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About The Albany register. (Albany, Or.) 1868-18?? | View Entire Issue (March 27, 1869)
VOL. 1. Al13 AIV Y, UIIEGOiN , oATU JtDAYMAIiCH. 27, 1869. 1 iWJkim- mjwmUi N0.29. SATURDAY, MAKOU 27, 1S00. Trip Liutly. Trip lightly over trouble, Trip lightly over wroup, Vi'e ouly inako grief douMe By dwelling on it long. fWhjr "clasp Woe'shaml so igutly ? Why sigh o'er Blossom dead ? Why clin to formsNKchtly ? Why not seek joy iustcad? Trip lightly over sorrow - Though ell the day h dark : The sun may &hine to-morrow, And gaily sing the lark. Fair hopes have not departed, .-Though roses may have fled ; Then never be down-hearted, But look for joy instead. Trip lightly over sadness. Stand not to rail at doom ; We've pearls to swing of gladness. On this side of the tomb. Whilst stars are nightly shining. And the heaven is overhead, Encourage not repining. But look for joy instead. History of Culleu Baker, the Terror of Three Mates. 1 From the Memphis Avalanche, January 2i. Many persons of North Mississippi and. H est lennessoe are fatmliar with "the name and deeds of William Cullen j-uiKer, tue notorious aesperaao ana un scrupulous murderer of Eastern Texas, who was killed on the 10th of January in Juatayettc county, Arkansas, by his father-in-law and brother-in-law, as de- - tailed a few days ago in the A valanclie Xiaker was certainly one or the worst characters of this age, and a brief sketch u uisi career js wormy 01 record as a part of the history of the great South west. His life, taken a3 a whole, dem onstrates with peculiar force the. weak ness of "frail humanity," and the tenacity with whieh events shape man's destiny. Cullen Baker, the almost beardless lad who, by his daring demeanor and insa tiable thirst for human blood, has been for months the terror of the citizens, as well as the military authorities, was the son of an eminent divine of Texas, and his character from boyhood to the fatal hour when grim visaged war stalked into our land, had been unexceptionable. Few young men started life with brighter prospects, and certainly not one ever enjoyed in a more eminent degree the confidence and esteem of his friends and neighbors. When the shrill trum pet sounded to arms the braves of the South, Cullen Baker, fired by a true, patriotic devotion to the land of his birthv forsook the pursuits of his civil life and promptly shouldered his musket in the ranks, side by side with the young men who had grown up to manhood with him. The volcano that had been smothered in his breast soon sent forth its lava, and before the roll of his company had been called for a twelvemonth, Cullen Baker had been marked as the "terrible rifle man. The unmistakable attributes of a desperado soon developed themselves in his character, and "blue-jacket dev ils," as he was wont to denominate the soldiers of the Federal army, were forced to kiss the dust before his unerring aim. When that branch of the Confederate army to which he was attached grounded arms and surrendered to the Federal Government, Cullen Baker declined to accept the terms or abide the conditions, and mounting his fiery .horse.; one of the swiftest since the days of Claude Duval's bonnie Black Bess he rode away to the wilds of East Texas, proclaiming him self the last survivor of the Lost Cause, who would never surrender until : the Confederacy was fully established its authority recognized by all the Powers Of the earth. ..True to ( his rash vow, he soon achieved a considerable notoriety in Harrison, Marion and Davis counties, in Texas, for his intense animosity .against everything savoring of "Yankeeism." During the year he committed several murders, His "victims invariably , being either negroes, Federal soldiers or noisy "Union men." , . Ia the fall of 1865, a reward of $1,000 was' offered by the Federal military authorities of Texas for his head. Scontingparties ' were sent out in all sections of the country to try to catch him. He ' warned ' the citizens that if atty of them dared to intimate to those who sought to capture him, anything in reference to his movements, he would visit upon them the ' most terrible pun ishment So well they knew the man that no citizen could be found with suf ficient knowledge of the stopping places 'of CaHen Baker to enable them to tell, with any degree of accuracy, where Cul len Baker could be found. So terrible did he become that the military authorities raised the reward of fered for his head from 1,000; to $10,-000.- While tiding along" the road on one occassion, he observed the, procla mation ; offering $10,000 for his head sticking to a tree, He read it, and, dismounting from his horse, and coollv -...? i. : i p i . - . J scaling uiuiseii Dy tne tree upon winch he lounu it, he issued a counterfeit proclamation, under his own baud, and offered 810,000 for the- head of anv of me military, satraps who were mauilest ing so much anxiety about his own. lie put his proclamation on the tree below the other and rode away. A few days subsequent to this time, the desire for adventure and danger iu dueedTnni to pay a personal visit, incorj, to the commauder of the post at Jeffer son, Texas. Hiding up to a hitching post near the post commandants office, he dismounted, and, leaving his horse, very leisurely walked in, saluted the Major, took a seat aud "opened", a con versation with that important personage. "I suppose your military authorities have offered a big' reward for the head of this man Cullen Baker," said our hero. "Yes," responded the 3Iajor, "and if he is not remarkably sharp we will soon get him. I have beeu specially selected by the General to work up this little job and 1 think 1 will be apt to bring lam m. ' "They sdy he is a bad one," said Cul len. "Oh, well, that is more talk than any thing elsa- I guess he is not so terrible as you rebels make him out. He can't scare anybody that belongs to our army. I am sure we have not got a man who could not take him without cocking a guu, if he could just get up with him." "Have you ever seen him," carelessly asked Bakar. "No," said the hero of the epaulets, "but I don't care for that. I'll be apt to make his acquaintance if I cau just get near unough to him." Baker, rising in his chair in the most- complacent manner imaginable, said : "Vell, Major, you want Baker's head, and you say you are willing to pay 10,- 000 for it ; well, I am Cullen Baker, and am ready to, furnish the head on your order, when the money is paid." The Major's face turned deadly pale, his eyes started from their sockets, and in half galying tones, he said : "Really, sir, I was not aware I was talking to Mr. Baker himself. Of course 1 had nothing personal against you, and I don't see that it's any of my affair to be runniug myself into danger to take you." "No," said Baker, "one should not always bo ready to do other people's work ; and, turning, he left the office of the Major with as much unconcern as he had entered it, and mounting his horse he rode out of town and sought his hiding place in the "wilds of the Sulphur." As soon as the Major could recover from what he was pleased to denominate his surprise, he rallied his "boys in blue'' and put off after the "daring wizard." Reaching Boston, Bowie county, the Ma jor and his party learned that Baker and a companion were at a "tippling house enjoying drink." The public square was at once surrounded, and a demand made upon Baker to surrender. Baker res ponded, "all right," and casting his mild blue eyes around him to see how many he had to fight, made a leap for his horse, reached him, and in attempting to mount dropped his pistol. lie picked up his pistol, mounted his horse, and throw ing hi3 pistol into the air, a keen crack was heard, which was the announcement of Cullen Baker's determination never to be taken alive. His shot was responded to by the Federal soldiers, and his com panion fell from his horse mortally wounded. Baker looked down upon the face of his dying friend, and a moment after he was galloping away, shooting back at his ; pursuers. lie reached Dooley's Ferry, having evaded the Fede ral party and crossed into Arkansas, tell ing the ferryman that if he permitted any one to cross over on that boat that night he would kill him the next even ing. The ferryman scuttled his boat and sunk it, and thus Cullen Baker, the second time beat the Major. - Subsequent to this time he surrounded a small town in Texas, alone, and by de manding the unconditional surrender of the place, the commandant started a courier post haste for Marshal, Texas, for reinforcements, whom Baker meeting with, made go back and tell his com mander the trick. Long chaptersmight be added to this one of his bold deeds, some of them ro mantic and invested with an interest not shocked by crime, but more often dark and bloody. It has been estimated that in hi3 lifetime he killed or caused to be killed 50 men-. He married in Lafayette county, Arkansas, sometime' during the year before his terrible character was de veloped. He rode the swiftest horses, and knew all the intricate paths in the swamps and dense forests, and to take him was next .to impossible. , , , , . ,, The people had such fear of him that they never dared to report his movements, and their fears was as valuable to him as their friendship would have been. But he fell at last by the hands of his father-in-law and brother-in-law in their own yrd .ne tad threatened their lives and they killed him in self-defense, r. Many people m Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas will feel safer now that Baker is dead. PARTICULARS OF BAKEll'A "DEATH. Correspoadcnco Chicago Ilcpublifcin, Jan. 19. About a month ago, Baker captured his own brother-in-law, with three or four others. Hopes were adjusted about the necks of all but one as they sat upon their horses and the other endmade fast to a projecting branch over their devoted heads, and.. the animals led from under them. A short shrift, a few struggles in mid air, and all is ovcrv After hanging a while, Orr, tho brother-in-law of Baker, was let down in order that the rope might bej used to suspend the last victim, who, I understand, was" Baker's father-in-law. jit seems' that oue of Baker's gang was a friend of Orr's, and in the hope that life was not quite extinct, he drew the body aside, endeavoring by rough hand ling to restore circulation, and saw with pleasure signs of returning respiration. After carelessly turning the body upon its side, its face away from Baker, he re turned to the hanging party. Strong appeals were made to Baker , to release his father-in-law, which were finally ef fectual, and he was set free. As soon as Baker and his party had left, old Mr. Foster discovered the con dition of Oir; and the intend victim was saved from death. Mr. Oir well knew that Baker would kill him upon sight, as soon as he should discover that he was alive, and therefore determined to kill Baker on the first opportunity. On the morning of the Gth of January, Orr re ceived information that Baker was in his neighborhood. Four or five of his friends were soon gathered together, and a watch was set for Baker. About 9 o'clock in the morning, Baker and Orr approached the house of Orr. Having ridden all of the'previous night, Baker and Kirby sought a quiet place, secreted themselves and lay down to sleep, little dreaming that their every movement was watched by those who saw that their only safety rested in making their sleep a perpetual one. Silently the; avengers crept ! upon these two desperadoes, and with steps as cautious as a cat, they ap proach the quarry. Not a leaf must rustle; not a twig must be broken; the drop must be secured, or death might be their own portion. Their repugnance to fire upon a sleeping enemy is overcome by the terror of Baker when awake. I doubt if a half dozen law abiding citizens would have dared to attack Baker alone. Cautiously they creep upon them; a proper distance is reached at last, two hours have elapsed since they have lain there in profound sleep. Orr and his men note with caution Baker prepares to guard against a surprise his long double-barrelled gun lies close to his hand, his four Colt's army size revolvers are convenient to his ready grasp, but all these preparations are useless now to save these villians. Those pistols and that gun that chambered its 18 blue whistles, would nevermore make corpses of loyal men and women, white as well as black. The avengers are upon him; two double- barreled guns are bearing upon Baker one is directed at his head, the other bears directly upon the region of his' heart, or where such an organ out to be. An other gun in the hands of a determined man bears directly upon the head of Kirby. Security for themselves hardens their hearts and steels their nerves. Si multaneously the guns are discharged, and the, develish career of Baker and Kirby on earth is closed. Hell opens, and Satan with malicious pleasure; wel comes them to the regions of Pluto. Carefully their bodies are concealed till the nigh ; a wagon is procured; the bodies placed in it, carefully covered and they are conveyed to Jefferson and turned over to General Buel.x In statue Baker was about five feet ten inches; about 35 years of age,, had a very heavy chest,' well developed muscle, slender and blithe about the waist; his whole physique gave evidence of great power of endurance; a large head, with great breadth between the: ears ; light hair, and a short, thinly scattered, sandy goatee. - - ' : , . . Newspaper. Publishing In an ar ticle on the subject of journalism an ex change says "that there is a wide difference between editing a newspaper and writing an article for one. It is an easy matter for any one of ordinary abili ty and education to write a leading ar ticle, even without experience, but it re quires long a'nd patient toil to become a good editor. Many persons imagine themselves capable of conducting a pa per .because of their ability to indite a readable Article. Many other require ments are necessary to become a success ful or even popular journalist. Judg ment in the selection of articles, the time and manner of insertion, and a. variety of other matters, are as essential as the mere composition of the articles. There are many good writers but few good edi tors. " - -' ;.Hti. , :. I , London is growing , so rapidly that it will soon contain a population of .4,000, 000. r , The Metropolitan police of 7,S0O members i have to control and patrol a i district of thirty miles in "diameter. J Diamond cut Diamond. lived a man who e of the countv. In the village of had once been a jud and well known all over it by the name or juage jx. lie Kept a store and saw mill, and was always sure to have the best bargain on his side, by which he had gaineu an ample tortune; and some did not hesitate to call him the biggest rascal in the world. He wa3 very conceited withal, and used to brag of his business capacity whenever anyone was near to listen. One rainy aay, as quire a num ber was seated round the stove, he began as usual to tell of his great bargains and af last wound up with the expres sion "Nobody has ever cheated mc, nor they can't neither." "Judge,'' said an old man of the com pany, "I have cheated you more than you ever did me. "How so'" said the judge "If you'll promise you wo'nt go to law about it, nor do anything, I'll tell you or else I won't : you are to much of a law character for me." "Let's hear," cried half a dozen voices at once. "I'll promise," said the judge, "and treat in the bargain if you have. "Well do you remember the you robbed me of?" "Lnevcr robbed you of anv wagon: I only got the best of the bargain," said the judge. "Well, I made up my mind to have it back, and "You never did," interrupted the cute judjre "Yes, I did, and interest too. enraged "How so?" thuudered the judge. , "Well, you see, judge I sold you one day a very nice pine log, and bargained with you for a lot more. Well, that losr I stole off your pile down at the mill the night before, and the next day I sold it to you. Ihe next night I drew it back home and sold it to you the next day, and so I kept on until you had bought your own log oi me twenty-seven times. "That's a lie 1" exclaimed the iufuri ated judge, running to his book and ex amining his log account; you never sold me twenty-seven logs of the same meas urement: "I know it," said the vender in logs. "by drawing it back and forth the end wore oif , and as it wore " I kept cutting the end off until it was ten feet long jusi iourteen ieec snorter man it was the first time I brought it and when it got so short I drew it home and worked it up into shingles, and I concluded I had got the worth of my wagon back, and stowed away in my pocket book. j.ne exclamation ot the judge was drowned by the shout of the by.standcrs, and the log vender found the door with out the promised treat. Tiie Fra.nk.ixg Privilege Amus ing Letter from a Congressman. The Washington correspondent of the Cincinnatti Commercial says : A lady received a letter from a Con gressman, that puzzled her beyond ex planation, and she handed it over to me for clearance. I understood it at once. My fair friend had the same name made famous by an authoress here, and the letter had been missent. It seems the fair quill-driver had been using the M. C.'s frank to forward her manuscripts and proofs. I ought not to publish, but can't resist. The little epistolary effort read : 1 Dear Friend- I am sorry to refuse the use of my -fac simile, as heretofore. There has been such a devil of a row kicked up in the newspapers about the use of the thing, that I have been forced to lock mine up. It is well I did. I found it had been used to frajak over the country a circular setting forth the ex cellence of. a certain patent ointment to cure scald heads, tetter, ringworm and chicken-pox in children. I have the confunded thing under double-lock and key, and have had night sweats ever since, for fear some infernal paper would et hold of the thing and force me to rise to a question of privilege, on the subject of franking scald-heads. If you will send me your manuscripts and sheets I will frank them, with pleasure, provid ed none are to go to that screechy old heathen, Horace Greeley. I am, mad am, yours, etc. . Pyramid Lake. A gentleman who has lately explored the islands of Pyra mid Lake, tin . Utah, which are avoided from some superstition by the Indians, says that it is impossible, during the in cubating season, to walk on the islands without stepping on the eggs of gulls, ducks, pelicans, and other aquatio fowl. Two small rocky islands are alive with rattlesnakes, which bask in the shade of almost every stone; so that an intruder is often treated to a serenade of a dozen or more, rattles of various degrees ' , of power and shades of tone. .. , , r , , The Sacramento and Vallejo Railroad is repaired and in operation again. Pluiipiiig In Pennsylvania. It is an interesting peculiarity of crim inal voting in Pennsylvania, that the rascally Itepeaters, when brought to the witness-stand, usually acknowledged their multiplied misdemeanors with a cheerful frankness which is eminently edifying. A contested election case (Bunn vs. Withani) is now before a legislative Com mittee at Harrisburg the seat in dis pute being that for the Xlth Legislative District. One witness, Michael Slaven by name, swears that he voted the Demo cratic ticket twenty times, between '.8 o'clock a. m. and 5:30m. p. ni.-jbein"-about twice every hour a remarkably energetic day's work, and speaking highly for Michael's peripatetic ubiquity: Then comes a confessor rejoicing in the gentle name of Lamb, who acknowledged that he voted the Democratic ticket twenty times on election day. Then fol lows Henry Elliott, who, on his own statement, was also a double X voter. The modest and moderate John Rowan contented himself with voting the Demo cratic ticket only ten times. According to the testimony of Slaven, there was a small party of ten men, the witness him self being one of them, who went mean dering about all day, voting the Demo cratic ticket whenever they pleased and as often as they pleased, being furnished with ballots by "men with the Demo cratic badge on." Some of his compan ions, according to Lamb, belonged m Baltimore and some of them in New York. Elliott, it seems to us. was ab surdly cautious ; for he depones that he "changed his hat and coat sometimes in going from poll to poll." Why he did this we are sure we don't know ; for it is not at all probable that any Demo cratic challenger would have molested him or made him afraid while he was doing a work so noble and patriotic. For the enthusiastic Elliott to disguise him self, was as it were to hide his light under a bushel, and the change of hat and coat might have rendered it difficult for him to establish his identity when the rovers called at the Democratic headquarters to receive their reward. M. Slavan testifies to an interesting circumstance in regard to "the man who gave the tickets." This charitable pur veyor of ballots presented to the little de voted band a $5 bill, whereupon the free voters went to the Girard-ave Market and "got their dinners" and an uncom monly good appetite we should think they must have had after their long walks and exhausting exercise of the franchise. These were, indeed, true Democratic poli ticians. They were after a free dinner, and they got it; and whoever says they didn't earn it can know nothing by per sonal experience of the fatigue ot voting early and voting often. Mr. Michael -Slaven and the other diligent perambulators exhibited a touch ing confidence in Democratic integrity. "Wo voted," says Michael, the Demo cratic ticket; did not examine any of them ; the man we took them from had the Democratic badge on." Each enter prising voter received from "the man with tho badge on" a slip of paper. Up on this were written facts with which the recipient was supposed to be unacquaint ed, viz., his own name, residence and occupation. These ; memoranda were necessary, it seems, ' to manufacture a citizenship for the gallant balloters. It isn't everybody who can be rechristened, get a new house, and learn a new trade, a dozen times over in one day. Although the Philadelphia system ap pears to as to be nearly perfect, yet there is one improvement which we may ven ture to suggest. Common humanity would seem to require that every Repeat er, passing "from pole to pole," should be furnished with a velocipede. If Mr. Michael Slaven, without this locomotive convenience, could vote twenty . times in one day, it is evident that by its aid he might double or treble his usefulness. We give Mr. Chairman Wallace the hint, and charge him nothing for it, beyond. the common gratitude which our past favors have already so amply earned. Santa Clara Incendiaries. -It will be remembered that the telegraph gave notice not not long since, that a band of Ku-Kluxes, controlled by the same spirit working in the breasts of the Oregon City disturbers, bnrned a church in Santa Clara, California because : it was used as a school room for Chinese pupils. The incendiary who applied the . torch, now writes that he was one of a band of 68,000 in California who were with him, in such villainy. The Marysville Ap peal remarking upon the . declaration, thinks the fellow means there are 68,000 Democratic voters in the State. Union ist. . .. V ! An insane man became unmanageable in a New York Central railroad car, and it was ascertained that oat of thirty-two gentlemen in the carl; twenty-nine carried revolvers. tf. England has coined 40,000,000 eold sovereigns, and 13,000,000 half sover eigns, during the past ten years about NEWS PARAGRAPHS ' i ' !' Oysters are sold ten for a cent in Pen sacola, Florida. .. . There is a baby in Hartford three months old, , which weighs . only : ;. two pounds. ' -..,-!' , Indiana has eight hundred aD thirty one aboriginal log school houses still in use. . ; ... ; ;r: -, 'vr.I Chinamen have commenced . to work the mines on More's creek, Idaho City. Sacramento is to have a grand veloci pede tournament on the 20th. ..There will also be a match race for $200. : The town of Elko is beautif ully located in the center of a nice valley, and on the banks of the Humboldt river Georgia has something like one hun dred and thirty counties, more than , al most any other State in the Union, though not the largest iu territory. There is a proposition before the legisla ture to create a number of pew counties. The Buffalo Courier has been sent to the Young Men's Christian Association, Geneva, New York, for some timejr ai last the postmaster returns the paper say ing it is uncalled for, and adds, by way of explanation : "Reason all the young men dead defunct gone up repudi ated disgusted sold out by the consta ble." ; , Meadow Lake, a mushroom town, which sprung up on the Central Pacific railroad, two years ago, and at one time boasted a city government, two theatres, thirteen hotels, etc., has now a todu- lation of thirty-five, and a building that cost $6,000 was sold tho other day for $ 1 5. i . - Tho Los Angeles Jveies says that a beaimg orange tree in that county would be considered worthless that would not produce more than than 100 oranges, and would be dug up and thrown away. It is not an uncommon thing there to gather annually three or four, and even five thousand oranges from one tree. The Washington correspondent of -the San Francisco Times says : "I hear it rumored on the streets of Washington that a movement is on foot to investigate the particulars of the will of the late David C. Broderick. Wilkes, of the New York Spirit of the Timet, it will be remembered, was the devisee and sold the entire estate to C. K. Garrisson for S800.000. It is now worth many mil lions, and there are several heirs dis covered. The whole subject has been an enigma since the will was firBt admit ted to probates." ' To-Day and To-Morrow. To-day we gather bright and beautful flowers to-morrow they are faded and dead. To-day a wealth of leaved shades us to-morrow, sere and fallen, they crumble beneath our tread. . To-day the earth is covered with a car pet of green to-morrow it is brown with -the withered grass. To-day the vigorous stalk only, bends before the gale to-morrow, leafless and sapless, a child may break the brittle stem. : . ;; To-day the ripening fruit and waving grain to-morrow "the land is taking ita rest after the toil." " ' " To-day we have sweet songsters of meadows and forest, the buzx and ham of myriad insects to-morrow breathe softly all nature is hushed and silent. To-day a stately edific, . complete in finish and surrounding, attracts the passer-by to-morrow a heap of ruins mark the site. ' ' " . ' To-day there are cattle upon a thous and hills to-morrow they fall in slaughter.-. ... . f , . .; ,),-J !' '-' The fashion of the world passeth away. But let Christ dwell .within, us, and though we may pass away like the faded leaf and sapless stalk, shall ''arise, to newness of life, "Where everlasting spring abides, ' , And never withering flowers." : . 0 si f Department op f Agriculture.- The report of the Denartment of A culture for last month, shows thai the number of horses has slightly increased! in most of the' Western and Southern States, but verv little in tTiA Tf.nafoi-n Middle States. . In the principal States van v we .uxioaisoipn river auVL la tnQ Pacific States the number in tint einl the demand, as is shown by the general auvauce m price.'- xnere is a positive decrease in cattle ing to five per cent, in Illinois. AW auction in tne number of milch cows is reported in Texas, Ohio and Illinois, and an increase in prices is reported. vi A eeneral reduction in nliAon ia al.A-n -, cept in Tennessee, Missouri, Minnesota, FTonaoo anil flin TnASAA' Ol.i . mi - iasiuo OUHrtSa, xnq lOSS is not ' much leas than' fan wait ' MiiV fw VUl, There is a large redaction in swine, ep- -"-& lm.vcvu jict uauv. lu- some MO tions, and a marked advance in prices..,, , Armies don't like to he Karri We can't sav how it wnnlrl Vw .;fV.. " - ' .va M. army of -women. -; . t. ;,S:i ,n c Nevada owes 8606.12ft ft : irtiUh AI- annual revenue of $117,595 99. I y ( V