The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-12-09
A H1GHH4 4YM1RS CAREER.

/ AAAAt EANNAAe AAA HAANaNS
asylum, near Glasgow. Scotland, died a
few weeks ago. Many years ago there
lived in Iredell county, North Carolina, a
respected Presbyterian minister named
Curry, the pride Of whose life was an on
ly son, Nixon by name, in whose train
ing the good man took particular de-
light. The young man won the affection
of a young girl attending the same
school, and so ardent was their attach
ment 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 pa
rents, wishing to secure for her what
they called a better alliance forbade
further intercourse between the two. As
a natural consequence, claudestine meet
ings were resorted 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 our Southern
statesmen, and her parents tried to COM
pei her acceptance, whereat she eloped
with young Curry. The young couple
were overtaken, Then the young man
turned and shot his rival, who led the
pursuit killing him instantly. d The
young couple then renewed their flight
After long and heated chase Curry
took refuge with his betrothed in the AL
legheny Mountains, near the head waters
| Of the Catawha, and there, outlawed by
society became a highwayman, and
speedily achieved dreaded notoriety by
the number and character of his daring
exploits. The Governor ofNorth Caro-
lima offered $4,000 for his arrest, and
many, lured 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. Fran
els River, in what is now Arkansas, an
immigrant appeared in the district call
ing himself John Hill. He was very
handsome, amiable man, and extended
a generous hospitality to all who visited
his beautiful little home, rednered doub-
ly attractive by the presence Of a lovely
wife. In short time he became
most popular man in the settlement He
was repeatedly elected to the Legisla-
ture, and there he distinguished himself
by his powerful and impassioned elo.
quence- He became leader in the
ranks of his party was a member of the
Convention that framed the State Consti-
tuition, and represented his district in the
Senate of Arkansas. Y.g ut8 nDi..
Hills most intimate acquaintances
were the Strongs, four brothers, men of
wealth and ambition A close intimacy
sprang up between them. and Hill, in
an unguarded moment, made the eldest
Strong conversant with his previous his
tory, telling him that he was the notori-
Gus 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
arequisition for his arrest and copy of
the reward offered 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 dozen men,
and surrounding his house, attempted to
effect his capture. On approaching the
main entrance and demanding his sur
render, one of them was shot dead and
three others were dangerously wounded,
the attack was abandoned ........
The government of Arkansas publish
ed an additional reward for Hills arrest,
aud hastily packing a few articles Hill
set out with his wife and children for up
upper Arkansas, where he knew of the
existence of a band of ofdesperadoes, whose
members he hadreason to believe would
protect him. He was overtaken at Con-
way Court House, and halting his wagon
and admonishing his wife and children
to keep their places, he stepped forth
in the face of his pursuers, and in few
eloquent words told them why he quit
North Carolina, at the same time assur-
ing his pursuers that he would not be
taken alive. The gallantry Of the action
operated in his favor, and the pursuit
was abandoned. Constant pursuit had
already made him morose and quarrel
some, and he began to drink heavily, and
resort to the gambling table as means
ofsupport. One dayin September, IS45,
while seated at the breakfast table he
told his wife and children he had pre-
monition of death, and felt that he
should be killed that day before sunset.
Calling his son, a bright boy of fourteen.
he made him swear to kill the man who
should kill his father. lo1r The Circuit
Court of Pope county being in session he
attended it with young man named
Howard, who was engaged to his eldest
daughter. AS soon as they reached the
village, Hill began to drink and exhibit
ed an unusual disposition to quarrel,
He insulted everyone he met, and final
ly threatened to clean out the court
room, to the CONSERVATION of Judge. Ju-
ry and lawyers. Young Howard tried to
restrain him, but, glaring like tiger, he
turned upon the youth he felled him to
the floor, at the same time drawing a
pistol he exclaimed Kill me, or I'llkill
you The man in a moment of ex-
RENE anguish, drew knife and buried
it in the bowels Of Hill. He died soon
after. -. -.
Howard quit Arkansas, and several
years later was heard of in San Antonia,
Texas, where he joined the confederate
forces under the command of Colonel
Long. At the close of the war he was
met by William Hill who remembered
the oath he had taken at his fathers in
stance, shot the former and fled to Eu-
rope. He Joined the French -Prussian
was, but was subject to fits of oftemporary
insanity. Finally his case became hope
less, and he was placed by his friends I'M
an asylum near Glasgow, Scotland, where
he recently died.