Washington telegraph., 1849-10-17
From the Denaocr ATTIC RevaeaO.
JOHN HILL, alias NIXON CURRY.
A TRUE SKETCH OF LIFE IN ARKANSAS.

TRUE SKETCH LIFE ARKANSAS.
"Among the truest friends of the peo-
pie, of all in the present convention, may
be named John Hill, of St. Francis. His
energy, eloquence, and courage. fully en-
title him to the proud place he holds, and
as we trust, will long retain-that OF
leader of the Arkansas democracy. =
Little Rock Gazette IN the days Of the
conveaata0n.I
'BLooDY AFFRAY--A desperate rem
countre occurred last week in st. Francis.
Two distinguished citizens were killed,
and three others dangerously wounded.
The difficulty resulted in an attempt to
arrest John Hill, member of the last
| Legislature, and formerly of the State
Convention, who, it is alleged, is the
notorious robber. Nixon Curry, that COM
mitted such atrocities fifteen years ago,
in the mountains of Carolina ''-Lattle
Rock Gazette, of May, 1910.
We have given the previous extracts
from the Oldest and mos: respectable
journal of Arkansas, in oroer 10 satisfy
every reader, that the following narrative,
extraordinary as some of its incidents may
ScCIl lS uO iSSuS Ol t4CtlOu. luueGu, w ullt
relating genuine events and painting the
scenes, we have been especially careful
to avoid all vivid colors. Should this
short sketch, by any chance reach the
forests of Arkansas, the people there will
deem its description tame in comparison
with the deeds of the man. The writer,
who has resided loLg on the frontier, has
no use for fancy in portraying its exciting
life. Simple memory will serve him very
well.
About fifteen years ago there lived in
Iredell county, North Carolina Presby-
terian preacher by the name of Curry.
lie was man in easy circumstances, of
irreproachable charactar, and having
large family of promising sons and daugh-
ters. Among these, the favorite was
Nixon, distinguished when a 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
passion. When only six years of age he
had combat at school with bully of
the playground, nearly twice his own
weight, and after suffering most dread
fully, he at length achieved the victory,
due almost entirely to the sheer power of
his endurance
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. His idol
was a 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 man.
aged to stand together. During the hours
of recess, when other juveniles were
amusing themselves with bolsterous
sports the precocious lovers would wander
amidst leafy groves, or by the messy mar
gins Of silver rills. Forever, to eternity,
and wherever the soft spell of love comes
it always brings with it the bright spirit
of poetry, scattering thick starred dreams
and divine visions of beauty over all
things. Even then they exchanged
pledges, and discoursed in sweet and
sinless whispers of their furure 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 remark. Such at
fractions are common between the youth
of opposite sexes in the country, and, as
usual, terminate abruptly on arrival at
maturer years Far different however,
was the case with Nixon Curry and Lucy
Gordon. Their passion became so evil
dent at fifteen, that all further intercourse
was forbidden by her parents-among
the wealthiest aristocracy of Carolina.
Then followed stolen meetings by star
LIGHT, firmer vows and wilder love, which
always increases in proportion to its
crosses, and, like the tree of Lebanon,
sends down its deepest roots into the
tender heart, the more it is shaken by
storms.
Finally, at seventeen, while Lucy
relatives were endeavoring to force her
into the arms of another, she fled with
the lover of her childhood. They were
pursued and Nixon Curry
Shot his rival and one OF the proud Cor
dons dead on the spot, and then escaped
with his bride, although hotly chased by
more men, and found an asylum in the
Almighty Mountains, near the sources OF
the Catawba Here, under the plea OF
necessity, he embraced the profession of
robber, and rendered his name famous
by the number and astonishing boldness
of his exploits. We may record it not
as matter of merit, perhaps, but for the
sake of historical truth-that the youth
full bandit never was known to perpetrate
any deed of murder for the purpose of
plunder, though he did several to avoid
arrest. At length the rumor of his daring
felonies ceased suddenly; and, notwith-
standing q reward of FIVE thousand dollars
was offered for his apprehension by the
Couornor of the State he was heard Of