days. The wish is general
throughout the state that she will
soon crawl to the top of the list and
camp there until the end of the sea-
son.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

Governor Vardaman has got the
foci, sporads, bacilli and stegomyias
backed into a corner and is now
screaming for cracked ice.---Memphis
Commercial-Appeal.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

nam, whose home is here, and whoae
familiar figure may be seen ON fine
days, taking his constitutional, SHAH
ing hands all the way down the street
with his friends-always the suave
polished, courtly gentleman, and
probably the best known man in the
state.
A poet said, eff you would see fair
Melrose, visit it by moonlight" II
you would see Tallahassee at her
fairest visit it in the springtime.
when natures great heart is glad and
a song of triumph breaks forth from
every bird and flower, and everv
whispering wind bears her fragrant
message
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

Nine rattlesrakes were born in a
curio store in Tampa Tuesday. Six
still survive, three being Immediately
eaten by king snake.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

Boone Embler, of Plant City, who
is locally known as a hustler, has
raised large crop of tobacco, shipp-
ed it to Quincy and obtained a good
price for it.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18
Gains Cause Moderniz cd.

And the mosquito saith unto the
state health officer: my punishment
is greater than I can bear!' Be
hold, thou hast driven me out this
day from the face of the earth; and
from thy face shall 1 be hid; and I
shall be fugitive and a vagabond in
the earth; and it shall come to pass
that everyone that findeth me shall
slay mei"-Jacksonville Floridian.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18
Governor erowsrd and the marion
County Judgshsp.

OOu0ty Juo&$nsP.
Governor Broward has again proven
his unworthiness. He has appointed
the man of the peoples choice to
succeed General Bullock instead of
awaiting orders from the politicians.
---Wauchula Advocate.
Mr.. Lewis was a hard worker for
Mr.. Broward in the campaign and
had the right to expect a "fair
chance" at the Office. Had he been
nominated bis friends in sumter
would have congratulated him sin
cerely.-SumterC County Times.
Governor Broward will now have
to send few peace ENJOYS down to
Ocala to quiet the citizens. All ap-
pear to be indignant over the fact
that an appointment to the Office of
county Judge was made before the
democratic executive committee of
that county could get together and
| recommend suitable person. Moral:
Strike while the iron is hot.---Quincy
Times.
In the matter of appointing coun-
ty judge for Marion county. Governor
Broward has struck his first snag and
has succeeded in bringing down the
wrath of Editor Frank Harris. 1t is
hoped that the governor will not con-
tinue the same policy throughout his
administration, for, if he does, his
public career will come to an end
with the closing of his present term
of office.---TropicaI Sun.
There is a goo deal OF growing in
Marion county over the appointment
of man to be county judge to fill a
vacancy, and Governor Broward is
catching it hot and heavy. The eN-
ecutive has the consolation of know
ing it would have been so no matter
upon whom or how his choice fell.
But it is a little hard upon the gov
ernor to find that he has split his
friends in Marion into two groups,
- l.
have awaited the action of the exec
utive committee, as he would then
have somebody to lay the blame on
st. Lucie News.
Governor Broward has laid himself
table, by appointing a judge ID sue
coed the late lamented judge Bal
lock, OF Marion county, wi5ho II
waiting for orders from the county
executive committee. We believe
that the constitution provides the
! manner in which such vacancies ma.
be filled, and while it may have been
an error in the construction of the
constitution, that document doesn't
take cognizance of the executive
committee Ii MIR. Broward had
and had been guided by It's rec om-
mendation in making the appoint
ment, then it would have been the
committees appointment and not
the governors. Party organization
is all right, but party dictation is
dangerous.-Plant City Courier.
Governor Broward seems to have
adopted the Jennings methods in
making appointments to Offices where
vacancies occur. The death of Cen
eral Robert Bullock, left a vacancy
in the office of county Judge in Ma
rion county. The county democratic
executive committee had been called
to recommend a candidate for the
office, but the governor took tine mat
ter out Of the hands OF the represen-
tatiyes OF the people of that county
and appointed man OF his own
choosing. II the governor Will look
up the democratic platform of 1900,
which. though quite aged, is the only
platform by the representatives of
the people, he will find that his &C
ton is not Ill keeping with that docu-
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

The Tampa Times is about to make
its promise good that it will soon
give Tampa a real daily newspaper.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18
oesta Of Assistant Stat. Auditor.

Hon. E. A. Crawford. assistant
state auditor, died suddenly at his
home In Tallahassee Aug. Is. He
was 81 yeaxs of age. was q native of
Athens, Ca, and was q member of .
distinguished family.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

Morro: TIE BANNER, BELIEVING
THOSE AT THE TOP WELL ABLE 10
TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, HAS
TAKEN IT'S STAND IN THE BARRi-
oADEs WITH THE COMMON PEOPLE
ANN rrs FIGHT WILL BE MADE FOX
THE BETTERMENT OF THOSE AT THU
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

Governor Broward has again proven
his umw0rthiness. He has appointed
the man of the peoples choice to
succeed General Bullock instead of
awaiting orders from the politicians.
---Wauchula Advocate.
The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-08-18

1t is now raining day and night
and sometimes twice before breakfast.
We are, to say the least, generously
wet.