The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-06-15

A COnIC88IOn
PiIate.--He admits his Guilt and de.
tails some OF the Particulars OF tho
Tragedy.
Hicks, who has been convicted Of piracy
at New York, and sentenced to be hung,
has made additional disclosures with refer
ence to the murder Of Capt. BURR and the
brothers OLIVER and SMITH WATTS, on
board the sloop E. A. johnson, in March
last. The admissions we're made in the
course of conversation with gentleman
who has been unremitting in bis attentions
to the prisoner since bis incarceration, and to
whom he processes to feel under many obli~
cations for the kindness shown him.
His querist first remarked:
"Hicks, I have formed a theory of the
manner in which Capt. Burr and the Watts
boys were murdered, and l believe it was
done between the hours of IL o'clock at night
and in the morning."
"No," replied Hicks, "they killed them
between and 10 o'clock at night"
"What do you mean by they?" replied
his questioner. "There were but four men
on board the sloop, and you were one of the
four. 1 am surprised at your attempt to
deceive me, Hicks, and shall have nothing
further to do with you, if you treat me in
that way"
"But there were FIVE on board" said Hicks
with cunning smile. "The devil was the
fifth parsonage; be possessed me and urged
me on to do it. You see, was at the
helm, and one of the Watts was forward on
the lookout, while Capt. Burr and the other
lad were asleep below. I had entertained
the IDEA of numbering them for some time,
and the devil kept telling me now was the
chance walked forward quietly, and be.
fore the young man was aware of my inten.
tions, dealt him tremendous blow on the
head. He fell down, but had to repeat
the blow several times before I could kill
him. Meantime the noise and scufling
woke up the man who was sleeping in the
hold and just as be got on deck struck
him. He wasn't so hard to dispatch as the
first one."
Q.-"What sort of an instrument did you
use Was it marlin spike or a hand-
spike?"
This question Hicks could not be induced
to answer, merely replying that it was
heavy instrument. His manner and subse-
quent remarks conveyed the impression to
the mind of his questioner that an axe was
the weapon he had used.
Hicks resumed-"After [ had finished
the boys, went to the cabin and found
Capt. Burr just coming upon deck. He
asked what the matter was, and 1 struck at
him. He's mighty powerful man, and he
attempted to grapple me, and it was long
time before l could overpower him. I
brought him at last" he added triumph.
antly.
"Oh the resistance of the captain ac-
counts for the marks of the terrific struggle
in the cabin; the wood work was hacked as
if with an axe, and there was great guam
tity of blood about"
To this remark Hicks assented, and the
gentleman went On--
But there were bloody finger-marks on
the gunwale, and you must have thrown one
of them overheard before he was dead, and
while be was clinging to the side chopped
bis fingers off,"
"No, sir; they had all been dead more
than an hour when pitched them over"
said Hicks. He then said: "They tell me
one of the bodies has been found; is it
true?"
81 believe So" was the reply.
"Well, don't; you see, when all this
happened, we were fifty miles from Sandy
Hook, and took care their graves should.
be deep-very Deep"
He was then asked what his feelings could
have been, alone as he was on the vessel,
with nothing to be seen but the stars above
him and the wide waters around him, while
his sbipmates, murdered by his hand, lay
mutlated and bleeding on deck"
"Oh !" said he, 'it makes me shudder now,
but then did not mind it. told you the
devil urged me on he sustained me then,
but now be has deserted me-"
Some further conversation ensued, and
Hicks stated that he participated in the
mutiny and murderer on board the ship Sa.
ladin, in 1874.
Hicks is stated to have mania for rhym-
ing, aud some of his revelations are made in
that method. His conduct so far as COM
pliance with the rules of the prison is COM
cerned, is represented to be unexceptionable;
and as be cannot read, his time is mostly
occupied 10 the inspection of pictorial news
papers and the smoking of cigars, supply
of both articles being furnished without