The Washington times., 1906-02-23
Last Appeal to Federal
Court Without
Avail.
WILL GO TO GALLONS
Condemned Man Was Sure
of Clemency to the
Last.

CHICAGO. H.. Feb. 2s.-Johann
Hoch's lawyer made another desperate
effort to save the BIuebeard this morn
ing
This writ Judge Lands denied, and
preparations for the hanging went on.
At the eleventh hour Hocn's attornsS,
ComerfOrd, played trump card. Hav-
/ ing appealed he rushed TO the Jail just
as preparations for reading the death
warrant were completed. He waved an
| appeal bond, duly signed. and demand
ed a further stay OF execution Tha ap-
peal was from the decision of Judge
Lnadis denying writ y habeas corpus.
Whitman and Peters found them
selves in such a quandary that they
went for States Attorney HeaIey and
his assistants In the meantime things
are in abeyance
Crowds at the Jail.
The biggest crowd since the Hay
! market anarchists were hanged gather
ed about the Jail
Women and children were especially
curious. and pushed, fought. and strug-
| gled in their efforts 10 reach the door
| OF the Jail
Hoch, il developed this morning. had
made no plans for the disposal Of his
! body.
! However, it was said that the con-
| demned murderer had expressed a de
sire that his remains be turned over
/ 10 Rev. Sehlecter. and that his body
| be cremated. lie also said he desired
| that the funeral services be conducted
IN the ritual OF the Lutheran church.
Last Letter to Wife.
The following is Johann Hoch's last
/ letter TO his wife, AIRS. Amelia Fischer
Hoch, translated from German:
My dear Wife:
! This is the last letter I can write
l you. The end draws near / know
/ You and you know 1 am innocent OF
this crime So,good-by, Emile. This
! IS my last letter
| Yours. in death as we'll as life.
JOHANN"
The woman who syore she would
! die with Hoch did not so 70 the jail
! today. Hoch at one time said ne
would resist with violence.
Officials in Suspense.
/ Upon denying the writ Judge lands
/ retired TO chambers after listening TO
/ plea for an appeal In his office the
judge wrote an order the purport OF
which is unknown. This order was
given 10 Assistant States Attorney Bar
nett. who hurried 10 the jail All this
! time the officials were under a terrible
strain They were relieved when Deputy
! Sheriff Peters arrived at the iail and
/ dashed through the crowd. going Vp-
stairs. He shook off reporters and said
only this:
Were going ahead with it
! Dr. II. r. Davis. of the Cook county
/ asylum, talked with Hoch during the
! efforts to save the prisoners life in the
courts. DR.. Davis SAYS:
Utterly Without Emotion.
| "Hoch is sane and International He
sits talking to his friends and guards,
the calmest man in the Jail. He mo-
mentarily expects a reprieve, and says
/ he will not hang He understands the
! proceedings and discusses them intelli-
AcntIy-
y never in my life have seen 4 man
under such circumstances who appeared
utterly without emotion"
Judge Lands heard the petition.
/ Comerford in his petition alleged that
the Judgment is void because il was
given by court of not competent iuris-
/ dlctiOn: that the judgment was q Vio-
taJlOn of the fourteenth amendment Of
/ the Constitution. in that Mrs. Amelia
! FlScher-HOch. MS vile. testified that
her husband was compelled to. and did.
give evidence against himself: that
HOch was arrested in New York. and
extTadited on the charge of bigsmy, and
1 was then forthwith charged with muir
I der.
/ Shortly before aoon Judge lands re-
/ fused Comerford 5 petition for a writ
/ Of haoeas corpus The news was flashed
/ 10 the jail and taken To HOch by his
/ guards. AT once his calm demeanor
and supreme assurance in his safety de-
/ serted him. He resolved TO take the
matter in his own hands, declaring pas
SiOuately.
| Il viii not go to the gallows L will
not go TO the gallOws- / viii resist With
/ physical force all efforts TO take my
Dan Ward. one of the deputies, vent
/ to see Hoch at 1915 and said
/ We'll Johann. how do you feel now
HOCh smiled and said.
| Dan. we'll both smoke good cigars
tomorrow at this time. L will buy
| While the last frantic efforts OF At
/ torney COmerf0Td were being put forth
/ 10 delay matters. Hoch had Rev. August
| Schlecter, his spiritual adviser, pray
/ with him in his cell: neither OF
them being aware of the efforts TO Sc
! cure delay.
When Peters and whitman went 10
the death chamber with a warrant.
/ Comerford arrived at the door of the
jail shouting I must SEE Peters or
Whitman. Prisoners in the county
! Jail kept shouting:
/ Hang Hoch: hang Hoch.'
| Peters was several minutes reading
documents to Hoch- These included
the death warrant. the two reprieves,
a writ OF supersedeas. and the manda
mus of the supreme court ordering
/ The carving out of the execution
/ Hoch was first sentenced to be hang
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