The Washington times., 1906-02-23
Condemned Man Was
Confident to the Last

The condemned man awakened with
laugh this morning. He jumped TO his
feet when Night Jailer John O'Nein en-
tered the ceath chamber
''Ha ha. ha" he Chuckled. Good
morning, O'NenI, you see John Hoch
amt dead Yet. He enjoyed a more
peaceful sleep last night than many
one who has never been arrested"
Hoch ordered a breakfast Of ham and
eggs. French-fried potatoes, and coffee,
and specified Eggs to be fried sunny
side up"
And tell EN- to leave the ham bone
in." he added TO Janitor ONen The
ham bone is the sweetest part of the
meat
While waiting for the order, Hoch
called for the morning papers. which
were furnished him He read the ac-
counts of his approaching hanging with
manifest glee, taking delight in point
ing out the declarations that he would
never escape the gallows.
Hoch's unshaken confidence in himself
and his brazen statement that he would
not be hanged, caused an uncanny feel
p ing to permeate the entire county jail
this morning Guard John O'Neil, vet
eran official, who has seen twenty hang
ings. uumoved, descended from the
death chamber at o'clock with a wor-
Tied expression on his face.
Made Guard Nervous.
This darned thing is grating on my
nerves" he said. shaking his head.
That mans brazen statement that he
will never be hanged has made me nerv-
Gus. He slept Ike a babe in arms"
Hoch spent his last night in the
death chamber al the Cook county jail
closely watched by the strongest guard
that has ever been employed for any
doomed man before his execution,
The repeated threats OF the last wife
Of the bigamist and poisoner, Mrs
AmeHe Fischer Hoch, that she would
Join her condemned husband in death
and that he never would hang, caused
JailOr Whitman 10 take extra precautions
against suicide The smuggling of a
subtle drug or deadly weapon into the
Jail was rendered impossible by the con-
stant surveillance TO which HoCh was
subjected from the moment he began his
fatal journey 10 the prison library, on
the second floor, until he prepared for
his march to the gallows
Awaited Confession in Vain.
Reporters. during the final eighteen
hours. awaited in Sheriff BaTretts
office news of a confession by the mod
ern Blue Beard, who married fourteen
women and was convicted of numbering
one, il not five, Of them.
Hoch. however, with an exhibition of
nerve that was the marvel OF all who
saw him, declared he would go TO the
galows protesting his innocence TO the
very last.
He spent nearly an hour eating his
breakfast. and all the while laughed
and joked with the death watch.
Turning TO Guard Hoffman, Hoch
How would you like to change
We'll. I don't know" slowly replied
Hoffman
Clared HOch as ne arose from the
breakfast table. HOch winked in a
significant manner and placing a finger
over his right eye.
s'Just watch Joahnu Hoch. He Will
never hang. II is now SIS o'clock
and am supposed to go to my death
In about two hours DO L act like
person who is about TO go to his
DEATH I don't think so. No, sir.
Johann HOCh is not to hang"
Hoch then lighted a cigar and stroll
ing to the open window overlooking the
jail yard he drew deep breaths of cold
air into MS lungs
At $50 o'clock HOch was visited by
John Whitman, the warden.
Have you any further hope?" asked
Whitman
'Oh. yes; there Is always hope. and
Johann never gives up" responded the
man.
Prepared Either Way.
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