He was executed by hanging on Friday July 13, 1860, on Bedloe's Island, now known as Liberty Island because of the Statue of Liberty. An estimated ten thousand people viewed the event from boats anchored in New York Bay. Hicks was sharply dressed in an electric-blue suit he had made for the occasion, as a newspaper described, "His coat was rather fancy, being ornamented with two rows of gilt navy buttons and a couple of anchors in needlework. A white shirt, a pair of blue pants, a pair of light pumps, and the old Kossuth hat he wore when arrested, completed the attire." Hicks liked to wear the hat down low over one eye to give him a mysterious appearance. He made no gallows speech only directing the executioner to "Hang me quick — make haste."