Mission Statement:
To endeavor to bring to all residents of the Five States the most current and important news from across the entire Five States region. Never yellow, the Five States Herald vows to serve only the people of the Five States, from New Austin to Lemoyne, free of charge now and forever.
Treasure Hunt Continues off Cape Cod!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
Pirate treasure, by and large, is a myth. Much as Treasure Island may protest, there’s no real written record of a pirate burying treasure on a forgotten inlet, full of stolen diamonds or gold, waiting to be discovered. That doesn’t mean there aren’t lost pirate items people search endlessly for. The greatest prize might not be one of monetary value, but of historical worth!
In 1717 the Whydah, a pirate ship commanded by Samuel Bellamy, sank in a storm off Cape Cod. Nearly two centuries later, and its location remains unknown. This ship has enticed many would-be pirate enthusiasts and historians to search for it. To date, no pirate ship has ever been recovered after its loss. Such a find would be monumental to those in the field.
Of course, Cape Cod is neither a small nor quiet place; we only know it sank off the coast. That could be a large number of places, sometimes many feet down under the waves. Finding it will probably take more luck than anything else.
Still, many persist, either to advance history or just that indelible human spirit of not letting an unsolved puzzle stay unsolved. Odds are, one lucky person will find real pirate treasure, and be rewarded greatly for it.
Bodies of a dozen federal agents found in Lake Don Julio
By Wylie Frey
Early this week twelve federal agents arrived in New Austin. The group was assigned border patrol duties along the New Austin’s southern border. Within two days they were reported as missing when they failed to check in with New Austin Rangers in Plainview, as planned. A search was quickly organized and within hours the agents were found. One of the search party members noticed a floating body in Lake Don Julio. Other bodies were noticed as well. The party took boats onto the lake and searched for more bodies though it took another day for the rest to float to the top of the lake. Each of the bodies was riddled with bullet holes and had markings on their wrists and ankles that suggests they were bound. The investigators are currently operating the assumption that the agents were ambushed and then executed in a firing line.
The Del Lobo gang is the prime suspect. “We don’t have direct evidence,” said one of the investigators, “but it happened in an area they claim to own.” It is possible Mexican migrants are to blame, but given that the agents were well trained and armed, it seems unlikely. New agents are expected to arrive in New Austin this week.
Outlaws cleared out of Bacchus Station with an unusual assist
By Jane Duran
A cowpoke told a wild story in Van Horn this week about a “nest of villainy” that he found at Bacchus Station. “I saw the outlaws while still in the tree line,” the cowpoke said, “and I knew I had to do something about it.” Bacchus Station is often thought of as abandoned, but in fact, functions as a freight station. The station’s sole use is for the delivery of freight, which is then hauled to the nearby Fort Wallace. However, as Fort Wallace has not been manned in years, Bacchus Station has fallen into a state of disrepair. Outlaws often take over the area, using the station as shelter and passing trains to refill their pockets via theft. This time, the outlaws met their match.
The cowpoke who discovered them quickly went to work, using a rifle to pick off several of them before charging in. “A shotgun is great for these types of situations,” the cowpoke said, “devastating damage to really terrify your enemy.” The attack was so terrifying in fact, that two of the outlaws fled. Unfortunately for them, they fled right into the a moving train. “Train didn’t make any warning sounds,” the cowpoke laughed, “it’s almost as if he wanted to run them fellers over.” The engineer waved at the cowpoke, who returned the wave and jumped on their horse and headed to Van Horn for a drink and to tell their tale.
Shipwreck in the Dakota River
By Daisy Fairman
Roscoe O. Teeter is a wealthy businessman who has spent the last several months collecting various artifacts. The artifacts were stored in Blackwater until this week, when they were loaded up onto a ship to be taken to Saint Denis. In Saint Denis, the items were scheduled for a short display at a museum before being auctioned off. “Mr. Teeter isn’t keen on giving detailed information to the papers, you see,” said Mr. Teeter’s assistant, “but the artifacts had a value much higher than any stablehand’s life!” It is unfortunate for Mr. Teeter then that the short trip to the docks of Saint Denis was waylaid by a sudden storm. The ship was pushed out of Flat Iron Lake into the Dakota River, where it bottomed out and wrecked in the shallows of the river. Word spread quickly and soon, dozens of folks were salvaging what they could.
Mr. Teeters guards rushed in to protect the shipwreck, however, these salvagers were armed and ready to shoot. Gunfights occurred all along the river and even a bit beyond. By the time lawmen arrived, the salvagers were gone and most of Mr. Teeter’s guards were dead. Only a portion of the artifacts were recovered. Though reluctant to tell the media, I learned from sources at the police station that Mr. Teeter is claiming a loss of $125,000.
New arrival to the Five States killed
By Donna Deshner
A man who had been in the Five States all of a few weeks was killed this week after they started acting aggressive at Smithfield’s Saloon. “This damn fella started fighting folks,” said one witness, “then he started shooting folks!” The man made their way outside of Smithfield’s Saloon where they were gunned down by a gunslinger. “It was funny really,” one Valentine resident said, “he came running out and got shot twice, just fell to the ground and, if you can believe it, spun around on his head!” The man laid on the ground for a moment, unconscious and bleeding when the gunslinger ran up to him and finished him with a knife stab. “I don’t know if the knife stab was necessary,” said a Valentine deputy, “but it seemed to be in defense of the town, so we ignored it.” The body was dragged outside of the town limits and the gunslinger was treated to free alcohol and food. Nobody aside from the aggressor was killed.
Man arrested for murder released hours later
By Emeline Vickroy
Early this week an Indian was arrested after killing a many with an ax. He drove the ax blade into the skull of his victim hard enough to kill him in a single strike. Saint Denis police quickly reacted and arrested the Indian, who offered no resistance. However, once police began investigating they realized the arrest was in error and the Indian was released. “Witnesses said the man we believed to be the victim initially was actually the attacker,” said Chief of Police Benjamin Lambert, “turns out the Indian was merely protecting his horse.” Stealing or killing a horse is punishable by death and as a result the Saint Denis police reasoned that the Indian’s actions were in accordance with the law.
Stage Actors Decry Motion Picture!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
For many generations, being an actor or actress meant being on the wicked stage. Theatrical and stage plays, from Greek Tragedy to Shakespeare! All the world’s a stage, and we are merely actors, as the saying goes. It’s not so simple now; there’s a new stage to dance on.
As our audience likely knows, there are motion pictures available now. From magic lantern shows and depictions of the abstract to more high-quality recordings of people in motion. Some see it as the new frontier of entertainment, a recording that shall stand the test of time and be shown from sea to shining sea. Others see a threat to their livelihood.
Stage actors protest these new devices, saying they cannot capture the emotion and raw talent you see before your eyes! They cannot record audio; one cannot just watch Romeo and Juliet in a theater. Others have noted that these new actors are all expressions and no soul, that real talent requires an audience before your eyes!
Of course those making the motion pictures disagree; this is art for you and me; it’s not just the upper class who can enjoy the theater. Whose argument will hold more water by the end of the century? None can say. I certainly believe dismissing this new technology on a whim is a premature attitude, but who is to tell the actress what to curtsey to? Does the raw sound of applause not matter?
The “Steel Pier” opens in New Jersey
By Frederick Vannesse
The 1,000 feet Steel Pier opens this weekend in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is an amusement park, similar to Coney Island, built on steel girders. The entire amusement park is built on the pier and so visitors experience their thrills while being above the ocean. The pier is said to be of sound construction and visitors should have no fear while enjoying the Steel Pier’s attractions. Steel Pier operators say the amusement park will be greater than Coney Island and offer entertainment for decades to come.
World leaders gather for investigate ‘longest year’
By Ivy Seager
A paper written early this year stunned academics and started a mild panic among leaders of nations. The paper observed that several events seem to repeat themselves. The Trans-Mississippi Exposition is one of the most significant examples, having had multiple grand openings despite never having actually closed. Plays have made multiple debuts years apart to audiences who describe seeing them for the first time twice. Other events nearly caused dire consequences. The explosion of the USS Lewiston kicked off the Spanish-American War and reports of it exploding a second time nearly reignited the war after it ended. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and the strange error was discovered. Leaders and academics from across the world will be meeting discuss this strange phenomena and its potential consequences.
The Five States Herald 