Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-02-24
WIFE SLAYER
JOHANN HOCH
PAYSPENALTY
Murderer and Bigamist Goes
10 Ga|IOWs StOicaNy.
ATTORNEYS LAST DESPERATE
ATTEMPT AT RESCUE FAILS
Before Moose Tightens Convict Pro-
tests Innocence Of Brutal Crimes
Expiated by Execution,

Chicago, Feb. 23.-Johann Hoch,
convicted murderer, confessed biga-
mist and who, if but a fraction of the
stories of crime that are told of him
are true, was one of the greatest GRIM
inals this country has ever known, was
hanged i'm the county Jail today for
poisoning his wife, Marie Welcker-
Hoch.
He faced death as he has always
said that he would face it when the fl
nal moment came-calmly and with
meath the dangling moose in the atti-
tude and with the placid courage of
a soldier who realizes to the full that
death is his portion, but Is still una
fraid. He died with a prayer on his
lips for the officers of the law who
took his life, and, save for the word
'good-by" his last utterance was an
assertion that he was innocent of the
crime for which he paid the extreme
penalty of the law.
Attorneys Desperate Work.
The last scene in the career of Hoch
came at 1874 in the afternoon, while
his attorneys were still making des-
perate efforts for little more time on
earth for him. His death, lawyers
say, has has not ended the appeal that
was made in his behalf, and. although
the man himself is dead, they prom
Use to carry the case to the supreme
court of the United States and If it
is there decided that he was unlawful
ly hanged proceedings will be COM
menced against the officers of the law
who officiated at the execution.
Hoch's marvellous physical strength
was shown by the fact that his pulse
continued to beat for ten minutes aft
er DR.. Mcnamara had declared his
neck broken
The body Of IIoch was given to a
local undertaken, who buried it as his
own expense
While the execution of Hoch was I'm
progress Attorney Edward Maher was
still making desperate efforts to in
duce Judge Lands to sign an appeal
and grant Hoch a supersedeas until
his application for a writ of habeas
corpus could he tested by the supreme
court.
A short time before the hour set
for the execution petition was filed
i'm the United states circuit court by
Hoch's attorneys asking federal inter
vention to save Hoch. The petition
said the state authorities were endeav-
oring to execute Hoch i'm violation of
the fourteenth amendment and with
out due process of law. After filing the
petition the attorneys left for the
criminal court building to try to get a
stay Of execution pending action by
the federal courts As result of the
legal complications Jailor Whitman
announced the execution would be de-
layed until an application for a writ of
habeas corpus could be passed upon
| by some judge i'm the federal court
Judge lands Denies Writ.
Before Judge Lands, Hoch's attor-
neys contended that a writ of habeas
corpus should issue forthwith If the
court found that the petition was pre-
sented in proper form. After brief
consideration the Judge said:
1.-THE petition is denied. The proper
remedy for counsel was writ OF error
from the decision of the state supreme
court to the United States supreme
court Counsel failed to take advant-
age of that move. The writ Is fatally
defective and cannot be made good" Z"
Hochs attorneys asked an appeal from
! Landls decision. The Judge replied:
Later In the day I will enter such
an order as will enable you to have
this case reviewed by the supreme
court I'm the absence of your client
will not now complicate matters by
further delay" and the court threw
| Tho ,ottttop 70 ana gIJa