The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1915-07-01
AT 12 YEARS OF AGE HE FIRST
BROKE THE LAW AND REMAIN
ED OUTLAW UNTIL ARRESTED
FOR MURDER.
KNOWN AS COMMON BANDIT

AAC NAACCA "a
''the crimson bandit" who will die this
week for the killing of Thomas Chase
of Denver. is full of many lessons and
one of the most important is that
crime cannot go unpublished and that
people who pursue such a life must
someday pay the penalty.
Hillen's time since he was twelve
years old has been filed to the brim
with crime ard his killing of Chase
was but the climax which has lead
him to the gallows.
Altho Hillen is not yet 26 years
old. he has a criminal record in al
most every city of any importance
in the United States. At the age of
twelve years he started on the down
ward course. that has led him to the
gallows- He kept police in every
city he visited on the jump until his
arrest in Denver. October 25, 1913, af-
ter he had killed one man. shot and
seriously injured a second. and held
up and robbed a score OF Denver citi-
zens.
became Criminal When ~ Years Old
The first time Hillen broke the law
was when he was IL years old. He
forged his fathers name TO several
checks for small amounts Then he
ran away from home. He beat his
way on freight trains from one city
to another. In San Francisco he met
his father. after he had travelled for
year, and lived with him for year.
/ When he was II years old he went to
Salt Lake City.
After he had been there for a short
time he went to live wit hhis aunt,
Mrs. John Hicks. He took her check
book one day and forged several
I checks for large sums. He was ar.
rested and sentenced to the Utah
penitentiary for term of one year.
When he left prison, according to his
own confession, which the Denver
police say was the most amazing tale
of murder. highway robbery and petty
larceny ever told in the history OF
the eWst, he decided to become a
real desperate criminal" He lived
up to his decision. for never in the
knowledge OF the Denver police has
a man OF Hillen's age figured in
career OF crime such as he confessed.
After he was liberated from the pen
itentiary he went to Los Angeles. He
worked in grocery store, a broom
factory and bakery. He met men
older than himself and of a desper-
ate character. He began to steal.
He robbed houses and stores and held
up citizeng.
Trail Of Robberies Left Behind
He left Los Angeles and Travelled
East.
In his path he left records OF crime
of various kinds. In Omaha, Kansas
City. Chicago and New York he rob
bed houses and held up men. He
stole whenever he could. and what he
could. He evaded the police. His conn
panions would leave him, because OF
his boldness and courage. While they
were older. both in years and in crime
Hillen was too bold for them and
they deserted him.
He travelled back to California from
New York. Each year he became
more desperate. He worked alone.
In each new city he would commit
more crimes than in the city he had
left. When be got to Pueblo he
picked up" with other criminals.
Just before he came to Denver he
held up citizens and robbed stores.
His companions left him. Then be
came to Denver alone.
During the week he worked in Den.
YER his record excelied anything in
the criminal history Of the West. He
had the police department demoraliz.
ed. The citizens Of Denver were ter.
rorised. They were afraid to 20 on
the streets At night.
Just &C soon - Hillen arrived in
Denver he went 70 Littiston. where
he robbed Ray Toy railroad station
agent. after be had bound and gngged
him.
chaoe Murusre1- Carver gndsd.
Later be held w > hcoro q citissns
and On ~ nisht q o'etcbeF - be shc,
w. =. claFk. tscause Clark etAsts1 /.
= ~ ersy ~ s'p Nhse - ~ J