The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-16
The History of Sarah Althen Hill.


Especial to THE acknowledgements Dispatch. !
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo-, Aug. 15.-Sarah
Althea Hill, whose stormy career in Cali
fOrnia has given her national notoriety,
was born in this old French town just
thirty-nine years ago. She came of good
stock, her father being Samuel Hill, a
prominent attorney, and her mother Julia
Sloan, a daughter of a wealthy lumber
dealer She had one brother, Hiram Nor
gan Hill, and her parents both died in 1854,
leaving the two orphans an estate of $40,
900. She is related to some of the best ia
miles in the country, among them the VIII
[1ins and Stevens.
The girl had good opportunities for &C
quiring an education. She attended school
at Dabville, KY, and was finally graduated
from Vincent's convent in this town. She
had a goVerness in the person of Mrs
8arrall, a sister of ex-COngressman Hat
cher. Her grandfather, Hiram Sloan, was
her guardian, and he appears to have held
a slack rein. The young ward developed a
spirited temper, and soon after reaching
legal age made her money fly. The girl
grew up to womanhood in much her own
way, and was noted for her beauty
and her temper. She was
y
She was plump, of medium height, and had
a lovely complexion; she was fair, but not
a pronounced blonde. While her eyes We're
bright and sparkling they had a cold 10 Ok,
and in them the student could read insin-
ICerity. She was a schemer, and this fact
made her unpopular among her girl COM
Danions 1t was said of her, too that she
was a spendthrift She worshipped money
# she worshipped anything, and gave her
attention mostly to those who possessed it.
She is remembered by her friends there as
something of a firt, and at one time she is
said to have had three engagements to
marry on her hands One of these leaders
IS prominent politician residing in South
eag+ Missouri, and another resides in ST.
louis. Her conqueStS in that section of
Inc state were numerous during the time
sic held sway. She was fast, but her
name was never furnished with scandal.
In love affairs Miss Hill was tyrannical,
and more than one of her lovers had to
suffer under her iron and eccentric whims.
It is said that she really loved a young fell
low named William Shaw. They were en-
gagged 20 be married and one night at
tended hop. Sarah Althea became angry
at her escort and when the ballroom was
entered she went up stairs, and never
came back until it was time to return home.
The young man was angry, but determined
TO break the engagement. Sarah Althea
0earQ Oh IL anu summoned MIN 10 ner De-
witching presence and the old infatuation
returned so strong that he resolved to swal
low the insult Not so Sarah. She had
heard that he had told his friends that he
intended to break the engagement. She
determined on revenge. She never looked
Iovelier than on the night her lucklesS
lover answered her call. He was power
less before her, and pressed his suit with
more energy than ever. She said nothing
until he was ready to leave, and as he
stopped for a good night kiss on the
threshold, she tur led lie. head aud,
with her eyes blazing, said: "Mr
Short you can go. We will cry quits.
1 don't want to see you again" The young
man almost fell down the steps and never
saw her afterwards. Now the story goes
that Sarah Althea was really in love with
this man and expected to win him back. In
this she failed, and in September, 1870, dis
gusted and broken hearted and with only
the wreck of her fortune, she started for
California. A young uncle named William
Sloan accompanied her to the Pacific coast.
He was wealthy and took his handsome
niece to his mothers home. Sarah and the
old lady did not live in harmony and Mr..
Sloan gave his niece 1 fine suite Of room IN a
prominent San Iancisco hotel. 1t was
there that she met Senator Sharon
Her brother, Hiram Hill, was a reckless
fellow and followed her to California,
where he married a wealthy woman of
Spanish blood. Sarah Althea has neverre
turned to the home of her childhood.