The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-03-19
ORANGE COURT HOUSE MORNING MARCH 49, 1869

pay 10000 for it; we'll, am Cullen Ba-
ker, and arn ready to furnish the head
on your order, when the money is paid,
The Majors face turned d .adly pale.
his eyes started from their sockets, and.
in hali-gasping toEes, 2 said, sleeally,
| sir, | was Hot aware | was talking to
Mr.. Baker himself. OF course | had
nothing personal against you. and
don t See that it S any of my sifair To be
running myself into danger to take
you."
mo-" said Baker, Zone ,hould not
always be ready to do other people S
work." and turning, he left the office OF
the Major with rs much unconcern as
he had entered 1t, aud mounting his
horse, he rode out of town and sought
his hiding place in tbs wiids of the Sui
phur.
AS soon as the Major could recover
from what he was pleased to denomi.
nate his surprise, he rallied his 'Doys in
blue, and put OIL after the ''daring wiz
ard" Reaching Boston, Bowie coun-
ty, the Major and party learned that
Baker and companion were at the ''tip-
pling house enjoying drink" The
| public square was at once surrounded,
and demand made upon Baker to
| oullChiCls 1odhti ICS sbOllueu All a lpIIts
and castiug his mild blue eye around
him TO see how many he had to fight,
made leap for his horse, reached him /.
and III attempting to mount him drop
ped his pistol. ile picked up his pistol,
| moulited his horse, and, throwing his
pistol in the air, keen crack was heard,
which was the announcement of Cullen
Bakers determination never to be TAX
alIVp- HIS Shnf raGnGniAI n u
.he Federal soldiers, and his compan.
ion fell from his horse, mortally wound
ed. Baker looked down upon the face
of his dy ing friend, and Il mon ent after
he WAS galloping away. shooting back
ut his pursuers. He reached Dooley's
Ferry, having evaded the Federal par
ty, and crossed into Arkansas, telling
the ferryman that ii he permitted any
one to cross over on the boat that night
he would kill him the next evening. -
The ferrymap scattled his boat and
suak it, and thus Cullen Baker, the sec
ond time, beat the "Major."
SubseGue to this time he surround
ed n small town in Texas, alone. and by
demanding tie unconditional surrender
of the place. the commandant started
courier post haste to Marshall, Texas,
Tor reinfofcements, whom Baker meet
ing with, made go back and tell the
commandant the trick.
Long chapters might be added to this
one ofhis bold deeds, some of them ro-
mantle and invested with an interest
not shocked by crime, but more often
dark and bloody. 1t has been estiinat-
ed that IN mis- lifetime he killed or caus-
e 1 to be killed fifty men. lie married
in Lafayette county Arkansas, some
time during the year before his terrible
character vas developed. lie rode the
swIttest horses and knew all the inlr;-
cate paths of sw.tmps and dense for
ests, and to take him was next to i'm
possible.
The people had such tear df him that
they never dared 80 report his move
meits, and their fear was as valuable
to him AS their triendshipNwould have
been. But he fell at last by the hands
of his father-in-law, in their own yard.
He had threatened their lives, and they
killed him in self-detenee. Many pe0
pie in Arkansas. Louisiana, and Texas
will feel safer. now that Baker is dead. |
Memphis Avalanche,