Merry Christmas too you and your family. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Those dreams became reality for David Mac after the young man from Michigan settled in Madison County, Arkansas. The terrain is very hilly and rocky which doesn't seem like a good area for grow ops. He called Harper, and Harper called Baker. It's kind of scary. I hope you enjoy the book. They usually leave him when he uses their share of the crank. Its about Arkansas outlaws and their pot way of life. 'Cause a waitress has his salary beat. I'm sure you wouldn't want a bunch of wrecked cars 20 foot from your folks' grave.". Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2015. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average. His friends are always other cops The tops of both his feet had red semicircular marks, which Claytor attributed to boot heels. Ralph Francis Baker was born Sept. 1, 1938, near the town of St. Paul, once a bustling banking, railroad and timber center in southern Madison County. It tracked the deaths of other Madison County people who died under mysterious circumstances. ', "But when you start breaking down doors, then Ralph gets mad," the dealer adds. Used with Special Permission of the Author Having raised pot in Arkansas myself and then sent off to the pen for five years I can certainly relate and assure the audience the local cops are indeed in on it in this state. I mean just smoking a couple of joints.". Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. But Harp said she then ran afoul of the sheriff when she stole $80,000 from a home in the community of Hilltop. Phillips paid off the drug debts of her brother, Robert McKnight. : This is his tale about life as a marijuana moonshiner in the Ozark Mountains, and the corrupt sheriff who made it all possible. I have read this book a few years ago, it is actually written about the Sheriff of Madison County in Arkansas. Whenever I read this kind of sad story, I'm reminded of the late Ralph Baker, the controversial sheriff of Madison County for many years who was found dead inside his car in January of 1998 after it reportedly washed off a low-water bridge over the White River in rural Madison County. "That's all I realized, and that he was a very small man.". In his book he talks about being involved in alleged marijuana-growing operations under Baker, and current Madison County Sheriff Philip Morgan said McElyea found himself in the county jail. Listen 5:20. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. : When Minor balked, the up-front demand was reduced to $10,000. I've lived there all my life. With a handful of household chemicals and some ingredients used in hog feed, dealers can produce a drug that sells for $1,600 to $2,000 an ounce. Of Harp's insistence that he admonished her to keep silent, he said: "That's bull****.". One of the transactions is the partnership with Ham and his wife, Margie. For at least half his life, he was known to . But McKnight told investigators the incident had happened in the weeks before Phillips' death. He also does not obtain court orders for the destruction of drugs, creating what other police officials say is the potential for theft. : For one drug dealer who operates within a mile of downtown Huntsville, that means raising and spending as much as $6,000 a week. Crystal meth, known as "crank," is imported from California and Mexico. Baker declined to discuss the case, referring all questions to the empty court file. Absent proof of the drug allegations, he said, there were insufficient grounds to bring criminal charges. Ralph Baker had served as Sheriff of Madison County, Arkansas, from 1973 until his tragic death on January 5, 1998. In the past two weeks, he has not returned the newspaper's telephone calls. 'Cause he works all year round. If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. In that time, Baker has taken only one mortgage, for $8,000. "We are more convinced than ever that we have a lawsuit against all three defendants. "The lawyer asked about his brother and whether he signed one too. He was attempting to cross a low water bridge which was covered with water. 'Cause people just don't understand Meth and the hillbillies that cook it are alive and well in Booger county. Ralph A. Baker Birth 17 Aug 1908 Death 6 Jan 1978 (aged 69) Burial. They haven't seen him since. Ozark Folk Magic: Plants, Prayers & Healing. And you'll never live long enough to see him out of the pen again,'" Minor remembers. The evidence was discovered when deputies picked her up for the burglary. Residents mostly blame the label on their snobbish neighbors in Washington County to the west. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. 185 In Huntsville's drug community, sex is just another form of currency. Learn more about the program. He said one envelope contained $200, the other $1,000. But Baker later solicited the Democrat-Gazette's help. "Why don't you cool down? That came soon after Minor and Samuelson had taken one of Baker's informants into the woods and pulled four of his teeth with pliers. From the first marijuana seed he planted, to the Devil's bargain Mac struck with Sheriff Baker, this book explores their harrowing journey on the twisted outlaw trail. Baker, who earns $31,000 a year as Madison County's sheriff and tax collector, declines to talk about his land deals. On June 13, 1987, Baker and former Huntsville Police Chief Ed Sharp arrested a 19-year-old retarded Rogers man on allegations he had stolen two baseball cards during the annual "Hawgfest" on the town square. Noah A. Leathem. When Money Grew on Trees: The True Tale of a Marijuana Moonshiner and the Outlaw Sheriff of Madison County, Arkansas. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Although Ralph's brilliant mind was compromised by dementia, his instincts remained keen. Martin said the land remains unimproved, "just woods.". October 19, 1997 at 8:55 p.m. There were three Bakers, so they each wanted $5,000. To some he's just a fool. "Ralph don't put up with any bull****. He says he has personally investigated allegations involving Baker and the county's drug dealing and found no basis for them. Along the way, the unlikely duo of lawman and outlaw discovered that greed ruins even the best-laid plans, and the Devil always gets His due. He starts his shift each day I've got a pistol back there, and -- if somebody comes for me -- I'm ready.". Create a free ODMP account now for these benefits: Create an account for more options, or use this form to leave a Reflection now. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. What do you remember about Sheriff Baker? Throughout the afternoon, they would ignore what officers later insisted were bloodstains on Cain's tennis shoes. Testimony showed that, in one precinct, 140 people signed in to vote, and 155 cast ballots. Interviews with investigators indicate the conversation went something like this: "Billie Phillips is dead," Baker told Fogley. An itemization in the auditor's working papers shows $4,511.93 was paid to confidential informants between July 14, 1995, and Oct. 23, 1996. But a check of probate records in Madison County shows no evidence of an inheritance by either. The lumber and wood-products business is a major source of employment, according to census records. Now, Baker and the state police are back in charge. INSCRIPTION: (Shierff badge with "Ralph Baker Shierff Madison County) married March 3, 1956 To make it safe on the streets. Harper told Minor that an important part of the deal was to ensure Craig did not have to report to a probation officer and undergo periodic drug testing. But live-in girlfriends aren't hard to find. The state last audited the drug fund in 1996. With his badge pinned on his chest. "We're not talking about much money.". Arkansas Forestry Commission figures show Madison County produced 111,557 tons of hardwood and 11,502 tons of pine in 1996. Despite his license plate, the sheriff doesn't know either. ", "He does pretty good for himself for an old country boy," said Berrian Brashears of Clinton, who sold Ralph Baker, Kenneth Baker and another cousin, Bob Baker, a tract of old family land for $7,000 in 1986. He does it everyday. Steven Dwan Treat (Appointed 12 Jan 1998) 1951/10/19. "A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck and day to day. However, revenue stamps on the sale of the remaining 80 acres to Dr. F. Allan Martin and Debbie Martin of Fayetteville indicate the Bakers and Hams got $39,000 -- a 628 percent increase in the per-acre price. Discover more of the authors books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Most of Baker's transactions have occurred since 1982, with bursts of activity in the late 1980s and 1992-94. "So?" Baker's biggest transaction occurred two years ago. they don't exist". He said that Baker had not contacted him until F.M. As a teen-ager, Sandra Harp said, she and Baker's daughter moved freely through the sheriff's office and the jail. Some reviewers didn't like the fact that the author would "reveal" something bad coming up before it happened but Joe said that it did not have a negative effect on the story for him. Minor asked him to get involved, and that all of the dealings with Baker and deputy prosecutor Billy Allred were aboveboard. I don't owe anything, and I haven't owed anything in years.". Today, his presence continues to be felt across the county. Sergeant ", But Enfield did say the trial helped illustrate that Madison County is a "different world.". ", Another secret is avoiding long-term debt, he said. Baker Street Behavioral Health is a professional behavioral health center that trusts in combination, joint effort, and quality clinical help. There is a little town on the map in the book on Highway 23S called Witter. Phillips had a strong dose of methamphetamine in her bloodstream. : They would fail to note that a vacuum cleaner normally kept behind the bedroom door was in the middle of the room and would overlook the fact that its bag was missing. In the words of one person who viewed a videotape of the crime scene made at 4:30 that afternoon, the bed appeared to have been "wallered in." , Paperback Otherwise, he has paid cash. Although the hills and hollows echoed with whispers after the sheriff's alleged suicide, no one dared to reveal the hidden truth behind his double life. Baker's second-biggest transaction involved a land-for-land trade with the federal government. He said I'd be dead by September anyway.". I pray for solace for all those who love and miss 1963 - 1972. The check was issued June 19, 1989, by a Michigan-based police insurance risk pool. Baker declined to say whether he and Noreta had family money to work with. It could also have something to do with land prices, which can vary widely. It's one of the last places where you can get a little privacy.". Another poll watcher, Derice Davis, signed an affidavit saying that Baker spent most of election day on the porch outside the Hilburn precinct. 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