The account given by Hicks for the next 20 years is murder and mayhem on the high seas, the gold fields of California, throughout South America, Mexico, the South Pacific, and the Atlantic trade triangle. Ship mutinies and highway robberies were his main occupation. It is possible that Hicks killed hundreds of people. He and an accomplice typically killed their victims and stayed on the move, spending money on alcohol, prostitutes, and fine clothes until it ran out. He was a known raconteur, and when his confessions were published, "The New York Times" raised some doubt about their accuracy, but modern biographer Rich Cohen said there was evidence to support at least some of the stories.