The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-07-21

Aa extracto iom the confession OF Hicks
who murdered Capt. Burr and the two
Watts boys, on board the Sloop L. a. John
SON aud for which he hung on the l3 inst
on Bcdloes Island " y. IIarbor.
Il can stand it no longer. had hoped
that should carry the secret OF my lie
with me To the grave l never thought
that should sit here in my cell crying
like 4 baby. over the remembrance OF the
past, or that my heart would finch at
meeting any fate in store for me.
e. tancied bore charmed HE, and
that having heretofore esca ped 30 many
dangers, l should find some loophoie
through which 10 creep now, or that some
thing wolld turn up in my favor which
would lead 10 INV escape from the mesh
/ into which had fallen
/ have long i-it as though ! were the
I Devil sOwn. and tha, tho ugh he had served
! me 20 many years. ] must II last be his
/ yot agIed he would not claim me yet,
/ but allow me TO do his work for time
longer lie has stood by me all my lie,
on snip and Ola shore, amid the hov!ng
storms of the ocean. where every moment
/ the waves threatened TO engulf me he has
snatchri me from their deadly embrace on
/ the battlefield, in many hand 10 hand
/ fight; he has seemed TO stand by my side
protecting me from danger; and when
have been in the hands OF nv enemies,
and escape has appeare Impossible, he has.
until NOW, invariably opened the way for
my release But at last lie has deserted
me: in vain call upon him. he Will not
answer me-. and dare not call on Cod, for
what pity should he snow guilty wretch
Ike me?
For Years conc;ence has slumbered;
! have 10, heard her voice at all No decd
Of desperation as seemed "a ne too des-
perat-, no crime has seemed too da! X or
,l"ody. My soul seemed dead to remurse
OF dread. and fear has been feeling which.
until now. have never known.
But III tbs lonely cell, away from all
exciteIneni~ which have always been the
support n;n.y restless uatuIe-w.thIu these
solemn walls. where . Sc none but those
"nu guard me. or those who come 10 look
AZ n.-. as upon SON. wild beast mere.
nnere 40 SQUADS fall upon nv ear but the
footsteps of the keeper, as lac ,as-s with
mca>u.t,, tread tie long corridor outside.
OF har-lI. dlSroIdant c!ark o: heavy doors
-lammnr. or tho Grating OF bolts and the
creakin- of EIn-e---or Sc ence ST. long
dead. has at lat awak krnrd and now Stlu-s
me with anguish, and fills ny soul with
dread and horror.
"! look back upon my way of life, and
see the path marked with binOd and
crime. and iu the sui midnight, if ! -l"c,..
] act tie ,.roadiui scene. anew. Again J
iuIblu- ny hand III tie red blGod Of my
victims. again ! rob tie UnsuspeCtlng
Traveller. OF violate the most sacred sanrtl-
tie of ..'.. u satisfy NV gresG cf gold, OF
h-ad>;Ion-. unchecked .as-iois; and II
wake ! seem to see my victims giarin- al
Iue. through th- gloom Of my Gel. or hear
them shrek aloud ior IensaEce Oh my
guilty h-Ll
The past : one Great iorro-' The ia
ture one d.ead fear A heavy. iusupporta-
lie y rl-ht ! on my heat. and feel a. Il,
did not Icyca!it .casiu. Secrets, should
20 mad
But have resisted the impulse until
now. and would de and t,il 10 tales but
that th, history oi my lie may serve a.
waning to rlaIikind. ana may Jeuct.t my
VIE p-rnaTs though i Wi! maze bow
her head IN deep shaun" over tie crimes
.t IA IN VINO : the father o! her child.
i i-c. that at;-r have II u.bu.dened
uV.e!i ui the secrets ot NV lit-, can die
el>i-r and NEE, my tate ike 4 man and
though may 20 70 the -aiIows without
hope, without repentance, without any ev-
idrnc~ oi au-ht but misery hereafter, the
thought that the sale of this. my confession
will perhaps keep the mother Of my child
from dependence on such cold charity a.
the world viii -now u a murderer wife.
viii make me stronger to bear the ineyita-
Die doom which ! how awaiting me
For nay "wu sake. would not have
done this. but for the sake OF her whose
late Lay. linked IN lite ~ mine, and iDr
the sake OF the poor little chilli, who
trust viii never know who was is father
! rive to the world the w.eIcAed history
my lie