Salt Lake Tribune | 1905-08-25 | Page 2 | Bluebeard Hoch Escapes Noose

Court Grants Supersedeas, nnd Execution Set for Today Is Deferred. CASE WILL BE HEARD AT THE OCTOBER TERM Man of Many Wives Declares He Is Innocent of the Murder Mur-der of One. CHICAGO. Aug. 21. Johann Hoch, tho mun of mnny wives, convicted for tho mlirder of ono of them, and under sentence sen-tence of death, has oscapod tho gallows a third time. Ho was to hnve been hanged hero tomorrow, but n supersedeas was Issued today on an order of Justice Magrudcr of tho Suproine court. The Justice said that he had carefully examined the record presented by Hoch's attorneys, and his study of It satisfied him there was enough doubt to Justify a review of the entire case by the Supreme court. Will Be Heard in October. The case will come up at the October term of the court at Springfield, 111. 1-Inch has been confident that the sentence sen-tence of hanging would not bo In-illctcd. In-illctcd. He hud very little to say when Informed of the action of the Justice. Jailer Wheatman said It was the first tlmo In his experience that a prisoner has exhibited no concern about his fate the day previous to the execution. Declares He Is Innocent. Hoch was smoking a cigar when told of tho Issuance of tho writ. "I am not guilty of this horrible murder," ho said, "and now I will have the opportunity of proving myself Innocent Inno-cent before the highest court in the Slate. I never felt that I would go to the gallows. gal-lows. I may bo guilty of other crimes, but never of thnt murder."