Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-09

/ there lived in lredelI IUunIys N u,
respected Presbyterian minister named
Curry. the pride Of whose life was
an only son, Nixon by name, In whose
training the good man took peculiar
delight. The young man won the af-
/ fcctions of . young girl attending the
same school. and 50 ardent was their at
tachment that no rival was suffered 10
| come between Them. When the girl
reached the age Of fifteen her devotion to
| Young Curry became so manifest that her
| parents, wishing to secure Tor her what
| they viewed as a better alliance, forbade
| further intercourse between the two. A.
4 natural consequence, clandestine meet
| ings were resoried 20 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 our Southern
statesmen, and her parents tried to com
pei her acceptance, wbereat she eloped
with young Curry. The couple were over.
taken. Then the young man turned and
shot his rival, who led the pursuit, killing
| hisn instantly. The young couple then
renewed their fight. After long and
heated chase Curry took refuge with his
betrothed in the Allegheny Mountains,
near the head waters Of the Catawba, and
there, ou,lawed from society, he became a
highwayman, and speedily achieved a
! dreaded Dotoriety by the number and char
acfer Of his daring exploits. The Governor
| of North Carolina offered 5000 for his
arrest. and many, lured by the tempting
offer tried to hunt him down. Suddenly
he was missed from North Carolina. 1t
yas supposed that he had died or that he
had changed his base of operations.
One day, at tie time Of the first settle
ment Of the fertile delta of the 81. Francis
River, in what is now Arkansas, an i'm
migrant appeared in the district calling
himself John Hill He was handsome,
amiable man, and, though having only
moderate means, extended generous
hospitality to all who visited his beautiful
little hesne, rendered doubly attractive by
the presence Of lovely wife. In Il
short time he became the most popular
man In the settlement He was repeated
ly elected 10 the Legislature, and there he
was distinguished for powerful and i'm
FASHIONED cloquence. He became lead
or in the ranks Of his party was a 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
cOnyersant with his previous history,
telling him that nc was the notorious
Nixon Curry, OF North Carolina. Strong
| then requested Hill 10 resign Ais seat in
| The Senate, but Hill refused, and the
! brothers cOnspiTed to ruin him Send
| inc 10 North Carolina they procured a
| renuisitiOn for his arrestand copy OF
| The reward offered for his capture. The
four brothers, powerful and determined
as thew were, well knowing the character
of the man with whom they had to deal,
secured the assistance OF a dozen men,
and, surrounding his house, attempted 10
effect his capture. On approaching the
main entrance and demanding his surren-
der one ri them was shot dead and three
others were dangerously wounded, and
the attack was abandoned.
The Governor Of Arkansas published an
additional reward for HIPS arrest, and
hastily packing few articles he set out
with his wife and children for Upper Ar
| kansas, where he knew Of the existence
of band Of dcsperadoes whose members
| lac had reason 10 believe would protect
| him. He was oyertaken AT Conway Court.
| House, and, hating his wagon and adj.
monshing his wife and children 10 keep
their places, he stepped forth In the face
OF his pursuers, and In few el0queRt
words told them why lac quit North CARO-
lima, and ~ The sans time assuring his
pupsucrs that he would not be taken alive.
| The galiantry Of the action operated in
| his favor, and the piiTFult was abandoned.
| Constant pursuit had already made him
morosc and quarrelsome, and he began 10
| drink heavily and resort 10 the gambling.
table AS means OF support. One day in
| September, ie45, while seated at break
| fast, he told his wife that he had pre-
monition of death, and felt that he should
| be killed that day before sunset. Calling
his son William, q bright boy OF fourteen,
he made him swear 10 kill the man who
should hall his father
The Circuit Court Of Pope County being
| In session, he attended IL with % young
man named Howard, who was engaged 70
his eldest daughter. AS soon rs they
reached the village Hill began TO drink
and exhibited Nh unusual disposition to
quarrel. He insulted every one he met,
aud finally threatened 10 clean the Court
House he dashed into the courtroom, TO
the CONSERVATION Of Judge, jury and law
yers. Young Howard tried TO restrain
him, but, glaring like tiger, he turned
upon the youth and telled him 10 the floor /;
nj the same time drawing pistol he ex-
claimed XIII me, or III kill you'll" The
man, in moment Of extreme anguish,
drew knife and buried II In the bowels
OF Hill. lie died soon after
Howard quit Arkansas, and several years
later was heard OF In San Antonio, Tex,
where he joined the Confederate forces
under the command OF Col Long Al the
close of the war he was met by William
Hill, who, remembering the oath he had
taken ut his fathers instance, shot the
former and fled 10 Europe. He joined the
French army and served through the
Franco Prussian war, but was subject TO
fits of temporary insanity. Finally his
case became hopeless, and he was placed
by his friends In an asylum near Glasgow.
Scotland, where he recently died.-N Y.
Sun.