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.
Ghost Ship Spotted in Lemoyne!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax – Lead Correspondent
The word ghost ship conjures up images of ethereal vessels doomed to float across the oceans forever, the Flying Dutchman, and so forth. But that’s merely the ghost ships of mythology and legend, of stories told and written down. Ghost ships, can be quite real, and they aren’t haunted, as seen this week.
Citizens in Van Horn woke up to find a ship floating in the waters south of the trading post. It was not anchored, but rather just stuck near the shore. When people called for the crew, none appeared. Upon paddling out, it was discovered the crew was missing altogether.
Food was stale, and the sails were damaged, but everything appeared as it should, save one missing lifeboat.
The ship’s name is the Alice B. Deering, its port of origin is unclear at this time. Cargo was reported to be grain alcohol and little else. Authorities from Saint-Denis have forcibly taken control of the vessel to prevent looting and other misdeeds.
Investigations into the missing crew are underway, but most suspect they are probably dead already. Foul play is not suspected. Many locals are inquisitive about the event; it’s not every day a derelict vessel just shows up without a crew.
Demon in New Austin?
By Jose Chavez
Two cowpokes escaped a frightening situation, if their story is to be believed. While riding into New Austin, one of the pair noticed someone walking down the road, someone they later called a demon cowboy. The stranger was described as having, “yellow demon eyes with antlers coming out of him everywhere.” The cowpoke responded to the “demon” by pulling out their guns, however, the “demon” soon unholster their own firearms “as fast as lightening.” The antler covered stranger attempted to steal one of their horses and one of the pair fired on the demon, drawing its ire.
“I don’t know what happened but it didn’t seem to take any damage but quickly fired back,” one of them said. One of them fell to the ground, seriously wounded. The “demon” then fled with the stolen horse. The uninjured cowpoke quickly used got his friend onto their remaining horse to ride him to safety. “It was strange though, cuz the horse’s feet were on fire!” they said. Still, they got their friend to safety. No other sightings of the alleged demon cowboy were reported.
Bodies piling up in Ambarino
By Jane Duran
Pressure to release Emmaline Haven, accused of being the serial killer The Executioner, is mounting. For weeks several murders following the same patterns as The Executioner have been committed. Miss Haven could not have done these murders as she has been behind bars at an undisclosed location. Special Agent Rice Philips, head of The Executioner investigation, has maintained that these killings were copycats and reaffirmed that The Executioner is behind bars. Nearly a dozen bodies were found this week and Agent Philips says this is proof that it was not The Executioner.
“These bodies were not in these locations prior to Haven’s arrest,” Agent Philips says, “and only arrived in the last week or so, suggesting multiple copycats.” Agent Philips says that the supporters of Miss Haven have overplayed their hand by killing too many people for a single person. “While I am certain we have our… woman in this case… we will ramp up patrols,” Agent Philips said, “we will arrest any copycat killer and ensure they see the rope alongside Haven.”
Blackwater resident loses their mind
By Odell Clifton
A resident of Blackwater was sent to Williamsburg, Virginia to stay at the Eastern State Hospital. The facility is one of the few insane asylums in the U.S., and is in fact, the oldest. What was it that caused the resident to be sent away? He ran around Blackwater screaming that a shootout was happening in the street. Not only was not shootout occurring at the time, the man claimed two specific people were involved that could not have been. “He was shouting that Jessica LeClerk, along with some hired guns, was about to fight Amos Lancing and his allies,” said a Blackwater policeman, “Of course, Lancing has been dead for sometime now and LeClerk’s whereabouts are unknown.” The man stuck with his story, however, and eventually his friends and family determined he had lost his mind. He was put on a boat and sent to Virginia. It is unclear how long the man is expected to stay.
Cowpoke spends the day watching dog
By Emery Cosberry
A cowpoke with a soft spot for dogs gave up their entire day to watch over a dog this week. An animal rights group offered gold nuggets to those who would pet a dog. While many are drawn to these types of events for the gold as well as the petting, others are much more disruptive. “I’ve seen lots of folks brag about shooting dogs in front of those that love them,” said the dog guardian, “I when the dog at Emerald Ranch started getting plenty of visitors, I decided it was my job to keep him safe.” The cowpoke walked alongside the dog or occasionally sat nearby, all while resting his hand casually on his revolver. Several cowpokes came to pet the dog and many watched the dog’s guardian cautiously.
“To tell the truth, I was expecting them to shoot at me,” said one traveler, “but I heard they were protecting the dog so I tipped my hat toward them.” No violence befell the dog on that day.
Saloon fight, in Saint Denis!
By Emeline Vickroy
Saloon fights are about one of the most common occurrences in the Five States. However, it is not what you expect in a city like Saint Denis in a Saloon like the Bastille. According to witnesses, rival moonshiners confronted each other in the high class saloon. Several upper class residents fled as the fighting started. The saloon owner urged the fighters to go outside but by the time they actually did, it was too late. A table had been broken and several glasses were shattered. Witnesses described the fight as one sided, with one group of moonshiners quickly taking the upper hand and knocking out their rivals. However, a single tall rival remained.
The tall rival fled the saloon but was followed by the three moonshiners who had won the day. Witnesses say the tall man managed to take out one of his attackers before being knocked out himself. Police quickly arrived, blowing their whistles to announce their arrival. The winners of the fight collected their unconscious friend and fled the city. Policeman attempted to pursue but could not keep up with them as they fled on horseback. The losers of the fight were arrested for public indecency and are being investigated for connections to illegal moonshining operations.
Horse experts please: stop galloping on train tracks and paved roads!
By Frederick Vannesse
If you have spent any amount of time traveling in the Five States, you have likely seen a cowpoke riding hard along train tracks or over train bridges. An expert on horses is going around the Five States, acting as an ambassador for horse care. According to them, train tracks, whether brides or on solid ground, are not safe paths for horses to gallop on. “If a horse misses a track and steps in a gap, that’s a broken leg,” they said, “even tracks on the ground are built on rocks that could harm the horse’s feet!” The tracks, especially bridges, are often used as shortcuts by riders. They serve as easy guides to the next town for those interested in staying off the roads. Some of the risk can be reduced if riders would slow down and choose to walk.
“It’s not just tracks though,” they said, “paved roads such as Saint Denis can be a bit slippery for a horse so sprinting through is dangerous for the horse, the rider, and pedestrians.” In fact, the Saint Denis Police Department has documented hundreds of horse collisions that resulted in death. The ambassador is trying to make it easy on riders to better understand how to care for their horses. However, it seems that the convenience of a shortcut is likely to be more important than the comfort of their horse.
The Five States Herald 