The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-02-24


 hurried to the jail where he arrived just as the death march was about to begin. He asked that proceedings be further delayed but this request was denied by Deputy Sheriff Peters after a talk with Judge Landis over the telephone
 Jailer Whitman then went to Hoch's cell with six guards.
 'Johan, your time has come" he said. Hoch had advanced to meet the party and said calmly: T am ready, MT. Whitman.
 As he left the cell, Whitman noticed that Hoch still wore collar,
 You will have to take that off" said Whitman, pointing to the collar. All right" replied Hoch. He took the collar off and threw it back into the cell. As the death march started Hooh stopped several times to shake hands with the attendants, saying Good bye, boys" At 132 o'clock Hoch stepped on the drop, beneath the cross beams. His face was pale but his manner was composed and his courage unsurpassed. He had said several lilliCo lIldl WHICH lll6 llOul u lilo NtGetlAA came he would meet it bravely, that he had been a soldier and knew how to die. His attitude on the scaffold bore out his words in full. He stood erect, heels close together, his shoulders back and his gaze directed over the heads of 1 the crowd toward the far end of tine corridor. The Rev. J, R. Burkland, who was reciting the prayers for the dying as the procession approached the scaf- fold, continued them while Hoch was 1 preparing for execution. Deputy Sher- if Peters spoke to Hoch, asking him to move backward as he was not squarely on the drop. Hoch glanced down at hls feet, moved quickly to the rear and again resumed his military at titude. He had said that he did not care to say anything on the scaffold but while Deputy Sheriff Peters was 1 pinioning his feet Huch spoke to him in low voice.
 Do you want to say something?" asked Deputy Sheriff Peters,
 Yes said Hoeh.
 The Rev Burkland was still reciting | the prayer aad Jailer Whitman mo- toned with his hand to silence him 1 The clergyman not noticing, continued with the prayer, and Whitman stepped to the edge of the scaffold and asked blm to desist for a moment. As soon as the voice of the clergyman had ceased, Hoch spoke up in strong, clear | tones and with pronounced German accent saying:
 Father, forgive them; they know not what they do must die, an innocent man. Good bye"
 He bit off the last two words in a crisp, incisive fashion, and just as soon as he had uttered them, the drop fell. I Dr. McNamara, a county physician was at Hochs side the instant he fel and declared that death had been in stantaneous, the neck having bee ! broken.
 Hoch's pulse continued to beat for ten minutes after Dr. MacNamara has de- elared his neck broken. While the ex- ecution of Hoch was in progress At torney Maher was still making desper- ate efforts to induce Judge Landis to | sign an appeal and grant Hoch a super cedas until his application for writ of habeas corpus could be tested by the federal supreme court
 At few minutes after o'clock Judge Landis left his chamber on his way to lunch. As he stepped into the hall Maher stopped him, saying We have only little time. These papers will be here in few minutes with the mans signature"
 q am going out now" replied the judge. T shall be in court at o'clock"
 My God, judgel" implored the attor- hey, the tears springng to his eyes. Don't leave the building; please don't do it. Give this man the right of ap- peal. We want to save his life, and at 2 o'clock 1t will be too late. For heav- ems sake, done leave the building"
 You make it terribly hard for me-" said the judge, but, as I told you, I cannot grant an appeal. My oath of office demands that do what consider right. In this last hour before the exc cution l am appealed to- and l do not think l would be complying with my oath if I delayed this execution"
 Judge, if I.didn't think that this poor man had been deprived of fair chance l wouldn't make this appeal to | you. What errors his attorneys may have made should not cost him his life, when there Is still way open. Grant me this right of appeal, and don't leave the building until you have done so."
 T do not think that I can,' replied Judge Landis
 Look here" continued Maher. hold 1 ing up his watch. See what time it is In few minutes this man will be dead At 2 o'clock an appeal or signature to papers, so far as he is concerned, will be past. For Gods sake, remember what your going means" Judge Landis. who had been making his way toward the elevator as rapid l ly as he could in the face of the inter- ference of Mir. Maher, stopped and con- fronted the attorney.
 q have expressed my views on the subject of the appeal" he said in a slow voice. T will not grant one, so there is no use in my remaining"
 Hasn't this man the rights of every l other citizen?" demanded Maher
 Yes, replied Judge LAndis, "but I say there is no appeal in such case He left the building,
 Attorney Maher waited a few mo- ments to gather some legal authorities, I and was then joined by Attorney Com i. r Nlr jail; they set out to find Judge Landis, nd f,, .,e,Ir foy JoIo