The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-08-23
q CITY
rH8 OUTLAW.


In the year lS- there Lived IN lrede
county, North Carolina, Z P'resby terrain mil
is.er By the pame Of Curry. He waa : ms
ia comfortable circumstances, Of most e,
csllent reputation, with : large family
. y and ~danghten. Among these was
boy BY the name Of Nixon, noted for b
sprightline.s, his activity, and courage.
Many are the incidents recorded of b
early days, wherein be displayed his drawer
and won the respect end admiration Of h
sthoolmstes. He seemed inpalsiye geneI
Gus. and the possessor of many noble quail
ties.
From childhood Nixon Curry was in love
His fair one was . girl somewhat younge
than himself. attending the same school wit
him. She returned his affection, and 30 Or
dainty were they attached to one anothe
that, what is most rare in childhood, no RVS
was ever suffered 10 come between hem.
Thus they grew up in . delicious dream Q
the future, and az their years increased, q
apparently did their passion for each other
At fifteen this was 90 evident that their pa
rents forbade al interviews between them
Her parents were the very +. F.hs of Nortl
Carolina, and they had and could easily se
cure more brilliant prospects for her.
The patnral consequences ollowed. tn,
| lovers met by stealth, and renewed thei
pledges to each other. Lucy promised tina
whetever should occur she would never wet
any one else. and Nixon vowed to stand b,
her 30 long Is q breath Of life remained il
his body.
At length, at the age Of eighteen, wher
Lucys relatives vera doing their utmost fe
force her into the arms Of another, she fed
with her trne and devoted love. They were
immediately pursued and evertaken, when
the enraged Nixon Curry, brought to bay
turned aud shot his rival and one OF the
others, and renewed his fight.
The pursuit was hot, but he succeeded in
eluding them, and took refuge in the Allie
ghany Mountains, near The sources Of the
Catawba.
Here really begins the extraordinary ca
reer Of Nixon Curry. Under the plea Of me-
cessity, he took up the profession of robber,
and speedily rendered his name famous BY the
number ard character of his exploits. With
QUIT attempting to give any Of the minor in
cidents, It should be stated that the young
robber never took q life for the sake Of plum
der. although he did it again and again to
avoid arrest.
The Governor Of North Carolina offered
$4,000 for bis apprehension, and many par
ties, tempted by the Offer. engaged in the
They frequently gained sight of the
bandit; more than once the crack
rock but never were they able TO
his retreat or bring him to bay.
Suddenly all rumors Of his daring conduct
and although the search was con-
he Was seen no more in North Caro-
ina. It was judged that his quarters we're
becoming too hot tor his safety, and be had,
therefore,, removed them while the opportn-
lity remained to him.
During the FIRST settlement Of the fertile
Delta bordering on the st. Francis. now in
he State of Arkansas, an emigrant made his
appearance, calling himself John Hill. he
apidly became the most popular man in the |
ettlement. Although Of moderate means, he
Vas sober, industrious. generous, and OF ex>
hospitality, and such continued to be
is character in the country which he had
dopted for a period extending over about a
oxen years.
During all this time not q quarrelsome word
between him and any of his neigh
ors; and yet all knew that it was from no
lck Of courage on the Part of Hill. for ofall
ie hunters that pierced the jungles of cane
the "Great swamp or descended b,
,rchlight into the bowels of the Ozark
fountains, he had the reputation Of being
re most fearless. He was overwhelmingly
Iected again and again to the Territorial
legislature, and distinguished himself by his
owerfnl and imprisoned eloquence, and
became q leader in the ranks Of his
1n party. He was q member of the Con.
,ntion which formed the State Constitution,
I'd was re elected to repreeent his county in
g Senate Of Arkansas.
And now began his second series OF mis-
rtnnes. Hills most intimate neighbors
ere the 3trongs, four brothers Of considera-
9 wealth, a great deal Of ambition, and in
e phrase Of the country, famous fighters"
close and cordial intimany grew up be>
cen them and Hill, and the latter, most
e eldest, contdant of his previous history.
so happened that George had a most am
Iious desire for political distinction, and
ade a request of Hill that he should resign I
) seat in the Senate in his favor. Hill re-
sed, and the brothers conspired to revenge.
Sending to North Carolina, they procured
Of the reward offered for Nixon Cur
the notorious robber. The four, power 4,
and determined as they were, dared not !
his capture alone, but secured the
,islance of q dozen men, and made the at. 81
npt to capture Hill in his own house The 4
ter never forgot his daily peril. He al
carried an enormous double-barrelled
Ut gun, two long rifle pistols, and . formi> .
bic knife. Arkansas has never been noted !
a peaceable inclined State, and in those :.
vs. its population numbered q greater per .
ut. Of desperadoes and lawless men than it
es at the present.
The attack of the Strongs proved a dread
one for themselves. Two of the brothers 9
re shot dead, while six Of the others were y
lily wounded, several of them MORALLY,
the rest of them we're glad to withdraw
the time. This affair caused the most
excitement throughout Arkansas +
g thought that the chivalrous and highly u
pnlar John Hill could be identical with :,
notorious robber Nixon Curry was stag
ing to hundreds. Many for Il time re-
ed to believe it. :.
Perhaps the state Of public feeling can best =
shown by the two following extrac 8 from
Little Rock Gazetfe. The fret appeared 81
en- Hill became SO popular during the days
the Convention:
Among the ,rnest friends Of the people
all in the present Convention may be n
ned John Hill, of st. Frlncis. His en-
", eloauence aud courage fully entitle !,
| long retain-that Of the leader OF the 81
> n 4
The second extract is taken from the same
oer for Nav, 1910: Il
BLoopy AFrRaY.-A desperate rencoun-
occurred IN st. Francis last week. Two
tinguished citizens were killed, and three "
ers dangerously wounded. The difficulty
ulted from an attempt to arrest John Hill,
of the last Legislature. and for
rly of the State Convention. who. as it is
sged, is the notorious robber Nixon Curry. Al
0 committed such atrocities fifteen years ns
in the mountains Of North Carolina" 10
reqnisition was sent by the Governor Of
rth Carolina demanding the surrender Of
ron Curry. The Governor of Arkansas =, IN
an additional reward for the arrest
John Hill, and thus between the two it
med as If was about up with the victim. 30
iii packed up hastily and set out with his
E aud children for the Upper Arkansas,
ere he knew of the existence of a band of
peradoes that he had reason to believe
nd protect him. He was pursued by over u
undred Of the citizens, many Of them un-
ned, and attending only for the purpose Of II
the sport and securing q part of
muniiicent reward that ~wasoffered for his VI
,rehension. Hill was -overtaken at the
nway Court House by these men, and
ting his wagon and %admonishing his wife !,