The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-02-23


was gentle as woman; in fact, his
! movements suggested a femininity, "a
if he were an obessed woman. His
manners and nature were like a tigers
foot-soft and velvety, but sheathine
talons.
Bsasted Wealth.
When Hoch met middle-aged Ger
man widows he adopted the reserve
of a refined German tradesman. He
manifested courteous consideration for
them while planning to get their mon
ey and kill them by poison. He sought
externally to realize the ideal of hus-
band in the mind of an average Ger
man illiterate woman who had toiled
for years and saved money. He for
got his reserve long enough to boast of
his wealth. This was the most en-
ticing bait he offered. The majority of
his victims married him in the hope
that they would escape a life of drug
cry and become the mistress of a rich
mans home.
When he asked the hand of a vic
tim he declared he wanted to pro-
vide her a good home.' When she
became i'll from arsenic he gave her
he summoned medical aid, sat by her
bedside, held her hand and called her
"sweetheart.'
When Judge Kersten passed sem
tence upon him Hoch was asked if he
had anything to say. AS if willing to
sacrifice his life merely to conform to
the courts idea of propriety he re-
piled: Judge, if you think am guilty,
1 am willing to lose my life" After
his conviction, in the solitude of his
cell, he was borne up by his egotism.
son of interest and Importance. He
said: Johann will die like a man..
If Johann had money he would show
you what he would do"
Hoch denied making the confession
which was used as evidence in his
trial, but would not take the stand to
disprove it, His last utterance to a
visitor was in keeping with his hy-
pocracy toward the judge and the wife
he robbed He said: Death is better
than this confinement, but I have Civ
en- my word of honor to the jailer that
1 would not leave, even if l found the
doors open.'
Boosted of Ancestry.
HOch claimed to be a great grand
son of Marshal Ney, who went to ST.
Helena with Napoleon, and the scion
of prominent family of Strassburg.
He said his father was a retired minis
ter in Toulon, ignorant of the fate of
his son. Two of Hochs brothers are
ministers. He said: MY great
grandfather, Marshal Ney, was one of
the heroes of Napoleon's army; and l,
his descendant, snail die as a soldier.
1 am going before my Maker, Jesus
Christ, my Savior. 1 believe in God,
and 1 believe 1 shall meet in the life
beyond those who were near and dear
to me here. How could 1 stand at the
judgment seat with a lie on my soul?"
On the next day he denied having told
this story.
Information that led to the arrest of
Hoch was given to the police by Mrs.
Emele Fischer, his last wife She mar
ried him January IS, 1905, a few days
after the funeral of her sister, who
had been her immediate predecessor as
Mrs. Hoch. On December 10 of 1894
Hoch married Mrs. Marie Welker and
took her to his house, where she died
on January II after a short illness,
and when Hoch was alone with her
Preceding her death he obtained from
her all her money, as he had done in
his previous marriages.
Three days after her death he mar
ried Mrs Fischer, and the day VOL
lowing the wedding he obtained from
her $3.50, to be used, he said, in pay
ing a mortgage on the furniture and
house. A day or two later he disap-
peared.
The search for Hoch extended t.
New York, where he was arrested. Sus-
pecting he would seek concealment in
Germany, his former home, the police
kept watch on outward bound vessels
A complete list of Hoch's "specula-
lions" in matrimony would be difficult
to compile. So far as can be learned.
he was born in Germany 40 years ago,
studied medicine and in Vienna mar
ried Anna Hoch in 1881. Two years
later he emigrated with her to Amer
lea. Several years later she died.
His next wife (No. p he obtained
in Chicago in May, 1892. Her name
is not known, but it is known that he
rented a fat under the name of c. A.