The Virginia Gazette

By a mariner, Johannes DE HAN, late from St. Eustatia, where he was when Johnson and Andrews first landed there after the murder of Captain Duryee and his Company, and until after the execution of Johnson for the said crime, We have the following further particulars relating to that matter.

Our informer says that Nicholas Johnson was a butcher by trade, a Dutchman, had been for 6 or 7 years last past well known in Eustatia, from whence he had made several voyages. That it was not long since he went from thence on his last voyage; that he was then poor, shabbily clothed, and in debt. That at his last arrival he was observed to have a variety of good clothes, and to be flush of money: That he paid a debt of 4 or 5 dollars to the landlord where our informant lodged; and on some persons mentioning to him that his circumstances were suddenly mended, he said his last voyage had been a profitable one. However, it was suspected that he had got more than he came by honestly; and he knew of the suspicion, but made no attempt to leave the island, where he had been about a fortnight before the arrival of William Harris's deposition from St. Kitt's. As soon as this arrived, and proclamation was made of a reward for taking the criminals, a penalty for concealing them, and a description of their persons, Johnson presently was sensible of his danger, gave a number of half johanneses to a Negro wench to keep for him, and retired to a solitary place upon a hill or mountain out of town; where being seen, and asked what he was doing there, he replied he came to catch rabbits. In two or three days it was notorious all over the town that he must be one of the murderers, and a party who went in search of him met him between the mountain and the town; he confessed himself concerned in the murder of Captain Duryee and his company, and on his trial made a full confession, as we have before heard. During his confinement he gave the following account to our informant, which differs a little from what we had from St. Eustatia, and in William Harris's deposition.

Johnson says that the bloody scheme was first proposed to him by Andrews, who told him the passengers and Captain had a great deal of money, which they might share between them; they agreed to make the attempt as soon as they should make the land. Accordingly about eight days after, the night before they expected to get in, when they were going to set the second watch, William Harris being at the helm, and the Captain leaning with his head against a hencoop asleep, Johnson gave him a violent blow on the head with an axe, which killed him, without a groan or struggle. He then made a stroke at William Harris, who quitted the helm and ran forward, pursued by Johnson; who hearing somebody coming up from the cabin, quitted Harris, ran to the cabin door, and there meeting the old Gentleman passenger knocked him down with the axe, and as he groaned gave him one or two more strokes, which wakened the young man, son of the old Gentleman, who cried out, What! are you killing my father? Just at that time Johnson had got to him, and said, Yes, and I'll kill you too, and immediately with all his force gave him a blow on the head, which instantly killed him. Mean while Andrews knocked down and killed the mate, and threw the boy alive overboard. After this they went in search of Harris, who having got to the end of the boltsprit with a knife, declared he would kill the first man that approached him; and he having formerly sailed with Johnson, he pretended to have a respect for him, and therefore offered, if he would join them, and swear to be secret and faithful, he should share the plunder with them. This he promised, and they assured him he should be safe, but had previously agreed they would dispatch him before they got on shore. After this he came in and assisted in throwing the dead bodies overboard. They then went into the cabin, broke open the Captain's and passengers chests and lockers, got a bottle of wine, drank damnation to themselves and one another if they discovered the secret, and then got a bible and made William Harris swear upon it that he would not betray them. Being in sight of land, and several vessels appearing, they concluded to sink and quit the vessel, which they immediately began to prepare for; and having scuttled the vessel, got out the boat and put into it two chests with what they thought proper to take, they left the vessel and sailed towards the land, telling Harris to steer clear of the shore but he telling them if they did not get pretty near the land the current would drive them to leeward of all the islands, they left him to steer as he thought best, but intended to throw him over before they got near the land. After some time Johnson and Andrews both fell asleep, when Harris took an opportunity to throw overboard both the oars without noise, as also his own clothes; after stripping and then unhanging and dropping the rudder overboard. He gently let himself down into the sea, and swam ashore at St. Kitt's, where he gave a blind suspicious account of himself, being afraid to say any thing that might break his oath of secrecy. But at last he applied to a minister for advice how a man ought to act in a case similar to his own; the minister convinced him that such kinds of oaths were so far from being binding that it would be highly criminal to keep them.

On this he went and made the deposition already published, by which both the villains were secured, and one has already suffered.

Soon after he had quitted the boat the irregular tumbling of it awaked the criminals, who saw their desperate situation, and were enraged that they had not an opportunity to satiate their revenge upon Harris. They at first endeavoured to steer with their hats, but afterwards did it more conveniently with their shirt, and by that means got into Statia. where they sold the boat, &c. as we have already heard.

Johnson appeared always cheerful and undaunted from first to last, and was very earnest in his prayers. He confessed nothing like being concerned in any other murder, as has been reported.