The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-02-22
HIS NINE WIVES ALL DEAD
Suspected Murderer Caught in New
York City Admits Identity.
Found Living in Furnished Room Under
the Name OF Henry Bartels-Prisoner
Denies tho Charge.

New York City.-In the arrest OF
Johann Hoch in this city the police got
hold Of a man who, the Chicago author
tiles say. has married twenty wives.
nine OF whom died under suspicious
circumstances, and who is specifically
charged with the murder of one The
murder of Marie Fisher in Chicago on
January u last is the accusation in the
warrant which the prisoner will go to
Chicago to nswer.
uoch was living in. a furnished room
at SAG West Forty-seventh street. I'M
der the name, of Henry Bartels.
Ehe lodgcr took his arrest indiffer-
emily until he was taken to Police
Headquarters. There at midnight he
confessed to being Hocl. for whom the
Chicago police have been looking ever
since the death Of Marie Fisher. He
gave his name as John Joseph Adolph
Hoch, his age as forty-fve, his business
as a machinist, and his home address
as 6430 Union avenue. Chicago.
I'm Hoch. all right" he said under
cross-e1amination, but I'm 4 very
much abuseda and misrepresented man.
How abused?" asked Detective Fo-
garry. Hoth made nc reply at first,
and consented to go to Chicago with
Fogarty. He then asked what the
charge against him was, and was in
formed that he was charged with the
murder of Marie Fisher and with big
amy.
Il did not kill Marie Fisher he said.
"and I never had but two wives in ray
life. My first wife is still alive in the
West somewhere"
In four po~cketbooks the police found
six OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES bills, five tWen-
ty-dollar bills and a quantity of small
change. There was a bill for $12O for
house furnishings. which was receipted
rs having been paid in full by B.
Stanley. The upper part of the bill
was torn of.
Chicago, II.--Johann Hoch was born
about fifty years ago in Germany. He
studied medicine and chemistry in Vi
ennT and married Anna Hoch about
the year 1881.
His others wives. were Mrs. G. A.
Mayer. married in Chicago, 1892, died
three weeks later: Mrs. II. Trick, mar
ried in Chicago, 1892, died n month
later; Mrs. s. Hauck, married in Pc
oria, ILL.,, 1898, deserted Immediately
after the ceremony; name unknown.
| married in Chicago, 1894. died two
months later; Mrs. Julia Steinbrecher.
married in Chicago. 1894, died two
months later, left $4,000; Mrs. Janet
| Spencer, married in Chicago, 1895, de-
serted two months later, lost several
hundred dollars; Callie Charlotte An
drews, married in Chicago, 1897, de-
serted two hours later, lost $500; Mrs.
j. Huss, married in Wheeling, W. Va,
| 1897. died three months later, left
$500; Mrs. Martin Detz, married in
Chicago. 1895, died three months later;
sister Of Mrs. ]. H. Schwartzman, mar
ried in Milwaukee, 1899, died three
weeks later, left $1,000; Mrs. Mary
Schultz. married at Argus. Ind. 1900.
both she and daughter disappeared
left $1,000: Mrs. Mary Becker. married
in st. Louis. 1901. died 4 few months
later; Mrs. Anna Hendrickson, married
in Chicago. 1904 deserted after q few
weeks. lost $1,000; Mrs. Lena Hook.
married in Milwaukee, 1904, died three
weeks later, left $500; Mrs. Caroline
Streicher, married in Philadelphia.
1904. deserted after one week, lost
| $500; Mrs Marie Walker, married In
! Chicago. 1904, died n month later.
left $3.50; Mrs. Marie Fisher, married
in Chicago, 1905, dead Il week later,
lost $T50.