The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-23

Rhine. His father iJacsA schmitt, is
said to still reside there,b} A. wife, sup
posed to be. the first wife of ,Hoch, is
also living on the same place.. s"f
Hoch : has always been -reticent reS
garding his career in this country, and
his first wife, married in the United
States, isc believed tog have been Mrs:
Martha Steinbrecher, ito whom he was
married in 1895. After living with
Hoch for four months she died, the.
cause Of death being given as nephri,.
It's. !
In November, 1895, he married, Mary
Rankin in this city, and left her: the
day after the wedding because she re-
fused to give him money >sb
|. In April, 1896, Hoch married Martha
Hertzfeld, and left her in four months
after obtaining from her $780,.
His next wife, is said to have been
Mary Hoch Of Wheeling, WA. She
died Of nephritis after three months.
Hoch3 has always denied this marriage,
and declared that: he merely assumed
In the fall Of 1896, .Hoch married
Clara Bartell of Cincinnati, and she
died within three months. Of the mar
rage. In January, 1897, he was mar
ried to Julia Dose in Hamilton, Ohio,
and abandoned her after obtaining e. 500.
In April, 1898, Hoch was arrested in
this city for selling mortgaged, furni:
ture, and served two years in the house
of correction. .....- ~. -.
| In November, 1901, he was married
to Mrs. Anna Goehrke Of Chicago, but
abandoned her after failing to obtain
any money from her. April 8, 1902, he
married in st. Louis, Mrs. Mary Beck
er, who died early in 1908. Her rela
| tives have claimed that she was poi
soned. >" -
| : :. 81, His Fatal Mistake. .r.
Dec. 10, 1904, Hoch was married tc
city, the woman for whose murder ht
was condemned. Dec. 20 the woman
became i'll, and JAM. IL she died, the
cause Of death being stated in the ply
stefan g certificate as nephritis. Five
days later Hoch married Mrs. Emile
Fischer, sister Of Mrs. Welcker-H och
He. obtained $3.50 from her and disap
! peared. Jan. 20 the last Mrs. Hoch re
ported to the police the disappearance,
Of her husband. Suspicion was aroused
by her story, and the BODY OF MIS-
grains Of arsenic were found in thu
stomach. f..
Search was made for .Hoch and b
was finally discovered in New York
4 where his landlady, Mrs. Kimmerly, re
ported that she believed her boarder t
; be Hoch, because he had proposed mai
{ rage to her on the day Of his arrival i
her house. He was arrested and late
brought to. Chicago.
Owned to Thirteen Marriages.
J, Hoch, after being placed in jail here
= admitted that he had been marie
thirteen times. but always denied tina
he had caused the death Of any Of hi
wives. He was placed on trial April Il
and on May 20 the jury returned We
! dict finding him guilty of murder, an
fixing the punishment at death =
! June sentence was passed on him, tn
/ date Of the execution being set fc
! June 20. Governor Deneen granted hi
a reprieve until July 2S.
Within one hour Of the time set f
!. his execution Hoch was given secon
7 respite until Aug. %. Before this dat
arrived, however, the supreme court {
! the state granted a supersedeas to pc
. nit Of the consideration Of his case b
!, the court. Dec. Is the court handle
. down decision affirming the verdict
= the lower court, and fixing the date {
z execution for Feb. %.
n Tried to Save Him. ..s sss
The last effort made by Hoch. to 8
e cure a new trial ended on Feb. 81, whe
/ Governor. Deneen and the board OF pa
e / dons refused to interfere in his behal
It was alleged before the board by MI
: Emelie Fischer Hoch that she had BET
h SO hounded by the police that she hs
9 committed perjury during the trial, AZ