Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-23

day after the wedding because she re-
fused to give him money. In April,
1896 Hoch married Martha Hertzf1eld,
and left her in four months after OBJ
tanning from her $500. His next wife
is said to have been Mary Hoch. OF
Wheeling, w. Va. She died of nephri-
tbs after three months. Hoch has ale
ways denied this marriage, and de-
clared that he merely assumed the
woman'S name.
In the fall of 1896 Hoch married
Clara Bartell, of Cincinnati, and she
died within three months of the mar
riage In January, 1891. he was mar
ried to Julia Dose in Hamilton, O., and
abandoned her after obtaining $70O.
In April, 1898, Hoch was arrested in
this city for selling mortgaged furni-
trre, 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 s, 1902, he
married in ST. Louis, Mrs. Mary
Becker, who died early in 1908. Her re-
latiyes have claimed that she was
poisoned.
December 10, 1904, Hoch was mar
ried to Mrs. Marie Welcker, widow
of this city, the woman for whose
murder he was condemned. December
20, the woman became i'll, and January
12 she died, the cause of death being
stated in the physicians certificate as
nephritis. Five days later Hoch mar
ried Mrs. Emile Fischer, sister OF
Mrs. Welcker- Hoch. He obtained s750
from her and disappeared. January H.
the last Mrs. Hoch reported to the
police the disappearance OF her nus
band. Suspicion was aroused by her
story, and the body of Mrs. Welcker-
Hoch was eXhumed, and rs grains OF
arsenic were found In the stomach.
Search was made for Hoch and he was
finally discovered in New York, where
his landlady, Mrs Kimberly, reported
that she believed her boarder to be
Hoch because he had proposed mar
riage to her on the day of his arrival
in her house. He was arrested and
later brought to Chicago. Hoch, after
being placed in Jail here, admitted
that he had been married thirteen
times, but always denied that he had
caused the death of any of his wives.
He was placed on trial April 19, and
on May 20 the jury returned a verdict
finding him guilty OF murder, and fix
ing the punishment at death. On june
3. sentence was passed on him, the
date of execution being set for June
90. Governor Deneen granted him a
reprieve until July %. Within one
hour of the time set for his execution
Hoch was given second respite un-
til August 25 Before this date ar
rived, however, the supreme court of
the state granted a supersedcas to per-
nit Of the consideration of his case by
the court December Is, the court
handed down a decision affirming the
verdict in the lower court, and fixing
the date of execution for February 49,,
The last effort made by Hoch to Sc
cure new trial ended on February
81, when Governor Deneen, and the
board of pardons refused to interfere
in his behalf. 1t was alleged before
the board. by Mrs. Dnelie Fischer
Hoch that she been so bounded by the
police that she had committed perjury
during the trial. and that much Of the
evidence which she had given against
Hoch was not true A physician also
declared that the death of Mrs. Welck-
er-Hoch had been caused by Kidney
disease. and not by arsenicad poison
ing. On crcss-exanination before the
hoard. however he admitted that he
had not made an examination Of the
hodv Of Mrs. wa'n,er-Hoch. while
thrae nhvs'o.ans r-ho had conducted
such an examine ton declared that
death was caused hy arsenic.