The Life, Trial, Confession and Execution of Albert W. Hicks / The Pirate and Murderer, Executed on Bedloe's Island, New York Bay, on the 13th of July, 1860, for the Murder of Capt. Burr, Smith and Oliver Watts, on Board the Oyster Sloop E. A. Johnson. Containing the History of His Life (Written by Himself) from Childhood Up to the Time of His Arrest. With a Full Account of His Piracies, Murders, Mutinies, High-way Robberies, etc., Comprising the Particulars of Nearly One Hundred Murders! to which is added the Account of His Arrest, Imprisonment, Trial and Execution. Also, His Phrenological Character, as described by L. N. Fowler.

by Albert W. Hicks

The court was densely crowded at an early hour.

Theodore Burdett, examined by Mr. Dwight, deposed, that he is a policeman belonging to the harbor police; I found a boat about seven o’clock on Thursday, the 22d of March, the day after the sloop was brought up to the city; I found the boat fifty yards to the southward of Fort Richmond; Hickbert and Gresler (the two witnesses) gave me information where I could find the boat; I saw the hostler of the fort; he gave me the oars and half an old boot, and a piece of an old stump of a broom; I went to the sloop and found Mr. Selah Howell, the owner; I showed him the boat as it lay at the slip; he claimed it, and took it away.

To the Judge.—This was at the police station.

Samuel J. Conover deposed—I am a watchmaker, doing business with Mr. Squire, No. 182 Bowery; I remember repairing a watch about a year ago for a person named Burr; it was on the 6th of April, a year ago; it was not Mr. Burr himself who brought it; it was left by a gentleman whom I saw in the court yesterday; the person who left it took it away I presume; it was a double case silver watch; the maker’s name J. Johnson, and the number 21,310. (Looks at the watch.) This is the watch that I repaired; I do not know the guard; I don’t know that I ever saw Capt. Burr.

Cross-examined.—In giving a description of the watch and its number I am aided by a record which we keep at the store; I am pretty sure I made the record before it was repaired; the record is in my handwriting. (The witness was requested to send for the record.)

Hart B. Weed, recalled, deposed—That the dark hair produced is what I found in the cabin; this other (the light hair) I found forward of the mast, on the deck in a pool of blood. (Witness here selected and showed out the clothes brought from Providence in the trunk and bag.) I have now a bag in my hand in addition to the things produced yesterday; the contents were taken out of a green chest brought by the officers from Providence.

Cross-examined.—I cannot enumerate all the articles found; I did not find any jewelry; I do not know if any one took a list or description of the articles.

Re-direct examination.—I now recollect that I found the daguerreotype produced yesterday (of a young lady) in the breast pocket of this coat, (a dark frock coat).

Henry Seaman deposed—I reside in Brooklyn; I was acquainted with Capt. Burr for fourteen or fifteen years; I saw him on the Tuesday before he left; I know Capt. Burr’s watch; I had it in my hand on the Tuesday; it was at my house, and he (Capt. Burr) took it away that evening; I recollect leaving Capt. Burr’s watch to be repaired at some store in the Bowery, a year ago last April; I did not go after it again; I know it by its general appearance, and by the guard, and the way the guard is knotted; I knew the sloop Johnson, and its yawl boat; I saw the yawl boat at the police station after the sloop had been towed in to the city; it was on the 22d or 23d of March last; saw the yawl boat on the sloop the time she was here before the last trip; I do not know the prisoner; Captain Burr was a man of about five feet seven or five feet eight inches in height. I found the ship’s papers in the cabin, at the head of the captain’s birth; I gave them to Captain Weed, of the Second Ward station; I knew the Watts boys; Oliver was about five feet nine or ten, and weighed about 180 or 185 pounds; he was the light-haired one; Smith Watts was taller, and weighed about 175 pounds; I do not know Smith Watts’ writing.

Cross-examined.—I had the watch in my hand probably fifteen or twenty minutes; it was on the Tuesday before the Thursday that he sailed; I don’t think I said before the Commissioner that it was the Tuesday week before he sailed; I do not know why I took the watch in my hand; I had no idea that I should be called on to identify it; I left it at Mr. Squire’s store to be repaired; I did not go for the watch; I remember the number of the watch, 21,310; the number was marked down on the boom of my cart by Captain Burr when he gave it to me at foot of Spring street; I did not state that fact before; I have since sold the cart; Captain Burr’s wife and my wife are sisters.