, 1860-07-17

cluslon l8 that he was murdered. It was some
time after this affair that Johnson or Hicks was
seen on the coast, was arrested on suspicion of
murder and sent to the government mines at
Ce~ro Pasco, to liGe-l: ng penal sesyitude. lie
escaped, as we have before stated, shipped On
the Saladu, at Valparaiso. These and other
tncts were known to number of Americans re-
sidiLg at that time in Ca,Iao and Lima, as w. Il
rs on nearly every vessel that visited the Peru
vian or Chllian po1ls. Such affairs as these,
and others which We might rel tie, would seem
10 confirm the atrocities heaped together in his
sanguirary narrative. His name, we know was
a terror over the who}e coast, aud on one oeca-
sion, wben be wished u ship On the United
States storeship Supply the officers understand
ing his character, refused to receise him.
TIE PIRATES CONFESSION.
From the confession Of the desperate man,
who III to be executed to-day, ne take 30 much
as relates 10 the crime which was the immediate
cause Of his arrest and conviction. ! he confess
sion appears to be the work Of third party,
and is exceedingly i'll written:
The sloop {. 4. johnson offered an easy
prey. che had on board, ! supposed, from alt
the information I could gather, something oyer
thousand dollars, anu the entire crew con.
sisted Of but TWO boys and myself
had never known Of or seeu Captain Burr
before l shipped with him. He had never done
me injury or wrong. so that had 10 revenge
10 CRAFTY, no grudge to pay.
He .eemed kind and amiabIe man, and
would, l hare no doubt, avakered kindly feel
iags in any heart but mine, and even liked
him. Yet, engaged myself to him solely and
only for the cruel purpose Of taking his life, the
lives Of the two young men, hnd Making my self
master Of the money supposed he had on
board.
~ calculated 10 do this as calmly "a you
would contemplate doing any Of the usual duties
in the ordinary TRANSACTIONS of life.
IL had killed men, yes aud boys too, many a
time before, for Tar leas intucement than The
sum I supposed should gain by killing them !;
and had too often dyed my murderous hands
in blood in days gone by, to feel the slightest
compunctious or qualms Of conscience then.
II never thought Of the consequences Of such
crime. The IeAr Of detection never crossed
my mind. l had too often done the same thing
with impunity, to beliere that day Of reckon
ing would ever come, in this world at least, and
never gave thought about the world to come.
'After engaging with Captain Burr, went
home to my vile ut le9 C-iar street, and lying
down on the bed, told her not to disturb me, as
wanted to take long sleep, and ii any one
came for me, to say that I was not in. She LEFT
me alone. and then deliberately matured s1I
my plans. murked out the course intended
10 pursue exactly, and utter had decided upon
everything, went 10 aleep. and slept as sound
y as ever slept in my fife, my mind WAS SO
much at ease, aad I felt SO contauted ut the
idea Of having at least an opportunity OF max
Ing some money in IN easy way.
1.-THE next day went on bosrd and CON-
mencrd my duties, aud ia order to ingrati2te
did even more than c,uld be expected Of
me.
Eve sailed on the 10th Of Narct from The
foot Of Spring street, aud proceeded to key
! port, where we remained till Sunday. Waile
| here, scruped the mast Of the sloop, did IL lot
| Of carpenter work, and evidently pteased Capt.
| Burr very much By ny earnestu.ss in trying to
| mske every thing look ship shape.
ave arrived Ut Gravesend on Saturday after.
| noon, aud waited there Tor fair wind.
| 'sAt last We put to zen, aud wher we were Oh
| the O:e IN House, I went to the forecaste md
| got IN axe, which I put IN the boat hanging to
| the davit nit.
"Tbe younger Watts was at the helm, and
asked him Is allow nc to steer q little while,
He consented, and went forward.
In few minutes Left the helm, and, Tux,
| ing the axe, went to him, and asked him il he
! saw Baynegat Light. Be said hs did not. ]
told HIM to look again, and pointed with my
hand
| He turned around aud looked in my face O
moment, but eseu if be bad suspected my cruel
purpose, he would have read no indication Of il
there, Tor was as calm as th~ugh was going
to do the simplest and most innocent thing il
my It's;
confident aud trusty way in which Returned his
| eyes to mine would hare made ne hesitate, but
no such thought entered my heart, and
pointed again and told him to Look there: ain'l
| that itt'
" lie turned his head and peered through the
darkness in the direction pointed, aud as he
did so, ! struck him on the back Of the head
with the axe, and knocked him down.
"Ae fell
"Thinking had not killed him, struck hin
again with the axe as he lag upon the deck.
His fall and the sound Of the axe mads
some noise, which, added TO that caused By ny
Running across the deck, attracted the attention
OF the captain, who came up the companIonway AZ
aud then, putting out bis head asked what wa:
the matter.
"l1eplied. Nothing and then asked him
as hsd the younger Waits, Is that Barne ga
Lights'
"Captain Burr replied, tNo, you will not set
It for two hours;' and as he spoke he turned hi
head from me.
The axe swung in the sir, and guided By n,
sinewy and murderous arm, came down.
1.-THE edge crunched through his neck, nearl,
seyering bis head from his body, and killing
him instantly.
"The body fell down the companionway.
"As turned to leap after it, and dispatcl
my remaining ricsim, looked forward, and-
oh. God: how shudder to think Of it now J.
[ he whom thought had aiready killed ha.
risen, md Was coming aft, his hand outstretch
I'd toward mr., and the blood running In tw
dark streams over his pale face, from two ghast
" wounds on his bead.
"For moment stood undecided, but as b
still came on, ! ran towards him, but ere
reached him he fell about m.dships, and rushin
on him, struck 0Dcei twice thrice! with h
axe, and finished him.
''Running aft, jumped down the companion
| kat-
tThere lay the elder Watts in his berth, an
close beside him the ghastly, bloody corpse {
the captain.
II stood moment looking ii him, and dashe
at him aud struck out with The axe.
Lie leaped out Of his berth, and sprang ut N,
sll red with the blood Of the captain. who's
body lad fa:en past him. covering HIM nit
He tired to grapple with me, but steppin
buck gave the fatal axe full swing, an
struck him again, again and sgain, once upo
the head, once on the back, and once more upa
| the hcad, which felled him to the floor, and
lay dead at my feet, side By side With the cal
tain.
my bloody work was done.
"Dead men tell no tales.
II was atone. No eye had seen me, and no
was free to resp the reward Of my work.
~ did not feel the slightest regret for what
had done, aud ucnt about Re novlng the bodi'
as calmly as though they had been 10 much 0
lumber.
~ took rope and lied !. to the feet Of Il
elder Watts, hauled him On deck aud threw hi
over the quarter. then hauled the csptain o.
In the same manner, aud threw him over; at
: then going to midships, lifted the body Of Il
Fonnesr Watts from Tho deck and plunged hi
into the Sea BY the starboard side.
= ~ then threw the axe overheard, and as sot
"a had done this changed the course Of Il
8 s}oop, aud ran in close TO the Hook.
"My intention was to run the sloop up Il
. ,A:ccrh River, aud then fire her; but came ne
running her C. the Dog Beacon. abreast Of G
psy Jalsnd and Staten islaud lighthouse, aft
which fouied with I schooner, and earrt
| away the bowsprit, 50 | pat ths money a,
such other articles Of value AZ could pick u
into tbs yawl, and then tculled ashore, thr
miles, landing Just below the fort on Stat
Island
Any movements after landing are ri
' kuorn; and when / look back upon the fats
ty that seemed to dog my steps, It seems IN
ia eye-y emergency, had deserted me ut la
and had Left me to MY 6n weakness,