The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-09
HILLMON WAS FOUND

fireplace, in which blazed cheerful
nre he looked to be an old man of at
least seventy years. His hair and
beard were long and gray, and his
forehead and cheeks were furrowed
with the lines of hardship and suffer-
ing. At times, when speaking of old
time friends back in Kansas, his eyes
frightened, and then cleaned with
suppressed hate, and his lips would
nervously twitch, while his large
fingers, hardened by toll, would close
into the palm until great ridges ap-
peared on the back of his hand.
All through the earlier hours of the
three men sat there, two of them
earnest listeners, and one of them, as
familiar names were mentioned in
strange connection, sometimes horror
stricken.
His story was long one, and
evidently truthful. He verified the
story of his wandeTings as it appeared
in the New York Times, from the
night tragedy at Medicine Lodge until
he found mountain home in the
Sierra Madre. In speaking of his
child in New Mexico, whose mother
lies buried in the mesa where he for
two years had a peaceful, happy home,
but in which came the cloud of his
crime, he broke down. She is the one
His story of the murder of Walters
confirmed in every particular the al
legged confession of Henderson, stamp
ing ii as true. His Wanderings in the
indian Territory, Texas, Colorado, New
Mexico and Arizona, and thence to the
Sierra Madre mountains, in northern
Mexico have already been related.
Taking up his wanderings from the
time he left the Sierra Madres. his
in r1r>a 1ti ~
own language, leaving out portions
that will show good cause for their
suppression when the trial is held in
February, and which he asked should
be withheld at this time, as others
were as deeply interested as he.
HIS STORY.
1T was nearly two months after the
publication in the New York Times of
my wherea bouts and of the practical
confession I had made to my partner,
that l learned that anything was
known to the public. The information
was given me by an attorney from
Kansas, who hunted me out. had
known his before 1 became an outcast
and had reason then to believe him
my friend. He did not know of the act
contemplated, but he did afterward
know that l was alive and well. and
consequently, that there must have
been crime to account for that grave
in Lawrence.
He desired me to recant all / had
told and TO make an affidavit that I
was not John w. Hillmon, but a John
Hilman who had left Kansas of my
own accord. He promised that /
should never be disturbed, and that 1
might begin life anew without any
fear.
Good Godl Begin life anew. when
q nt Of tn -,
night at Medicine Lodge had been
tinctured with the crime I committed!
have not been afraid of the law.
have not been afraid of myself. [ fled
at first to carry out my plans and
provide wealth for my family and my
self. When that first trial was held
found that even if successful I could
never enjoy what [ had committed
crime to gain.
Then when, on visit to a relative
near Magdalina, 1 learned that my
wife was married again, secure in the
belief that ] was in a grave more
secure than one in the ground, l was
in despair. Money was offered me.
but l refused it, and went north penni-
less, not yet daring to say word that
would of necessity pull down SO many
Others. When I struck that lonely
sheep ranch in western Mexico and
married the one person in all
the world who had faith in me.
thought l would then find
peace and comfort
The solitude and quietness suited
me. When my little Mary was born. I
imagined that peace would come to me.
and that L would live and die a sheep
herder. A year later my wife died.
and the spirit of unrest took possession
of me, and / went to Arizona. ONLY
once since have l seen my little girl.
who lives with her grandparents on a
lonely New Mexican mesa.
When l took up my residence in
Mexico, I told my partner here Gurn-
tended to go back to Kansas and
GIVE MYSELF UP.
He advised me not to do So as there
time came, would be punished for com
9hcity, but who would scape i
went back then. I acceded to his
wishes, for 1 had only a short time be-
fore learned that he was more than he
seemed. but he had been a friend.
after 1 had been visited by that
Kansas lawyer, 1 decided to again
change my location, for all the argu-
ments he used during the three DAYS
he was with me satisfied me that
was not safe, and 1 wanted to be be-
yond the reach of the Mexican authori-
ties Mr.. Sawhan also thought it best
that we should disappear again
We went north 10 Tombstone, and
after remaining there a few days we
pushed on to the San Francisco noun
talnS, in central Arizona. / found I
could not endure the hardship that
once could, and, desiring to be nearer
civilization, we came on north to Man
IT, Utah, where we rested. ! had some
little means, as did my partner and
we decided to come on up to Ogden,
where we might go into some little
business that would keep US until 1
could tell my story in Kansas.
1--WE were unfortunate, and lost all
our money in less than two months.
guess / was not fitted to do business
with white people, a faint smile for
the first time appearing on his face
I'VE went on to Preston, Idaho, look
ing for work, and finally came on here
where ] found a place and this little
cabin to live in, where we will STAY
until we go back to Kansas, for Mr.
Sawhan has promised to go with me-
My wife denies that am alive, though
she has heard from me often. My old
friends say I am in impostor, and have
come nearly 1000 miles to get me to
say l am dead and to remain so; that
if l am anybody at all l am John
Hilman, and not John w. HilImon.
Il have never received a cent since
that eventful day in Barbour county,
except what worked for. I have never
had any offered me, except once when
relative in New Mexico offered me
money upon condition that I would
conceal my identity and forever disap-
pear. l have not been asked to go
back to Kansas. I would have gone
long ago had it not been for that by
doing SO others would have escaped
and / only would have suffered. 1 feel