Cullen Baker, Texas Outlaw

Baker settled on the Sulphur River, where he established a ferry service. A few months later, Martha died. Baker was very upset about it because he had really adored her. Shortly afterward, some federal troops arrived at the house to arrest Baker. They wrecked his house and used his wife's picture for target practice. He swore revenge. He followed the troops to Boston, Texas where he became engaged in a shoot-out. He was shot in the arm. Baker killed a sergeant named Albert E. Titus.

Because so many people were after him, Baker had to live off the land. Occasionally he would rob remote stores or farms. Most of the victims just took it in stride. But Mr. Rowden of Queen City, Texas, took exception. He was away when Baker came into the store and took things from his wife, who was minding the store. Rowden loudly denounced Baker's tactics. This got Baker's attention. He rode into Queen City and promptly shot Mr. Rowden dead.

On Christmas Day, 1867, Baker walked into a saloon in Bright Star, Arkansas. A citizens group was planning to raid the home of Howell Smith. Smith had recently hired some black workers. He did not have any housing for them, so allowed them to stay in his own house. Because the Smiths had grown daughters this was considered a breach of decorum. There were also rumors that Smith was having his way with one of the black women and that one of the black men had offended a white neighbor. These men elected Baker as their leader to whip the black man and warn Smith.

Baker and the men demanded that Smith turn the black man over to them. Smith refused. A fight broke out and Smith and one of the black workers was killed. One of the Smith girls was clubbed and another was stabbed. Baker was shot in the thigh. Baker escaped and hid at the home of his father-in-law. Meanwhile a vigilante group of over 300 men formed from volunteers in the Atlanta-Queen city and soldiers.

The posse got close to Baker and his men several times, but Baker always kept one step ahead. A group of six men tried to force the location of Baker's hiding place out of Seth Rames, a youth who knew Baker, but actually didn't know where he was hiding. The men killed him anyway. Baker was on the run until October 1868, when

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