The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-24

H,ghwayman and Politician.
WilAemaHill, spatient in a private
asy lum near Glasgow Scotlands> died
few weeks ago. Man " years ago There
lived in Iredeli>county, North Carolina;
a5respe cteds sPresbyt a1iian minister named
Curry. thespride Of whose life wns al only
sonS Nixon BY nalpe,, whose aiming
the good man took peculiar delight !! = The
young man won the ,affec tions ,of u young,
girl attending the same school, md So ar:
dent was heir attach nent that / no rival
was suffered TO come between them.
When the girl reached the age, of fifteen,
her devotion to young Curry became so
manifest that her parents, wishing to Sc
cure for her what they viewed as bet
ter alliance, forbade further intercourse
between the two As natural conse-
quence, clandestine meetings were re-.
sorted TO, and continued for three years.
At the expiration Of that period. the
hand of the young lady was sought by
the son of one Of the Southern states.
men, and her parents tried to compel her
acceptance. whereat she eloped with
young Curry. The couple were over.
taken. Then the young man turned and
shot his rival, who led the pursuit, kill
ing him instantly. The young couple
then renewed their fight. After
long and heated chase
Curry took refuge with his bctrothed in
the Allegheny Mountains, near the head
waters of the CataXba, and there OUT
lawed from society, he became a high
wayman. and speedily achieved a noto-
riety by the number and character of
his daring exploits. The Governor of
North Carolina offered $4,000 for his
arrest, and many, lurcd by the tempting
offer, tried to hunt him down. Suddenly
he was missed from North Carolina. 1t
was supposed that he had died, or that
he had changed his base of operations.
One day, at the time of the first settle
ment of the fertile delta of the St. Francis
river, in what is now Arkansas, an immi-
grant appeared in the district calling
himself John Hill. He was handsome,
amiable man'and though having moderate
means, extended generous hospitality
to all who visited his beautiful little
home, rendered doubly attractive by the
presence of lovely wife. In a short
time he became the most popular man in
the settlement, and so he continued for
ten or twelve years. He was repeatedly
elected to the Legislature, and there he
was distinguished for powerful and i'm
passioned eloquence. He became lead
er in the ranks of his party, was mem-
Der of the convention that framed the
State Constitution, and represented his
district in the Senate Of Arkansas.
Hills most intimate acquaintance were
the Strongs, four brothers, men of wealth
and ambition. A close intimacy sprang
up between them, and Hill, in an un-
guarded moment, made the eldest Strong
conversant with his previous history, tell
ing him that he was the notorious Nixon
Curry of North Carolina. Strong then
requested Hill to resign his seat in the
Senate, but Hill refused, and the brothers
conspired to ruin him. Sending to North
Carolina they procured ,equisition for
his arrest and copy of the reward offer
ed for his capture. The four brothers,
powerful and determined as they were,
well knowing the character Of the man
with whom they were to deal, secured
the assistance of a dozen men, and sur.
rounding his house, attempted to effect
his capture. On approaching the main
entrance and demanding his surrender,
one of them was shot dead, and three
others were dangerously wounded, and
the attack was abandoned.
The Governor of Arkansas published
an additional reward for Hills arrest,and
hastily packing a few articles he set out
with his wife and children for Upper Ar
kansas, where he knew of the existence of
a band of desperadoes whose members he
had reason to believe would protect him.
He was overtaken at Conway Court House
and hating his wagon and admonishing
his wife and children to keep their
places he stepped forth in the face of his
pursuers, and in a few eloquent words
told them why he quit North Carolina, at
the same time assuring his pursuers that
he wouldn't be taken alive. The gallan.
try of the action operated in his favor,
and the pursuit was abandoned. Con-
slant pursuit had already made him mo.
rose and quarrelsome, and he began to
drink heavily and resort to the gambling
table as means of support. One day in
1916, while seated at break.
fast he told his wife that he had rremo-
milton of death, and felt that he should
be killed that day before sunset. Calling
his son William, bright boy Of fourteen,
he made him swear to kill the man who
should kill his father.