Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-10-20
q. From the Democratic Review.1
JOHN HILL, alias NIXON CURRY
TRUE SKETCH OF LIFE IN ARKANSAS,

among tne truest friends OF the people, OF
an In the present convention, may be named John
rilii' OF St. Francis; His energy, eloquence,
and courage. fully entitle him 10 The proud place
ne holds. and. as we trust, will long retain-that
OF leader Of the Arkansas democracy."-[L Little
Rock Gazette, in the days of the conven.ion.1
Bloody Afray.-A desperate rencontre oc-
Cured last week in St. Francis. Two distin-
guished citizens killed, and three others
dangerously wounded. The difficulty resulted in
an attempt to arrest John Hill. a member of the
last Legislature, and formerly OF the State Con.
ventlon, who as it is alleged, is the notorious rob-
Der. Nixon Curry. that committed such atrocities
fifteen years ago, in the mountains of Carolina''-
Little Rock Gazette, of May, lS4O.
We have given the previous extracts from the
eldest and most respectable journal of Arkansas,
IN order TO satisfy every ready, that the following
narrative, extraordinary as some of it's inc idents
may seem, is no tissue of fiction. Indeed, while
relating genuine events and painting the scenes.
we have been especially careful to avoid all vivid
coors. Should this short sketch. by any chance
reach the forests Of Arkansas, the people there
Will deem It's description tame in compar arison with
the deeds of the man. The writer, who has re-
sided long on the frontier, has use for fancy in
Portraying lis exciting life. Simple memory will
serve him very well. -
About fifteen years ago there lived in Irede
CO., North Carolina, Presbyter preacher by
wv hoihO VI OutI ne was q man IN
cumstaEces. of rreproachable character, and
having large family Of promising sons and
daughters. Among these, the favori,e was Nixon,
distinguished when boy for his fearless courage
and the tenderness of his heart alike.--He seems
from several anecdotes of his early days. to have
been child of impulse and earnestness and pas
SION. When only six years of age he had a COM
bat at school with bully of the playground
nearly twice his own weight, and after suffering
most dreadfuly, he at length achieved the victory
due almost entirely 10 the sheer power of his en-
durance.
From the time he was six years old, that is
TO say, from the first session he attended in the
country school house. had Nixon Curry been in
love. lis idol was little girl of the same age.
and under the tuition of the same master The
attachment appears TO have been mutual from The
commencement. They stood up in one class. and
always managed 10 stand together. During the
hours OF recess, when other Juveniles were anus.
ing themselves with bosterous sports, the pre-
cocious lovers would wander amidst leafy groves
or by The mossy margns OF silver rills Forever.
to eternity, ahd wherever the soft spell of love
comes, 1t always brings with it the bright sprit
of poetry. scattering thick-starred dreams and
uiVihe VISIONS or DeauIy over IuIugs. Even
then they exchanged pledges, and discoursed in
swee, and slnless whispers of the future bridal
day! --...
And thus they grew UP in one delicious identity
OF fancy and feeling. Their bias for each others
society while children. caused no particular re.
mark. Such attractions common between
the youth of opposite sexes in the country and ,
Us usual, terminate abruptly on arrival at ma
turer years Far different, however, was the
case with Nixon Curry and Lucy Gordon. Their
passion became evident at fifteen that all fur
ther intercourse was forbidden by her parents
among the wealthies aristocraey Of Curolina.-|
Then followed stolen meetings by starlight, firmer
VOWS and wilder love which al, -,
proportion 10 its crosses, and, like the tree of
Lebanon, sends down its deepest roots into the
tender heart the more il is shaken bv storms
Finally, at sevehteen, while Lucy's relatives
were endeavorEng TO force her into the arms of
another, she fled with the lover of her childhood.
They were pursued = overtakeh and Nixon
Curry shot his rival and one of the proud Ger.
cons dead on the spot, and then escaped with his
bride. although holly chased by more men, and
found an asylum in the Almighty Mouutains,
near the sources of the Catawbd Here, under
the plea OF necessity. he embraced The profession
OF a robber, and rendered his name famous By
the number and astonishing boIdness of his ex.
poits. We may record it not a matter of
merit, perhaps, but for the sake of historical truth
that the youthful bandit never was known 10
perpetrate any deed of murder for the purpose of
plumber, though he did several to avoid arrest.-I
AT length the rumor of his daring felonies ceased
suddenly and Notwithstanding q reward of five
thousand dollars was offered for his apprehension
by the Governor of the State, he was heard of
no more in North Carolina. -a.-1 fl a.....
At the first settlement of the fertile DELTA, bord.
erng on the St. Francis, there came an emigrant
who called himself john Hill, and who succeeded
in acquiring universal popularity. Although Of
moderate means, he was sober, Industrious, gen.
erous and hospitable and such continued to be
his character, in the new country Of his adoption,
for twelve successive years. During all that
long period he never had personal difficulty or
quarrel with any human being and vet every
body was satisfied that such a peaceful Iife-sin-
gular for that latnUde-was not owing to a want
of courage. deficiency Of power to perform
good service in any of battlefield for of all
bear hunters that ever pierced the Jungle of cane
IN ''the great swamp" or descended by torch
light into the dark of tine Ozark mountains
he was celebrated as the most fearless.
tie was repeatedly elected to the Territorial
Legislature, where he distinguished himself by
strong, imprisoned eoquence, as chief leader in
The democratic ranks. He was next, as we have
already seen, member of the convention: md
was elected again the ensuing year to represent
his country in the Senate of Arkansas.
At this period commenced his second series of
mISfOrtuneS. Hills nea resi- n,iohhors were tho