, 1860-06-09

| Hicks, alma Johnson the New York pirate,
has confessed that be brutally and in the most
| inbumuu ma7ner murdered not only the cap
| thin and crew Of the E. A. johnson, but was
| also concerned in the murder Of six other per-
| sous in 1874. These latter mentioned victims
were the officers aud crew-six in all-of the
bark Sa1adin, which was wrecked on the south.
ern coast Of Nora Scotia in 1874. Hicks con.
fesscs to having been one of the mutineers, but
how be escaped the penalty Of the crime he does
not state. His Life he says has been one long
sccne Of crime aud bloodshed, but be is now
convinced thnt the end has been reached.
As the mutiny On she Saladn occurred six-
teen years ago the following account Of tlat
horrible tragejy will be new to most reaGers
1t was published in the Kingston IYhH at the
time;
MrrlSY on TIE sALAprS.
When the Saladiu was about leaving Valpa-
raisp. Capt- tiel5ng, whose vessel had BEEN
conGscated for breach Of the revenue Laws Of
passage to England for himself and his son;
| and they were taken On bourd as cabin passen-
gers. Shortly after getting to sea, Fielding
occasionally spoke to the men unfaror4hly OF
Capt. Mckenzie, told them Of the valuable cargo
| there WAS On board, aud questioned them as TO
their courage md resolution: IT they we're cai'ed
! upon to act in desperate circumstance. All
| this disclosure with them was separately, be
never speaking to more than one Of them at a
time.
He finally told them, still speaking in the same
cautious manner to Only one at time, that the
The chip out of their hands; that the one whom
| he SO addressed had better join them, Or his
own life would lie in danger. In this diabolica1
| manner he succeeded in seducing them, one
after another, into mutiny, before they were
aware Of tbs true state Of the case; and, IN an
| incredibly short time after be first mentioned
his tieudish plan, be succeeded in obtaining the
| engagement to take part with hlD OF sufficient
number to carry them into effect The whole
| of this was effected in fourteen days, and those
! who were in the plot, being the prisoners, With
| The exception OF Carr md Galloway, were Of
the one watch, and consequently all being oo
deck together, they had no difficulty in putting
| their plans INTO execution.
Tbs night Of the 18th Of April was first pro.
posed for the tragedy, but one Of the mutineers
| not being in his place on deck, and perhaps the
| whole Of them not being sufficient in that hardl.
hood which alone prepares the heart ofman for
| such dreadful deeds, the thing WIS delayed.
| Previous to the next night, Fielding had got
opportunity to further infuse his deyilleh spirit
into them, excited their fears, inflamed their Gu
pid,ty. and got them fully prepared for the deed
! Of blood.
| TIE mates watch, including all the mutt
| necrs, was then on deck; and Fielding pretend
| ing that he was irritated bY an argument which
he had with Captain Mckenzie, remained on
deck in conversation with the unsuspecting
| mate, who repeatedly asked him why he did not
t 80 down into the cahin to bis rest. This he
Graded, nnd still remained on deck. Fiually, it
now being near 12 O'Clock at night, the mate
went to the man Ut the helm, and told him to
steer rs well as he could, and, as be WIS unwe!l,
| he would lie down a spell! on the hen coop. Here
there was favorable opportunity for them, and
their victims in their tulf poxcr-the captain
asleep aEd in fancied security in the cabin, that
half Of the crew who we're not in the plot repos-
ing below in their bammocks, and the only Oh
! ject that was in their way had now laid himself
down, md snnk into a slu1nber amongst them.
This opportunity they but too we'll improved.
The work Of death was commenced b. johnson
preaching the sleeping nun, buried the edge Of
it in his head. Sensation WAS Immediately sus-
pended, and, without the least noise, they threw
the Iifeless body into the sea: =.
| Their .. .au wns next to kill the captain, mud
! Jones and Anderson were sent down INTO the
cabin for that purpose; but the sleeping mans
dog was keeping watch for bis safety, while Lis
brother man was plotting his death. This dumb
| animal nude them too feurful to proceed, ard
ther returned on deck. Their plan was then
temporarily altered; they. proceeded att, and
called up the carpenter, and Us soon as his head
vas abore the companion be received blow
with hammer which stunned him; one Of the
canspirasors then placed bis hands over his
| mouth, and two others threw him overheard.
The contact with the sea probably restored ami
mation, and he called out Murder" This BE-
came tho accidental cause Of calling Capt. Nc
! kepzie on deck. On the drowning man crying
"murder," Fielding, then rear the entrance to
the cabin, called out, With q loud voice, man
oyerbonrd": When Capt. Mckenzie, with the
beneroleat desire Of Swing some OF bis cre~,
rushed up on the deck; and no sooner had he
got there than he was attacked with an az by
feet, and the assaulted man grappled with the
murderer, who, it would appear, retreated, for
he was some distance from the cabin stairs
when be was eeized by, think it wns HazeltoE,
and johnson, who Was commanded from the
helm by Fielding to assist, running to the sce4e
this situation. with three Of the murderers hold
ing him, Fielding gave him repeated blows OIL
the back psrt of the head with an nx; the who.e
intention then appearing evident, he cried out.
"0h, Capt. Fielding!' As soon Us the fatal
blow suspended animation, the body was cast
| After short consultation, they again assem-
bed aft, md By way Of amusing the witch be
low, tbey lowered tile jlb the noise which this
nude. together with The calls Of Fielding, and
others, soon brought The poor Wretcbes on deck
mud. with perfect security to themselves, in ths
destruction in their hands, they silently dis'
putched them, one after another, as they can't
On deck: and in the short space Of IN hour at
Ter the work of destruction had begun, six ur
| suspectiug uortaa were thus hurried into eteT
nifty, and their bodies buried under the waves u
thu ocean.
They then had the vessel with all the costly
frei.ht, entirely at their command, mud Fielding
proposea that they should run her to the COB :
Of North America, and land at some secludes
spot IN or about the Gulf Of ST. lawrence, mt
secure their booty on shcre; after which thel
would 20 to the States mud return with SOM
small vessel 10 bring it away. This well Ials
scheme was, however, rendered a5ortl7e p5 Ill
own cupidlty and reckless inhumanity.
Curr and Galloway, the cook and steward
who we're not in the plot, and whose duties d't
not call then, on deck, were then the only one
> qui,y what should be done with them. Fielding
proposed TINT they should be slain also. Iht
WIS objected to, and some Of them said ther
should he no more blood split. When the.
were called up in the morning mud informed Q
What had been done, GaloFaT, We understood
had said that he was sorry that he had not beel
: killed with bis messnate; aud Carr was crJ;n
all tue next day. They wero then all called to
gcsher by Fielding snd au oath was admins
{ tered to them on The Bible that they would a
L be true to each other, like band Of brothers
:; It would appear, however, that Fielding va
suspicious Of them, Notwithstanding their ut
. holy oath, for, ut his suggestion, all the arm
and ammunition. together with all the axe.
adzes. aud Other Offensive weapons, were throw
into the sea.
In conversation the next day with johnson
= Fielding said he would ret rid Of Carr and Ga
T. loway, whcn the got near the land, by gisln
them i dose Of poison, and alleged that the
Il must have the crew still further reduced. Th
/ johnson did not approve Of, and mentioned it t
ricious Of Fielding. These suspicious were IL
+ creased by their accidentally discovering ths
= he had secreted two horse pistols. seine a1nms
!. nition and carving knife. This they immed
;e ately taxed him with, but he denied KNOWN
unrthIuy about them, and in conversato
that ensued, he said he would throw himse
orerbcard, mud was leaving the cabin protesse'
hold of hiul TO stop him, and haying got hold
him they kept him; aud on some Of them sayir
be ought to be secured, they ulomentary can
to the determination to do it, aud tied him har
and foot, mad melancholy to say, the young bt
who had taken no part 10 the transaction, w'
tied also. IN this state they were confined
the cabin floor all night.
The ne1s morning the son, It would appeu
was liberated, for be WIS aftcrward found
J. the forward part Of the deck. As for the mo
ster Fielding himself be had his feet unite
aud was brought on deck, md made TO hear Il
consultation respecting what was to be do
e. with him, the result Of which consultat On "
that tasr should shro" him overheard. o
this WIS accordingly done, and Carr and Gail
wav we're made to assist in doing it. The po
};tlie bov WAS forward nll the time, and n,
withstanding his pitecus prayers for mercy a
his screams Of alright, he Was thrown OF
| also,