The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1876-06-29
A HIGHWAYMAN'S CA
REER
The Secret that was Intrusted'
to a Keen Politician. A Poll
tician in Arkansas. Exposure,
Flight, Ruin and Death.

William Hill, a patient in a pri
vate asylum near Glasgow, Scotland,
died a few weeks ago. Many years
ago there lived. in Iredall county,
North Carolina, respected Presby
terian 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 affections
OF young girl attending the same
school, and so ardent was their at
tachment that no rival was suffered
to come between them. When the
girl reached fifteen, her devotion to
young Curry became so manifested
that their parents wishing to secure
for her what they viewed as a better
alliance, forbade further intercourse
between the two. AS a natural
consequence clandestine meetings
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 a
Southern statesman, and her pa
rents tried to compel her acceptance,
whereat she eloped with young Cur
ry. The couple were overtaken.
Then the young man turned and
shot his rival, who led the pur
suit, killing him instantly. The
young couple then renewed their
fight. After a long and heated
chase Curry took refuge with his
betrothed in the Allegheny noun
tains, near the head-waters of the
Catawba and there, outlawed from
society, he became a highwayman,
and speedily achieved a dreadful
notoriety by the number and char
acter of his daring exploits. The
governor of North Carolina offered
five thousand dollars for his arrest,
and many lured by the tempting Of
fer, tried to hunt him down. Sud
denly he was missed from North
Carolina; it was supposed he had
changed his base of operations.
One day, at the time of the first
settlemement of the fertile delta Of
the st. Francis river in what is now
Arkansas, an immigrant appeared
in the district calling himself John
Hill. He was a handsome, amiablC
man, and though having only mod
crate means, extended a generous
hospitality to all who Visited hi'
: beautiful little home, rendered
doubly attractive by the presence o
a lovely wife. In a short time he
/ became the most popular man il
the settlement, and so he continue,
for ten or twelve years. He wa
, repeatedly elected to the legislatur
, and there he was distinguished 70
: powerful and impassioned elo
D quence. He became a leader in til
? ranks of his party, was a memt e
Y of the convention that framed th
s State constitution, and Fepresente
< his district in the senate of Arkar
i sas.
r Hill's most intimate acquaintaI
u ces were the Strongs, four brother
men of wealth and ambition.
close intimacy sprang up betwee
them, and Hin, in an 4nguarded mC
L ment, made the eldest Strong cor
versant with his previous histor.
telling him that he was the n,
. torious Nixon Curry, of Mort
= Caroline Strong then reaHeste
= Hill to resign his seat in the senat
but Hill refused, and the brothe
- conspired TO ruin him. Sending
North Carolina they procured a r
= QUESTION for his capture. The fol
= brothers, powerful and determine
as they were, well knowing the chs
u acter of the man with whom th'
were to deal, secured the assistan
. of a dozen men, and approAchii
O his house attempted his captu
- On approaching the main entran
u9 =, and demanding bis surrender. g
(" of them was shot dead, and thi
others were dangerously wounds
out and the attack was abandoned.
The governor OF Arkansas pl
-en, hshed an additional reward forIIiI
arrest. Hill hastily packed