Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-02-27
H0CH PAYS .s
THE PENALTY
Convicted wife Murderer Dies on the
ScaffoId and Keeps Up Brave
Front to the End.
His Attorneys Make Final Effort to
Secure Delay, But Are Unsuc-
cessful.

and who, II but fraction OF the StOr-
les of crime that are told of him are
true, was one of the greatest crimi-
mails this country had ever known, was
hanged in the county Jail today for
poisoning his wife, Marie Welcker-
Hoch He faced death as he has al
ways said that he would when the fin
al moment came, and without fear.
He stood on the scaffold beneath the
dangling moose in the attitude and
with the placidness of a soldier who
realized to the full that death is his
portion, but is still unaffected He
died with a prayer on his lips for the
officers of the law who took his life
and, save tor the word good bye" his
last utterance was an assertion that
he was innocent of the crime for which
he paid the extreme penalty of the
law.
The Last Scene.
The last scene in the career of
Hoch came at "a in the afternoon.
While his attorneys were still making
desperate efforts for more time His
death. the lawyers say. has not end.
ed the appeal that was made in his
behalf, and, although the man himself
is dead they promise to carry the
case to the supreme court of the
United States and, if it is decided that
he was unlawfully hanged, proceed
ings will be commenced against the
officers of the law, who officiated at
the execution.
AS soon as it was known that the ap.
plication for the writ of habeas cor.
pus had been denied by Judge Ian
dis preparations were begun at the
Jail for the execution of Hoch. Dr.
H. r. Davis, the county physician, first
went to the prisoners cell. Hoch ask.
ed what time it was. and when told
it was almost 1880 replied:
They said the end would come
about :455 | have then Is minutes
TO live, but | want to tell you that
am innocent. l believe in respect fol
the law, but am not guilty of muir
der"
HOch was advised that mis- attorneys
were making strenuous efforts in his
behalf; and to the Rev. Sletch, who
called Immediately after Davis, he
declared that he intended to insist
that all the time given to him unde,
the sentence should be allowed He
told the clergyman that if an effort
was made to take him to the scaffok
before 1870 o'clock he would resist.
At y o'clock Deputy Sheriff Peters
accompanied by Jailer Whitman. en-
tered Hoch's cell the former holding
the death warrant. which they tolt
him they had come to read.
Il am ready to hear it, said Hoch
sitting down on the he'd
Deputy Sheriff Peters then read the
warrant, the two notices of reprieve
which had been granted to Hoch ant
the final decision of the supreme court
in the case Throughout the reading
Hoch was unmoved, and Deputy Sher
if Peters, at the close, said to him
"Mr. Hoch, | wish to commend you
for the manner in which you have
conducted yourself, and also for the
preparation you have made for the
hereafter. l hope God will have mercy
on your SOUL"
Hoch smiled and said quietly:
II am great sinner in some ways
but l am innocent of this murder"
Then, turning to Jailer Whitman,
Hoch said:
II want all that is coming to me
in the way of time. If you try to
tohS me DclOIo .oV l VIII uSul.
ut will do you no good to fight,
Johann" replied Jailer Whitman.
II know that" said Hoch, "but |
want what is coming to me, and If
YOU try to take me before 1870 I will
fight. If you come at 1870 l will go
quietly and you will have no trouble"
Just as the reading of the death
warrant was finished Attorney Com.
erford appeared at the Jail with an
appeal bond to which he desired the
signature of Hoch. It was Jailer
Whftman's intention to proceed with
the execution Immediately following
the reading of the warrant, but when
informed of the errand of Attorney
Comerford, he issued orders that the
proceedings be delayed while Deputy
Sheriff Peters communicated with
Judge Lands through the telephone
Judge Lands said to the deputy sher.
if.
Fail to Secure Delay.
Il have refused to do anything in
che Hoch matter. You need not de
lay the execution on my account"
Jailer Whitman at once went tt
Hoch's cell, accompanied by 81,
guards.
Johann. your time has come" hi
said.
Hoch had advanced to meet the
party, and said calmly:
Il am ready, Mr.. Whitman"
AS he left the room Whitman no
ticed that he still wore his collar.
You will have to take that off,
said Whitman, pointing to the collar
"All right" replied Hoch
He took it off and threw it back in
to the cell. AS the death march
started, he stopped several times t,
shake hands with the attendants, say
ing: Goodbye, boys"
Just at 80 Hoch stepped upon tn
drop, beneath the crossbeams. Hi
face was very pale. but his name
was composed and his courage unsul
passed. He had said several time
that when the hour of his death came
he would meet it bravely that he ha
been soldier and knew how to die
His attitude on the scaffold bore on
his words in full. He stood erect, nj
heels close together, his shoulder
back and his gaze directed far towar
the far end of the corridor
Rev. J. R. Burkland, who was reel
ing the prayers for the dying as tn
procession approached the scaffolt
continued them while Hoch was b.
ing prepared for exeuction.
Says He = Innocent.
rNl~