Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-10-21
Storg Of tbe GQest,
THE VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
A SKETCH OF JOHN HILL.

n
"Among the truest friends of the people,
of all in the present Convention, may be
named John Hill, of St. Francis. His en-
ergy, eloquence and courage fully entitled
him to the proud place he holds, and as we
trust, will long retain-that of leader of the
Arkansas Democracy."-Little Rock Ga
-stte, IN the days Of the Conrentton.
BLOODY AFFRAY.-A desperate rencon-
tire occurred last week in St. Francis. Two
DISTINGUISHED citizens were killed and three
others dangerously wounded. The difficulty
resulted from an attempt to arrest John Hill,
a member Of the last Legislature, and for
merly of the State Convention, who, as it is
alleged, is the notorious robber, Nixon Cur
~. that committed such atrocities fifteen
years ago in the mountains Of Carolina. -
Little Rock Gazette, of Nay, lS4O.
We have given the previous extracts from
the oldest and most respectable Journal of
Arkansas, in order to satisfy every reader
that the following narrative, extraordinary
as some of its incidents may appear, is no
tissue of fiction. Indeed, while relating
genuine events, and painting true 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 descriptions
tame in comparison with the deeds of the
man. The writer, who has resided long on
the frontier, has no use for fancy in portray
ing its exciting life. Simple memory will
serve him very WE'LL
About fifty years ago, there lived in Ire
dell county, North Carolina, Presbyterian
minister by the name of Curry. He was a
man of easy circumstances, of irreproacha'
BILE character, and had large family Of prom
isiug sons and daughters. Among these the
favorite was Nixon, distinguished when
boy for his fearless courage and the tender
ness of his heart alike. He seems, from
several anecdotes of his early days, to have
been a child of impulse aud intense earnest.
ness and passion When only six years Of
age, he had combat with a bully of the
playground, nearly twice his own weight,
and after suffering dreadfully, at last achieved
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 Cur
rv been in love. His 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 commence.
ment. They stood up in one class, and al,
ways managed to stand together. During
the hours of recess, when the other jucen'tes
were amusing themselves with bolsterous
sports, the precocious lovers would wander
amidst leafy groves, or by the mossy margins
of silver rils. Forever, to eternity, and
whenever, the soft spell Of first love comes'
it 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, siuless whispers OF their future bridal.
And thus they grew up into one delicious
identity Of fancy and of feeling. Their bias
for the society of each other, while children,
caused no particular remark. Such attach
meuts are common among the youth of op-
posite sexes in the country, and, as usual,
terminate abruptly, on arrival at mature
years. Far different, however, was the case
with Nixon Curry and Lucy Gordon. Their
passion became so evident at6fteen, that all
further intercourse was forbidden by her pa
rents-among the wealthiest aristocracy OF
Carolina. Then followed stolen meetings
bv starlight, 6rmer VOWS and wilder love,
which always increased in proportion to its
crosses, aud, like the tree of Lebanon, sends
down its deepest roots into the heart, the
more it is shaken by storms.
Finally, at seventeen, when Lucys rela'
tives we're endeavoring to force her into the
arms of another, she fled with the lover of
her childhood. They are pursued-over-
taken; and Nixon Curry shot his rival and
one of the proud Gordons dead on the spot,
and then escaped with his bride, although
hotly chased by more uen, and found an
asylum in the Allegheny Mountains, near
the sources of the CatawDs. Here, under
the plea of necessity, he embraced the pro-
fession of a robber, and rendered his name
famous BY the number and astonishing bold
ness of his exploits. We may record it not
as q matter of merit, perhaps, but for the
cake Of historical truth-that the youthful
bandit never was known to perpetrate any
deed of murder for the sake of plunder,
though he did several to avoid arrest. AT
length the rumor of his daring felonies
ceased suddenly, and Notwithstanding re-
ward of five thousand dollars was offered tor
his apprehension by the Governor OF the
State, he was heard Of no more in North
Carolina.
AT the first settlement of the fertile delta,
bordering on the St. Francis there came an
emigrant, who called himself John Hill and
= who soon succeeded in acquiring universal
popularity. Although of moderate means,
he was sober, industrious, generous and hos,
pitable; and such continued to be his char
acter in the new country of his adoption,
for twelve successive years. During all that
lopp neriod he never had a personal Difficult
tv or Quarrel with any human being; and
vet every body was satisfied, that such a
peaceful life-singular for that latitude, was