The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-02-27
PAYS PENALTY
FOR MURDER

Chicago, Feb. 23-'FOrg1Ve them lOr
they know not what they dol"
These words, uttered upon that O.
casion fraught with the most momen- =
| tous consequences to mankind and by
the zone perfect man." were chosen
as the dying words of Johann Hoc",
in the Cook county jail this afternoon,
! after one of the most remarkable
eleventh hour" legal fights for life
ever recorded in the annals of the
state.
HOCH'S HIGH HOPE.
Hoch hoped for a reprieve to the
last and resigned himself TO his fate
only when the hangman's moose tight
ened about his neck.
Until almost the last moment it
appeared that he might escape the
gallows because of the latest legal
move of his attorneys.
The move was an appeal to the Unit
ed States court for writ of habeas
corpus and was one of the most spec
tacular scenes that ever occurred in
the federal courts.
While every ear in the crowded
court room was strained to catch the
words of United States Circuit Judge
Landis-which menat life or death for
Hoch-the death sentence came:
---"THE PETITION is DENIED"
Almost dazed. his face white and
his hands trembling, Attorney Conner
ford walked toward the court.
81 desire to make a motion for an
appeal" he said hoarsely.
The motion is denied Also" said
the court.
When this plea was rejected by th:
court Hoch's lawyers, who now num-
bered five, filed an appeal bond and
then warned the sheriff not to exc
cute their client
IN A QUANDARY.
Both the states attorney and dep
I uty sheriff Peters were in guam
Diary. Hoch must be hanged by 2 p. m
or go free. Then Judge Lands tele.
phoned the Jail that he had taken
no action which would give grounds
for delay At that States Attorney
Healy declared the sentence of the
supreme court must be carried out
and advised Mr.. Peters to proceed
: with the execution.
1t was 1:21 when the death marct
began and a minute later Chief Dep.
l uty Sheriff Peters stepped upon the
> gallows, followed by the condemned
wife murderer ard bigamist. Jailel
John l.. Whitman led him by the arm
Hoch was deathly pale, his jaws set
his lips tightly compressed. He stooC
for a moment looking down upon thu
faces of those in the gallery of tht
old Jail building, where the gallow'
had been waiting for him since 1O:3'
, a. m, the time at which the execution
was to have taken place, three hours
before.
, DECLARED INNOCENCE.
1t was only a minutes hesitation
and during that moment praye
murmured by the Rev. M Birkeluut
. chamber. Then in a clear, firm voice
2 Hoch spoke:
Forgive them, for they know no
) what they do. | die an innocen
/. man."
s Then Hoch stood still while Jaile
| nlN1 ns
: neck and tied his hands. At the sig
nal, the trap swung, and dropped
t him into space. Up to the momen
that the shroud was placed upon hin
and the hood drawn over his fac
his lips could be seen moving a
though in prayer, while the voice o
his spiritual adviser continued to b
heard in low incarnation.
\ 1t was Is minutes before the medi
. cal jury pronounced him dead.
Johann Hoch, or Schmidt, as he d.
;, clared his rightful name to be, was
short heavy-set German-Frenchmal
about 40 years old. He was gent
;. as woman; in fact his movement
suggested feminity, as If he were a
obsessed woman. His manners an
nature were like a tigers foot; so
a and velvety, but sheathing talons.
. When Hoch met middle aged Ger
: man widows, he adopted the reserv
of refined German tradesman. H
manifested courteous consideration
for them while planning to get thei
money and kill them by poison
. The majority of his victims marie
him in the hope they would escape
o life of drudgery and become the mis-
g tress Of a rich mans home. Hoch'
,f motive always was gain.
70 A GENTLE HYPOCRITE.
IS Hoch was gentle, smiling, demon