Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1875 — A Highwayman’s Career. [ARTICLE]

A Highwayman’s Career.

William Hill, a patient in a private asylum near Glasgow, Scotland, died a few weeks ago. Many years ago there lived in Iredell County, N. C., a respected Presbyterian minister named Curry, the pride of whose life was an only sqn. Nixon by name, in whose training the good man took peculiar delight. The young man won the affections of a young girl attending the same school, and so ardent was their attachment 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 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 werejxsarted to and continued for three years. r 4t 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 compel her acceptance, whereat she eloped with young Curry. The couple were overtaken. Then the young man turned and shot his rival, who' led the pursuit, killing him instantly. The young couple then renewed their flight. After a long and heated chase Curry took refuge with his betrothed in the Allegheny Mountains,' near the head-waters of thesCatawba, and there, outlawed from society, he became a highwayman, and speedily achieved a dreaded notoriety by the number and character of his daring exploits. The Governor of North Carolina offered £5.000 for his arrest, and many, lured 1 by the tempting offer, tried to ljunt him down. Suddenly he was missed from North Carolina. It was supposed that he had died or that he had changed his base of operations. One day. at the time of the first settlement 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, amiable man, and. though having only moderate means, extended a generous hospitality to all who visited his beautiful little home, rendered doubly attractive by the presence of a lovely wife. In a short time he became the most popular man in the settlement. He was repeatedI ly elected td'tlie Legislature, and there he was distinguished for powerful and impassioned eloquence. He became a leader in the ranks of his party, was a member of the convention that framed the State Constitution, and represented his district in the Senate of Arkansas. Hill’s most intimate acquaintances wcfe the Strongs, four brothers, men of wealth and ambition. A close intimacy sprang up between them, and Hill, ih an unguarded moment, made the eldest Strong conversant with his previous history, telling him that he was the notorious 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 a requisition for his arrestand a copy of the reward offered for his capture. The four brothers, powerful and determined as they were, well knowing the character o£ the man with whom they had to deal, secured the assistance of a dozen men, and, surrounding his house, attempted to effect his capture. ‘ On approaching the

main entrance and demanding lus surrender one of them was shot dead and three others were dangerously wounded, and the attack was abandoned. * The Governor of Arkansas published an additional reward sot Hill’s arrest, and hastily packing a few articles he set out with life wife and children for Upper Ar k airs as, where' be knew of*the existence o£ a band of desperadoes whose members he had reason to lielieve would protect him. He was overtaken at Conway CourtHouse, and, halting his wagon and admonishing his wife and children to keep their places, he stepped forth in the face op his pursuers, and in a few eloquent words told them why he quit North Carolina, and at the same time assuring 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 quarrelsome, and he began to drink heavily and resort to the gamblingtable as a means of support. One day in September, 1845, while seated at breakfast, lie told his wife that he had a premonition of death, and felt that he should be killed that day before sunset. Calling his son William,’a bright boy of fourteen, he made him swear to kill the man who should kiAliis father. The Circuit Court of Pope County being In session, he attended it with a young man named Howard, who was engaged to his eldest daughter. As soon as they reached the village Hill began to drink and exhibited an unusual- disposition to quarrel. He insulted every one he met, and finally threatened to clean the CourtHouse: bedashed into the court-room, to the consternation, of Judge, jury and law - vers. Young Howard tried to restrain him, but, glaring like a tiger, he turned upon the youth and felled him to the floor; at the same" tiuip drawing a pistol lie exclaimed: “ Kill me, or I’il kill,you!” The man, in a moment of extreme anguish, drew a knife and buried it ih the bowels of Hill. He died soon after. Howard quit Arkansas,and'several years later was heard of in San Antonio, Tex., where lie joined the Confederate forces under the command of Col. Long. At the close -of the war he was met by William Ilill, who, remembering the oath he had taken at his father’s instance, shot the former and tied to Europe. He joined the French army and served through the Franco-Prussian war, but was subject to fits of temporary insanity. Finally his case became hopeless, and he was placed by. his friends in an asylum near Glasgow, Scotland, where he recently died.—iV r “ Y. Sun.