Such is a brief account of this horrible tragedy, than which nothing more calculated to excite public wrath has occurred in the neighborhood of this city for a number of years. That Hicks is the man who committed the triple murder on board the sloop E. A. Johnson, no doubt is entertained, and no one will regret his speedy satisfaction to the claims of public justice.
RUMORS IN RELATION TO HIS FAMILY.
We have been favored by a gentleman with the following account of the family of Hicks: The father of the prisoner lives at Gloucester, a few miles from Chepatchet, Rhode Island. He used to be a collier in that neighborhood, and had the reputation of being an honest man. About fourteen or fifteen years ago he was employed by our informant. Simon Hicks, the brother of Albert W. Hicks, alias William Johnson, was several years ago sentenced to be executed for the murder of a man named Crossman, under the following circumstances: Mr. Crossman lived in Gloucester. He was an old bachelor, and lived alone. Simon Hicks and he were very friendly, and Simon used to visit him very often. One night, however, Simon went to Crossman’s house, broke in at the door while the old man was in bed, and beat him to death with a club. He then helped himself to several hundred dollars of the old man’s treasures, and in a few days left for Providence, a distance of sixteen or eighteen miles from Gloucester, taking with him a girl to whom he had been paying his addresses. In Providence he bought her a gold watch, and various other articles of finery. This lavish conduct caused suspicion, and he was arrested. He was examined in Chepatchet, and afterward acknowledged his guilt. He was subsequently tried in Providence, convicted of murder, and sentenced to be executed. While awaiting execution, one of the prisoners in the jail, whose time had almost expired, opened a number of the cells, and there was quite a stampede of prisoners, among whom was Simon Hicks. They were all recaptured within a few days, with the exception of Simon Hicks, who has never been heard of since. This escape was deemed a very strange circumstance, inasmuch as Simon was known to be imbecile and unwary. His simplicity created much sympathy in his behalf. In referring to Simon, our New York prisoner admitted that some strange stories had been told about him, but he guessed they never amounted to much. The last he had heard of his brother was that he had gone to California.
THE LAST LETTER OF CAPTAIN BURR TO HIS WIFE.
As everything connected with this mysterious and bloody affair must prove to be of public interest, we republish an extract from the last letter of Captain Burr, in which he speaks of William Johnson as a helmsman, written to his wife from Coney Island, previous to the departure of the E. A. Johnson on her ill-fated voyage:
“This man, William Johnson, who lives in New York, is a smart fellow. He went at the mast and scraped it while we were at Keyport, without telling, while I was ashore. He is a good hand; can turn his hand to almost anything. He is a ship-carpenter, he says, and has got quite a set of tools. He understands all about a boat, only is not a very good helmsman to steer the sloop nice when beating to windward; he understands steering well enough other ways. It requires a man that has been very much used to sailing a boat by the wind to steer fast. We often get in company with vessels that are smart, when it requires a nice helmsman; then it requires my skill more. Smith is a good helmsman close by the wind. I don’t think Oliver is quite so good. I will write the first chance after we get in Virginia. Should we have a chance, we are going to Pionkatonk to see if we can get a load there. That is about five miles short of the Rappahannock River. Selah knows where it is. I have nothing more at present. Would like to see you very much.
“Your affectionate husband, ever,
“Geo. H. Burr.”
THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION.
On his examination, the facts which have been related above were given in evidence, upon which he was committed, and the Grand Jury found a bill of indictment for robbery and piracy upon the high seas against him.