Chapter IV: Part 4

He agreed to this proposition, but the cunning fellow refused to take any money with him upon the journey, so that we were obliged to depend upon his honor for keeping any bargain he might make with us after seeing the amount of silver we had for sale. Had he taken the money with him, we should have been obliged to look for another customer, for we should have murdered him and possessed ourselves of all he had. I suppose his confidence in us was not over large, and so he would not consent to give us anything until after we had shown him the spot where the silver was buried, and should have returned to Mazatlan. We started with him at night, and by morning reached the spot. After examining the silver, which must have been worth at least a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, he agreed to give us $25,000 in gold for it. We consented to this, and going back to Mazatlan we received our money, and went to Valparaiso, where we opened a boarding-house, but at the end of a year we had gambled and spent nearly all our money, and so took again to our old career, working on the road between Valparaiso and the mines, where we robbed the mule trains as before, murdering the conductors, and thus coming into possession of a very large amount of silver in bars. After we had accumulated as much as we thought would serve our purpose, we went to a small village called Sueda, in the neighborhood of the mines, and there sold the buried metal to a Spanish merchant, named Don Juan Alte, for $15,000, when we returned to Valparaiso and took passage on board the bark Maria, of Baltimore, Captain Mattison, bound to Rio Janeiro.

Nothing of particular interest occurred on our voyage to Rio, but after staying there six or seven weeks, and spending nearly all our money in gambling and debauchery, we took the road between Rio and Montevideo, where we robbed all worth robbing, and murdered all who resisted us.

There is many a whitened skeleton bleaching by that roadside now, on the same spot where it fell by my murderous hand; and the traveller, as he rides along, sees many a place where the grass grows taller and greener than that which surrounds it; but he little dreams that its roots are enriched by the blood shed by me. If I should travel that road now I should have plenty of ghostly company, for, though dead men tell no tales, and are but dead to all the world beside, to me they are now living horrors, and will insist in keeping company with me.

I remember one day that, a few miles from Montevideo, we attacked a man and three women, all of them being on horseback. We robbed them, and should have killed them all, but the women were beautiful, and for once I allowed my heart to yield to the soft feeling of pity, and we did not murder them.

I shall never forget the look of these poor frightened creatures kneeling at my feet, praying me to be merciful, while my partner, Tom Stone—that was his name, I do not think I have mentioned it before—stood a few feet off, with his pistol at the head of the man who was gradually divesting himself of everything valuable he had about him.

One of the women wore half-a-dozen magnificent diamond rings, and the other carried two gold watches set with diamonds, besides other trinkets of great value. These I made them take off, and give to me; after which, I intended to have ravished and then killed them; I hallooed to Tom to get rid of the man, and come and toss for the choice of the women—but the younger one of the two, though I spoke in English, seemed to be aware, as if by instinct, of our designs; she started suddenly up, and with a bound sprang to the side of her husband, and clung to him in such a way that Tom could not kill him without killing her also. I seized the other woman, and was about to execute my hellish purpose upon her, when, with tears and prayers she besought my pity, and begged for mercy, but I was deaf to all her prayers, and was again about to seize her, when she sprang from me, and like her companion, clung to the man. I followed her, and both the women, as if by one impulse, again fell on their knees, and besought us to spare them.

I do not know how it was, but my heart softened for once, and I stopped Tom’s hand just as he was going to pull the trigger on the man, who now stood alone, with his arms folded, awaiting his fate. Tom looked astonished, but put up his pistol with an oath, and after some demurrer, agreed with me to let them all depart without further harm. I even assisted them to catch their horses, which they mounted, and rode back with all the speed they could toward Montevideo. Ten minutes after they had gone I felt sorry, and thought I had acted like a fool.

After this adventure, I felt in continual fear of detection, and as we had accumulated by our robberies a sum not less than a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in money, jewels and trinkets, we transported our plunder by degrees to Rio, where we remained a few weeks enjoying ourselves, and then took passage for Buenos Ayres, where we remained a year, gambling and robbing as usual.

We had not spent all our money, but still had a large sum left, which we concealed in our trunks and canvas bags, and shipped on board the bark Anada, of Boston, bound for New Orleans. We did not go as passengers, as we wished to conceal the fact of having so much money in our possession.

During the passage, and in sight of the West India Islands, a mutiny occurred.

One of the ship’s boys having committed some offence, the captain ordered him to be whipped, and he was tied up aft. His yells and screams, as the cat descended on his back, made me mad, and going aft, I cut him down.

The captain interfered, when I knocked him down with a handspike, and my partner Tom backing me, we went into a general fight, which resulted in leaving Tom and I in possession of the ship. We tied all hand and foot, except the boy I had protected and one man, and then taking the boat, we lowered our chests into it, following them ourselves, and made for the shore.

We landed upon the Island of Barbadoes, and in the course of a few days went on board of an English brig, the Conova, bound for New Orleans. Everything went on well until we arrived within fifteen miles of the bar, when the officers, discovering that Tom Stone and I were armed, found fault with us, which led to a disturbance, whereupon we left the ship in a boat, fearing that we should be arrested on our arrival if we remained on the ship. We landed at the Belize, and in a few days arrived at New Orleans, where we remained for a few months, gambling and carousing.

From here we shipped for Liverpool on the ship Columbus, Capt. McSerin. We lost a man overboard during the passage, and the ship went ashore off Waterford in a gale of wind.

The Columbus went to pieces shortly after she struck, and I believe that nearly all hands were lost; but I made my way to shore on a fragment of the wreck, and was delighted to find, on reaching a place of safety, that my partner, who had braved so many dangers, and escaped so many other perils with me, had also escaped a watery grave.

We went into Waterford penniless, but we committed a robbery, the proceeds of which enabled us to reach Liverpool, from whence we shipped in the ship Charles Mallary, of Mystick, for Rio Janeiro.

On the passage, believing that there was a considerable amount of money on board, I used all my endeavors to stir the crew up to mutiny, intending, if possible, to kill the officers and make myself master of the lion’s share of the plunder, but I could not succeed in bringing matters to a crisis, although the whole voyage was a series of rows and fights, in which I was generally the principal.

When we arrived at Rio all hands left the ship but myself and Tom Stone, who were forced to remain, as we were both sick, and as soon as we began to recover they put us both in irons.

But one day, the mate going on shore, we broke our irons and left. Reaching the city, we remained quiet until the vessel sailed, and then shipped on board of the ship Admiral Granford, of Liverpool, for New Orleans.

All went on smoothly enough to all appearances, but during the whole voyage I was working quietly among the men, sowing the seeds of discontent and mutiny, which came to a head when we were within about twenty-five miles of the Belize.

Here a regularly organized revolt took place, headed by me and Stone, in which about one half of the crew were actually engaged. We succeeded in overpowering the officers and such of the crew as sided with them, and after binding them we robbed the ship of all the money and portable valuables we could lay our hands on, and after scuttling the ship and setting fire to her we took to the boats and made for land.

On reaching the shore we divided the spoils of the robbery, and separated, myself and partner going to New Orleans together, where at the end of a few weeks we again shipped on board of the ship Mobile, of Bath, for Liverpool.

While we were taking in cargo at New Orleans, we robbed the ship of a quantity of Irish linen; but on trying to smuggle it ashore we were arrested, but escaped punishment by means of perjured witnesses. After our discharge we rejoined the ship and went to sea.

But off Blackwater Banks a terrible storm struck us. We had over eight hundred souls on board, and the scene was enough to appall the stoutest heart and make the bravest man shudder. The waves ran mountains high, and the wind blew great guns; sail after sail was carried away, and as we were fast driving in to the Banks, all hope of saving the ship was given up. The poor wretches gave themselves up for lost; some prayed—some cursed—some shrieked in an agony of fear, and some madly cast themselves into the water and died before their time.

But during this dreadful panic I felt no fear, for on this occasion, as all through my life, I felt as if I was protected by a superior power, and only thought how I could turn the loss of the ship to account.

When the ship struck, I watched my opportunity and lashed myself to a large spar, on which I floated for two days, when I was picked up by a pilot boat and taken into port, as the American Consul at that time will certify. Of the eight hundred passengers on board of that ship not one save me escaped that I ever heard of. The only one whose loss I regretted was my partner, Tom Stone, with whom I had been associated for so many years. He was a brave fellow, with a ready wit and strong arm, ever on hand for any enterprise, no matter how desperate; and wicked as he was, I believe he loved and would have died for me.

Well, he has gone to his account, whither I must shortly follow him, and tread the same dark path he trod before me.

On finding myself safe on shore once more, I shipped on the bark Jeanette, of London, for New York, from whence I went in the schooner Eliza, for Boston.

On board of this schooner I met a man by the name of Lockwood, whom I found to be in every respect worthy of filling the place made vacant by the death of Tom Stone. He was a strong, wiry man, full of determination, cruel and desperate in his disposition, and totally without fear. I found he had led a life nearly similar to mine, and he thought no more of stealing a purse, or cutting a throat, than I; and, in addition to his other qualifications, was an expert navigator. So the second day out, we laid our plans to rob the schooner and scuttle her, which we did that night when off Block Island, making our escape in a boat, and leaving all hands to perish.

We landed on Block Island, and went on board of a sloop bound to Newport, where we shipped on board a schooner, Mescedions,[1] of Providence, for the West Indies. Nothing particular occurred on the passage, and when we arrived at St. Domingo, we left the schooner and went in a brig to New Orleans, whence we shipped on the schooner Camphene, for the Straits of Magellan.

Footnote 1:

The name is spelled as Hicks pronounced it, but it is evidently not
the correct name.

When we were at anchor in the Straits one night, Lockwood and myself having previously arranged all our plans, robbed the schooner of all the money and valuables on board, and after scuttling her by boring holes in her bottom, we set fire to her, while all hands were asleep aft, and got away in a boat, leaving all on board to perish. We landed safely, and travelled across the coast to the nearest town, living on four days’ provisions, which we took with us from the schooner. We reached the place in about ten days, very much exhausted by lack of food and water.

As we had plenty of money, we made up for our late deprivations by plunging into all sorts of dissipation and pleasures; never, however, losing a chance to rob anybody whose appearance promised to pay us for the trouble. In this way we spent some months, and then went to Joaquin on horseback, armed for the road, where we stopped for a few weeks, leading our old life, and then went to Santiago, robbing and murdering as before. We did not confine our operations to highway robberies alone, but committed every variety of depredations, breaking into houses, and murdering and robbing the inmates while they slept.

We remained in the neighborhood of Santiago about one year, and, should I undertake to relate circumstantially all the murders we committed during this time on the road between there and Valparaiso, it would occupy nearly all the time I have to live. It would take some time to give even a list of those I can remember, and they were of so frequent occurrence, I have no doubt many of them have escaped my memory altogether. I do not think I could name them all in one day.[2]

Footnote 2:

This was in answer to a direct question.—ED.

After this, our longer stay in this neighborhood would be running too great a risk, as our numerous outrages had attracted the attention of the government, and the whole country was aroused against us; so we shipped on board the brig Anne Mills, bound to the coast of Africa.

This brig was lying at Valparaiso, and was chartered by a man under the pretence of making a trading voyage, but his real object was piracy, and we shipped with a crew of men desperate as ourselves, who, if they did not know the object of the voyage, the captain rightly thought, would have no scrupulous objections to it.

As soon as we were upon blue water, the captain opened our plan of operations to the crew, and although one or two murmured at first, all at length came into our scheme. In fact, they were obliged to do so, for had any of them held out, we should have disposed of them in a very summary way.

I was now in my proper element, where I could gratify the highest object of my wicked ambition. I was a free rover, with no one to fear, and no one to obey, with the whole world for my prey.

During the year that I sailed in this vessel, we overhauled, plundered, and burned several Portuguese and Spanish ships, in most cases murdering their crews. After cruising about the West India Islands, we made our course for the Gulf of Gibraltar, went to Marseilles, boarded a Greek vessel, and obtained provisions and stores. Finding that she had no money on board, we let her go, and the next morning sailed for the Dardanelles, where we cast anchor and went ashore at a small town, and although none of us could speak the language, we remained there about six weeks, and then went to Constantinople, and on the voyage lay one night alongside of an English brig.

We boarded her about 12 o’clock, and after searching her and finding nothing, we went on our voyage.

After remaining a short time at Constantinople, we headed for the Gut of Gibraltar, and one night were hailed by a British man-of-war, whose name we did not learn. We answered in Portuguese, when she ordered us to lay to.

Instead of doing this we crowded all sail, and during the conversation we had got our guns ready; we gave her a raking fire from our stern, which carried away the foremast. As we saw it falling over the side, we bade them “good bye” in English, and gave them three cheers, for which they returned a broadside, and we received two shots in our stern.

I dare say the British Admiralty never knew to this day to what vessel their man-of-war was indebted for the loss of her foremast, but if they ever read this the mystery will be cleared up. It is more than likely they have suspected their old enemy, the French, of playing this trick, but they have been wrong; the shot came from the brig Anne Mills.

We never shortened sail until we reached a Spanish port, about 150 miles from the Gut, where we laid for a short time to repair damages, and made sail for the coast of Mexico, and stopped at a port near Vera Cruz, where we laid in wood and water, and sailed for Vera Cruz. From here we went to the coast of Florida, and anchored in the mouth of the river opposite Jacksonville. Here we lay two or three weeks recruiting; at the end of this time, having completed the necessary preparations, we sailed direct for the coast of Africa, where we took on board a load of negroes and steered our course for Rio.

A few miles to windward of Cape Frio an English cruiser hove in sight. We made off for the land at once, but finding the cruiser was gaining upon us, the captain made the negroes fast to the chain cable and let the anchor go, with the cable over the rail, dragging the negroes overboard.

We were pursued to the shore, and most of those on board were captured. Lockwood and myself, with our usual good luck, managing to escape.

We walked to Rio destitute of everything but arms, rifles and pistols, and on reaching that place shipped on board the bark Josephine of Boston, bound to Liverpool. We had a quick passage, not marked by anything of peculiar interest, and on our arrival there we shipped on the bark Alga for New Orleans.

During the voyage a disturbance broke out, and some one, who I do not know, set fire to the vessel. We took to the boats, and in the course of a few days we were picked up by the brig Exact, of Liverpool, and taken to St. Domingo, where we shipped on board brig Fanny Fosdick, for St. Mark’s, Florida.

We ran on the Florida reefs in a fog, and all hands were lost, except myself, Lockwood, the captain and mate. We were taken off by a small schooner and carried into St. Marks, where Lockwood and myself remained for four months, committing all sorts of depredations, among which robberies and murders were of frequent occurrence.

Wishing for a new field of action, however, we engaged as hands on board the pilot boat Lucina, not with a view of working long, but for the purpose of getting possession of her the first opportunity which should occur.

She was a beautiful little craft, sat on the water like a sea bird, and, for speed, was unsurpassed. In fact, she was just the thing we wanted. We had fixed our eyes on her long before, but had to wait for circumstances favorable to our plan to turn up before we dared to apply for situations on board of her.

We had not sailed in her long, however, before the long-wished-for opportunity arrived; and one day, when the pilots were all ashore, we got her under weigh for the Double H. Shot Keys, where we boarded a brig, and procured some provisions and stores. We were not heavily enough armed, nor in the proper shape to rob her, or we would have done so.

After this, we started on a cruise, seeking victims in all the small craft which came in our way, but not meeting with any great success, we made our course for New Orleans, for the purpose of procuring arms and provisions, and if we could meet any men of the right stamp for an enterprise like ours, to press them into our service.

Arriving at the Balize, we lay to till midnight, and then taking the yawl went on board a bark and robbed her of a considerable sum of money, two chronometers, and other valuables.

After this, we put back to sea again, and committed many depredations upon fishing smacks and other small craft. We continued this life for some time, but beginning to long for the pleasures of shore, we ran our little craft into Matagorda Bay, where we placed all our money and valuables in a yawl and went on shore below Matagorda. We burned the yawl upon the beach, and secreting a portion of our effects in the sand, went inland, where we lived on in our usual abandoned and reckless life. After some time we again made our way to the coast, and digging up and carrying away our treasure, we went to Matagorda, where we stayed a few weeks, committing several robberies; and then, after purchasing an outfit, shipped on board of a schooner, whose name I cannot call to mind, bound for Boston. On our arrival we left her, and going ashore we remained there a short time, watching an opportunity of shipping on board of some small craft not heavily manned, which we could rob and take possession of when out at sea.

Nothing presented itself, however, which we considered worth our while, but we were not by any means idle, for we committed several robberies on shore, one of which, a burglary in Washington street, we came very near being detected in, and the circumstances connected with which caused considerable stir. In fact, we found it necessary to leave, which we did.

The Boston officers started in pursuit of us, but we managed to throw them off the scent, and as soon as we were convinced that they were on the wrong track, we made for New York, which we reached in safety. Those circumstances took place about four years ago.

I remained in New York a short time, enjoying myself, and then shipped on board of a schooner, whose name I have forgotten. She was bound to the West Indies for fruit, and I supposed that she had considerable money on board. My only object in going on her was to rob her if I could. My old partner was with me, and we tried by every means to find out how much money was on board, where it was kept, etc., but did not succeed, and no opportunity occurred for us to carry out our plans during the voyage. So we came back on her to New York, and both shipped on board the schooner Sea Witch, a Norfolk oyster boat. As before, our object was murder and robbery. I suspected that she carried out a large sum of money each trip, but did not know how much, until I kept count of the number of oysters bought, and the price paid for them, which made me determine to kill all hands on the next trip, and secure the money as soon as we got out to sea.

But from some cause or other we were mistrusted, and we were discharged on our arrival at Nova Scotia.

I waited some time for a similar chance, but failing in getting shipped on board of anything which promised to pay me, I joined the bark Sea Horse, bound for the coast of Africa, for a cargo of slaves.

During the passage I succeeded in stirring the crew up to mutiny, and after a severe fight we succeeded in overcoming and killing the officers, and took possession of the ship.

We ran the vessel ashore at Congo River, took the money, and joined an English vessel, after dividing our spoils to suit myself and partner, we keeping, of course, the largest share of it.

I almost forget the name of the English ship in which we sailed for London, but think it was the Zacharias. However, we played the same game on board her, that is, we excited a mutiny. The captain, mate, and steward being in the cabin asleep, we entered quietly, and took everything valuable we could lay our hands on, and then, going on deck, fastened down the hatches in such a way that the officers could not make their escape, after which we tied the other two of the crew, and landed in the boat at Havre during the night, from where we took the packet to London.

Here my partner and I separated, and I have not heard what became of him. I hope, if he sees this confession and learns my fate, it will serve as a warning to him, and that he will give up shedding blood and robbery, and lead an honest life.

About this time—that is, some three years ago—I married, and shortly after, came with my wife to New York, on board the ship Isaac Wright, Captain Marshall, who knows me well. On reaching New York, I took some rooms, and lived with my wife in Batavia street. I do not remember the number, but it was a corner house, and stood opposite to No. 17.

During this time I worked along shore, all the while looking out for chances, and trying to get a berth on some vessel which I might rob with profit; but not meeting with the opportunity I wanted, I left the city with my wife, and going into the country, in the neighborhood of Norwich, Conn., went to work for a Doctor Baldwin. I remained with him some time, and then went to Norwich, where I worked for a Daniel Mapler, till a longing for my old life of excitement and adventure came over me, and I returned to New York and took lodgings at 129 Cedar street.

In a short time I shipped on board of the steamer Alabama, for Savannah, returned and shipped on board schooner Kate Field, for Indianola and Galveston. I committed a robbery on board of this vessel, and though I was detected by the captain, nothing was said about it.

The goods I appropriated were part of the cargo, but they were not missed by the owners, and so I escaped. From Galveston we sailed to Matagorda Bay, took in a cargo of sugar, and returned to New York, and for some time after this I remained on shore, working occasionally, and all the while watching my opportunity to get a berth on board of a vessel for the old purpose.

With the object of committing a robbery if a favorable opportunity presented itself, I went a voyage in a schooner to Georgetown, S. C., but returned without finding it worth while to carry out my intentions. For a time I worked along shore again, and then went to Boston on a coaster, intending to rob her if I found she had money on board, but as she had not, I came back in her to New York, and shipped on schooner John, for Wilmington, N. C.

As we came out of Wilmington harbor, on our return, we found the yacht Kate, which had been run into.

I saw the wreck first, and as soon as we got alongside, I jumped into her, in water up to my armpits, and making her fast to the schooner, commenced bailing her out.

We finally got her afloat, and took her into Wilmington, from whence she was returned to her owners. We claimed salvage on her, which was allowed, but there is something due me now on my share, which I hope will be paid to my wife after I am gone.

Returning to New York, I lived by working along shore, but never missed a chance of robbery when it promised to pay me for my trouble, and the risk was not too great; but I was careful of doing much in New York city, and was all the while on the lookout for some enterprise in my favorite field of action—the sea.

I kept a sharp lookout for all small craft outward bound for cargoes of fruit, oysters, etc., and in a quiet way gathered all the information I could in regard to the number of hands they shipped, and the amount of money they generally carried.

During my searches I came across the sloop E. A. Johnson, Captain Burr, and in making application was engaged on board of her.

I come now to the closing acts of my life, to the last scenes in my wicked and bloody career.

From my youth up I lived by crime. I have steeled my heart against every good impulse. I have considered mankind my natural prey and have never hesitated to gratify my appetites, passions, and desires, no matter how dear the sacrifice paid by others for their gratification, and now society which I have so long outraged claims the only recompense I can make for all the wrongs I have committed; the law, which to me has ever been a subject of scorn and derision, now exerts its majesty, and calls on me to pay the penalty due for breaking it; mankind, against whom I have so long waged a bloody and resistless war, now clamors for my blood, in compensation for the innocent blood I have so often shed. Justice at last asserts her sway, and a dreadful punishment awaits me.

But let me go on to the end.

The sloop E. A. Johnson offered an easy prey. She had on board, I supposed, from all the information I could gather, something over a thousand dollars, and the entire crew consisted of but two boys and myself.

I had never known of or seen Captain Burr before I shipped with him. He had never done me injury or wrong, so that I had no revenge to gratify, no grudge to pay.

He seemed a kind and amiable man, and would, I have no doubt, awakened kindly feelings in any heart but mine, and even I liked him. Yet I engaged myself to him solely, and only for the cruel purpose of taking his life, the lives of the two young men, and making myself master of the money I supposed he had on board.

I calculated to do this as calmly as you would contemplate doing any of the usual duties in the ordinary transactions of life.

I had killed men, yes, and boys, too, many a time before, for far less inducement than the sum I supposed I should gain by killing them; and I had too often dyed my murderous hands in blood in days gone by, to feel the slightest compunctions or qualms of conscience then.

I never thought of the consequences of such a crime. The fear of detection never once crossed my mind. I had too often done the same thing with impunity to believe that a day of reckoning would ever come, in this world at least, and I never gave a thought to the world to come.

After engaging with Captain Burr, I went home to my wife at 129 Cedar street, and lying down on the bed, told her not to disturb me, as I wanted to take a long sleep, and if any one came for me, to say that I was not in. She left me alone, and I then deliberately matured all my plans. I marked out the course I intended to pursue exactly, and after I had decided upon everything, I went to sleep and slept as soundly as ever I slept in my life, my mind was so much at ease, and I felt so contented at the idea of having at last an opportunity of making some money in an easy way.

The next day I went on board and commenced my duties, and in order to ingratiate myself into the good graces of the captain, I did even more than could have been expected of me.

We sailed on the sixteenth of March from the foot of Spring street, and proceeded to Keyport, where we remained till Sunday. While here, I scraped the mast of the sloop, did a lot of carpenter work, and evidently pleased Captain Burr very much by my earnestness in trying to make everything look ship-shape.

We arrived at Gravesend on Saturday afternoon, and waited there for a fair wind.

At last we put to sea, and when we were off the Ocean House, I went to the forecastle, and got an axe, which I put in the boat hanging to the davit aft.

The younger Watts was at the helm, and I asked him to allow me to steer a little while. He consented, and went forward.

In a few minutes I left the helm, and taking the axe, went to him, and asked him if he saw Barnegat Light. He said he did not. I told him to look again, and pointed with my hand.

He turned round and looked in my face a moment, but even if he had suspected my cruel purpose, he would have read no indication of it there, for I was as calm as though I were going to do the simplest and most innocent thing in life.

Had I been under human influences, the confident and trusty way in which he turned his eyes to mine, would have made me hesitate, but no such thought entered my heart, and I pointed again and told him to “Look there; ain’t that it!”

He turned his head, and peered through the darkness in the direction I pointed, and as he did so, I struck him on the back of the head with the axe, and knocked him down.

He fell!

Thinking I had not killed him, I struck him again with the axe as he lay upon the deck.

His fall and the sound of the axe made some noise, which, added to that caused by my running across the deck, attracted the attention of the captain, who came up the companionway, and putting out his head, asked what was the matter?

I replied, “nothing,” and then asked him, as I had the younger Watts, “Is that Barnegat light.”

Captain Burr replied, “No, you will not see it for two hours;” and as he spoke he turned his head from me.

The axe swung in the air, and, guided by my sinewy and murderous arm, came down.

The edge crunched through his neck, nearly severing his head from his body, and killing him instantly.

The body fell down the companionway.

As I turned to leap after it, and dispatch my remaining victim, I looked forward, and—Oh, God, how I shudder to think of it now!—he whom I thought I had already killed had risen and was coming aft, his hand outstretched toward me, and the blood running in two dark streams over his pale face, from two ghastly wounds on his head.

For a moment I stood undecided, but as he still came on, I ran toward him, but ere I reached him he fell about midships, and rushing on him, I struck once! twice! thrice! with the axe, and finished him.

Running aft, I jumped down the companionway with the bloody axe in my hand.

There lay the elder Watts in his berth, and close beside him the ghastly, bloody corpse of the captain.

I stood a moment looking at him, and dashed at him and struck out with the axe.

He leaped out of his berth, and sprang at me, all red with the blood of the captain, whose body had fallen past him, covering him with gore in its fall.

He tried to grapple with me, but stepping back, I gave the fatal axe a full swing, and struck him again, again, and again, once upon the head, once on the back, and once more upon the head, which felled him to the floor, and he lay dead at my feet, side by side with the captain.

My bloody work was done!

Dead men tell no tales.

I was alone. No eye had seen me, and now I was free to reap the reward of my work.

I did not feel the slightest regret for what I had done, and went about removing the bodies, as coolly as though they had been so much old lumber.

I took a rope and bent it on to the feet of the elder Watts, hauled him on deck, and threw him over the quarter. I then hauled the captain out in the same manner, and threw him over; and then going to midships, I lifted the body of the younger Watts from the deck, and plunged him into the sea by the starboard side.

I then threw the axe overboard, and soon as I had done this, I changed the course of the sloop, and ran in close to the Hook.

My intention was to run the sloop up the North River, and then fire her, but I came near running her on the Dog Beacon, abreast of Coney Island and Staten Island lighthouse, after which I fouled with a schooner, and carried away the bowsprit, so I put the money and such other articles of value as I could pick up, into the yawl, and then sculled ashore three miles, landing just below the fort on Staten Island.

My movements after landing are well known; and when I look back upon the fatality which seemed to dog my steps, it seems as though the fiend, who so long had stood by me in every emergency, had deserted me at last, and had left me to my own weakness.

But I never thought of this until after my arrest. I had no shadow of a presentiment that I should be checked so suddenly and brought to justice, and on my return to New York, made arrangements to go away with my family as coolly as if nothing had occurred which should counsel me to use caution.

But on that fatal night when I awoke from a deep sleep to find the officers of the law standing by my bed, for the first time fear overcame me, and I grew faint and weak as a baby. Great drops of sweat started out on my forehead and all over my body, and then I realized that at last the master whom I had served so long had really deserted me and abandoned me to my fate.

But to all outward appearance I choked these feelings down, and none who saw me dreamed of what was passing within.

My task is done. I have related all the awful details of my life with as much minuteness as I can, and now nothing is left me but to prepare to die.

I ask no sympathy, and expect none. I shall go to the gallows cursed by all who know the causes which will bring me there, and my only hope is that God will, in his infinite mercy, grant me that spirit of true repentance which may lead to pardon and forgiveness in the world to come.

PHRENOLOGICAL CHARACTER
OF
ALBERT W. HICKS,
GIVEN AT
FOWLER AND WELLS’ PHRENOLOGICAL CABINET,
308 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
BY L. N. FOWLER, PROFESSOR OF PHRENOLOGY.
_June 29th, 1860_

He has a remarkably strong muscular organization, and bony system, which has a powerful influence on the tone, quality and direction of his mind. His mental temperament is fairly developed, but not to such an extent as to give the finer qualities to the mind and character. He is excitable, and susceptible of intense feeling, yet it is rather a heated impulse of passion, than a delicate and refined sensibility.

He has a large brain, which gives a great amount of general mental power, and with a good education and proper direction, he would be able to exert a leading and extensive influence over others.

His Phrenological developments are very marked. His head is high in the crown, and long, but rather narrow. Destructiveness is not a leading organ, and it acts chiefly as the servant of his excessive will and other strong propensities, which circumstances and bad training may have made sources of temptation to him. He is however, strongly developed in Combativeness, which gives the spirit of resistance, self-defence, and power to overcome obstacles, and if provoked, and had some selfish purpose to subserve, his Combativeness and Firmness would render him capable of almost any act of desperation.

His social organs are large, and he is susceptible of strong love to woman, but with such a temperament that love would take an animal direction. He is interested in children and home, and in friends when they do not oppose his course. He is also very continuous and protracted in mind, and never gives up any project that he has once resolved to accomplish.

His Alimentiveness is large; he loves to gratify the appetite highly, and is liable to indulge it too freely. His love of property acts strongly in proportion to his want of it, and he seeks it to spend, rather than to lay up, and if he had an abundance, it would go freely in the gratification of his various desires.

The tendency to be cunning and artful, is not very strong. He is more likely to do things openly and undisguised, than he is to work shrewdly behind the curtain, and do things in such a mysterious way as to defy detection; yet he has much Cautiousness, and is watchful where there are dangers and difficulties to be encountered.

He has a great amount of ambition to excel in what he does. He has also excessive Self-Esteem, independence, self-reliance, and desire to be the master spirit, and maintain his own individuality. His will is the strongest element of his mind, and his character is more affected by it than by any other one faculty; for whatever he may purpose to do through the influence of circumstances, he will carry out at all hazards.

His moral brain indicates large Hope and anticipation, but only medium Conscientiousness and Benevolence, which hardly ever act in a controlling manner.

His Spirituality is very deficient; he has very little idea of the unseen, and of subjects pertaining to the higher life, and has scarcely any Veneration at all, which leads him to act without due regard to the Higher Power, and without feeling his dependence on, or much responsibility to, his Creator.

His mechanical talent, sense of beauty, and love of the sublime, are only average in power. His ability to imitate and copy, is good, and his love of fun rather strong, without being particularly given to joking and fun-making. He has a correct eye for proportion, can judge well of forms and outlines; has a good degree of order and arrangement, has good native talents for making estimates and calculations; has a superior memory of places and localities, and decidedly good abilities for any kind of mental operation where order, method, system, knowledge of principles and places is required.

His conversational talents are poor, and his memory of events not very good. His powers of comparison are excellent; intuition, and ability to judge of character and motives, good; agreeableness and suavity of manner rather wanting; in fact, the leading features of his character grow out of his will, determination, and continuity of mind; a domineering, proud, unsubmissive spirit, joined to strong watchfulness and forethought, and the desire to accomplish what he attempts, in the most signal and positive manner. He should be known for love of his female friends, fondness for children, attachment to home, and a fair degree of sympathy with his friends. He has a deficiency of tact and power to conceal his feelings, and those qualities that give spirituality, religious feeling, and sense of dependence. The crimes that he has been led to commit, are full as much the result of a want of the right kind of education, as from his natural organization. He has strong passions, and an unbending and headstrong will; but with proper culture, and good circumstances, he would, most likely, have used his energy and talents in a way to secure success and respectability, instead of warring upon the rights and interests of his fellow men.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

1. P. 36, corrected “power to define and perish felony” to “power to define and punish felony.” 2. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in spelling. 3. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed. 4. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.