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From there he fled westward and spent some time with the Mormons in Utah where he was a member of the "avenging angel," whose job it allegedly was to hunt down and kill backsliding members and offencing Gentiles. Some who have studied Baker's life believe the entire tale of his plains and Mormon life are but figments of his florid imagination, and that most of the two years were spent in Perry County, Arkansas, with his uncle, James Young.

In 1858, Baker returned to Texas, took his wife and child and went to Perry County. Here for about two years he lived quietly, and here on July 2, 1860 his wife died. Baker took his little girl to Line Ferry, Arkansas, and left the child with her maternal grandparents. While at Line Ferry law officers got onto his trail and he fled to Perry County.

Soon after reaching his uncle's in Perry County he determined to horsewhip a Mrs. Wortham who was staying with his uncle. After hitting Mrs. Wortham several times her husband interferred, and in the struggle that ensued was stabbed in the heart by Baker and died immediately. A warrant for his arrest was issued, but before it could be served Baker was on his way to the Red River country.

By the time Baker reached his old home in northeast Texas the Civil War was in progress, and no effort was made to apprehend him. He seems to have avoided trouble for the next few months.

July 1, 1862 Baker married his second wife, Miss Martha Foster, and soon after was conscripted by the Confederate government. One writer describes Baker's war record in these words:

Insubordinate by nature and a coward at heart, there was no poorer soldier in the ranks on either side than this shirking ruffian, and his desertion in a few weeks was not looked upon as a loss by either men or officers, though they determined to hunt him up and make an example of him; and in 1863, we find him skulking in swamp and forest to escape the penalty for desertion (2).

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2. Triplett, History, Romance and Philosopy of Great Crimes, 448.