Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-07-28
Mere Than Score in Past Ten Years.,
Convicted in Chicago for the Murder
of the Twenty.Sixth One.
Necessary Funds to Take Case
to Supreme Court.

Chicago, H., July 2S.-Dr. Liston
III. Montgomery, well known physi-
clan, accompanied by Il woman whose
name is said to be Mrs. May Wilson,
appeared at the Jail about two hours
before the time set for the execution
and stated that the money was avail
able to take Hoch's case to the Su-
preme Court. The woman refused to
tell her name but insisted that she
had the money. DR.. Montgomery and
this woman visited hoch's attorney
and in the meantime efforts were
made to reach Governor Deenen.
Execution Postponed.
The states attorney, Hoch's attOr-
ney and Jailer Whitman held an inn
mediate consultation. Soon afterward
the jailer postponed the execution
until o'clock this afternoon and ii
was announced that Hoch's attorney
would talk with the governor by long
distance telephone as soon as posi-
BILE.
His Criminal Record.
Chicago, ILL.,, July 2S.--Johann Hoch
the convicted murderer and confessed
bigamist, who was condemned to die
today for the killing of one of his
many wives, was in some respects a
remarkable criminal The exact mum.
ber of women he has married will
probably never be known, but it is re-
ported 10 have been more than a
score in the last ten years. Mrs.
Marie Welcker Hoch, for whose MUIR
der Hoch was sentenced to hang to-
day, died of arsenical poisoning after
a short illness, on December 10, of
last year. Preceding her death he
had obtained from the woman all her |
money, as he had done in most of his |
previous marriages. Five days after |
her death he married her sister, Mrs |
Emelia Fisher, his last wife as far as |
the record shows, and the day follow
ing the wedding he obtained $3.50 from |
her and two days later deserted her. |
This wife reported the matter to the |
police and search began which eX-
tended over several states and ended |
in his arrest in New York on January |
OU, vi lilt lllO4 llldllOll vi d WOIlldH |
at whose home he was boarding and |
to whom it is said he had proposed |
marriage after an acquaintance of on
ly twenty-four hours.
Hoch was promptly brought back to
Chicago and after a sensational trial
was convicted. The list of his wives |
as compiled by the police, number 27. |
Hoch was recently granted a reprieval |
that he might carry his case to the |
Supreme Court Failing to raise the |
funds, however, in the specified time,
the governor refused further to inter
fere with the mandate of the courts.
Hoch Loses a Little of His Buoyancy.
Chicago, ILL.,, July 2S.-Three hours
before the time set for his execution
"Bluebeard" Johann Hoch, the wife |
murderer, had not given up hope of
clemency Although there seemed lit |
tie probability of interference by the |
state, as the result of the action of |
Governor Deneen and the state board |
of pardons in refusing him a further
reprieve, Hoch believed he had yet |
a chance for his life. He slept sound |
ly during the night, retiring about 10 |
o'clock. He woke only once. in the |
morning about o'clock, and complain |
ed of having feeling OF nausea. After |
this had been relieved, he retired |
again and soon fell asleep. Hoch was |
cheerful when he awoke and chatted |
pleasantly with the prison guard AS |
the time for the hanging approached |
Hoch grew somewhat less buoyant in |
spirit and began slowly to lose the
slight hope he had held to. He reiter- |
ated that he was innocent of the muir
der and would only admit the charge |
of bigamy against him