, 1860-06-08
THE NEW YORK UES fElk SLOOIs
MURDER.
Confession Of Hicks, alfax Jol:,,.n1,--
1ntercattnZ asere1ope1nents mud Har
ttculnrk OF the Tragedy.
:, lF1om The New ro.k Head. June eth.1

From the Ecw 1o.k tlcrad. June 6th.1
Albert ". Hicks, al1as johnson, tile murder
er Of the captain und crew Of the sloop i. A.
johnson. has made II full confession Of lis guilt
to his keepers in the City Prison. The news
waa communicated to our reporter yesterday
afternoon by one Of the cfIicials ut the Tombs.
and may be considered reliable in crery re-
spect.
Hicks says that Tue murders we're committed
between ulne and ten O'Clock at night while MI
the crew were below, except orc Of the Watts
boys Hicks Wis steering ut tho time, wlule
Watts WIS at the bow on the lookout. Hicks
stole forward. unsl with an axe dealt his unsus.
pccting yictiu, such Il powerful blow that lie
killed him outright. Tie Ioisc awakened the
other Watts who WIS beluw. uud as the lattcr
was comm. up tue companionway to see ~hat
was the matter, Hicks despatched him also with
the same Heup y. The murderer then starred
for the cabin, where Capt. Burr was lying asleep
and nude IN attack upon him. The struggle
between Hicks and the captain ~as desperate
one. and lasted several minutes; but at length
the o1urlef er ovcTpowetcdl his victim anu knock
cd his brains out ssith An axe. uicis Says that
the captain fought hard. but being uuaru.ed, he
was pour match for him.
In reference 10 the knife marks found on the
bulmarks Of the aloop, Hicks SAYS thut they
were not made By utln. she bodies were not
thrown overheard for IN hour or more after the
murders bad been committed; 70 that he hnd
no occasion to cut the han3s Of his victiuls as
they c!ung to the r1;l. as WIS supp ,sed.
When asked how he felt on buard the s)oon
atter the commission Of the murders, he replied
that The levil SUSTAINED tiu. aud he felt good
enough. - lie hns deserted me now, though
resumed the murderer, *'aad teel bad
enough" At the conclusion Of tue confession,
lcng conversation ensued tetseen the culprlt
and The keeper, which rau somewhat Utter the
following stz1e:
kkErkn-loa say tAat tho captain struggled
hard before he died?
nscks-Yes, liz fought hard, but / brought
him at last.
kEErEa-You say the dcril was with you and
sustained you during 'he time you were on
boa'd with the murdered uens
| BICEs-ies, the devil WIS With tue fifth man,
| mna be sustained me through the whole scene.
| lie has left ME since, though.
! =. hEEPEn-N heFeabputs was the s1oop when
| the murders were committed:
HlcEs-We were about fifty miles out ut sen
They say thut one Ct the bodies has been found
| How is l4at!
Ktkrnn-That is the report.
| HlcEs-1 don't bel:eTe it. I was too fer out
at sea, and took good care that they should no1
come up-
kEErEn-uow about tue murders on the shff
ssslad'u, which you are suspected Of being I'M
| plicated in!
H1css-Well, hare been mixed IN in grca
many scrarcs. You will hear all about it wher
| my lie comes out In pamphlet form. The pam
| phlet is to be published for tho benefit Of my
| widow, and v i'll be issued in few days.
| Our reporter was informed that United State!
Marshal 'Rynders had given an order not Il
allow any person TO visit Hicks. The gentleman
who visiis the prison for the purpose Of ee.tus
tie necessary materials for the biography is m
exception, however, aud is permitted to eutel
the cell erety morning.
Hicks appeared perfectly COOL during The TIM
be made this confession. Sometimes, however
| he was no, disposed to answer freely all TIL
questions put to him By the keeper, and acted a
though he WIS hslf sorry that be made the con
feStion ut MI. lie has great desire to SEE BIZ
wife, who is now excluded from his cell, aut
says her presence would add greatly TO bis east
Of mind. The keepers are afraid that Hicks ha'
some idea Of making his escape, and will no
allow him to see any one, much less his vile.
The prisoner spends the greater part Of hi
time in smoking and looking orcr ILLUSTRATED
newspaper Occasionally he INDUCES in sing
ing some verses Of his own composition, aud il
| chatting With his feener