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.
I Have Done My Best
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
Dear readers, I have loved you so dearly. The clang of my typewriter has been a lovely sound late into the night, but the thoughts of people young and old, rich or poor, reading the stories I researched fills my heart with joy. Unfortunately, this task has been dangerous to my well-being.
Police are sure the awful men associated with Mr. Hindley found me because of a courier sending drafts and notes to and from the station. As a result, I am being taken out of the Five States.
I neither enjoy this nor asked for this, but I will comply, for I do not relish anyone dying for the news of the world. I will still attempt to write, but this may prove difficult so long as that British gangster still holds power, and that cursed black ship of sorts still delivers.
Citizens of the Five States region, your worries, and dreams are like songs to me. Passed from person to person, collected and written down, never to be forgotten. I truly have tried my best, and I am sorrowful that I may have let you down, but I will always cherish and love the time we spent together.
New Austin outlaws brought to heel by posse of gunslingers
By Jose Chavez
A group of outlaws believed responsible for several robberies in New Austin have been brought to an end this week. The gang was wanted for over a dozen robberies and two murders. Among the items that were stolen were weapons, jewelry, money, and one rare painting being transported to be loaned to a museum. A posse formed by gunslingers affected by the string of robbers found the outlaws camped out at the Sea of Coronado. The posse set up an ambush and attacked under the cover of darkness. The leader of the gang through his hands up in defeat once all the rest of his gang was killed.
The leader was brought in to Tumbleweed, where he was arrested for his crimes. Deputies returned with the posse and collected what they could of the stolen goods. After the man was arrested the posse was given free drinks at the Tumbleweed saloon as a thank you for their service.
WANTED!
Investigators: Travel the Five States and report on what is going on.
Writers: Write the stories investigators find!
Photographers:
To take photographs to be used in the Herald.
Can also do all three!
Emmaline W. Haven remains silent
By Jane Duran
For one week Emmaline W. Haven has been in police custody. For one week, Mrs. Haven has remained silent. However, investigators have learned some critical information about Mrs. Haven’s past. Mrs. Haven is the wife of Mr. Winslow Haven, a man who has been missing for nearly as long as The Executioner has been wanted. In fact, early in the investigation into The Executioner, Mrs. Haven was questioned due to her husband having been reported missing by coworkers. At the time, Mrs. Haven said she was aware he was missing but paid it no mind, saying, “he’s probably with some floozy and too caught up to remember to come home.”
She was a person of interest but never referred to as a suspect. Mr. Haven is still missing, though at this point investigators believe he is likely dead. “Mr. Winslow Haven was probably her first victim, still in a lake somewhere or one of the bodies recovered too damaged to identify,” said one of the investigators. Mrs. Haven is remaining silent.
Blackwater stables holds grand reopening
By Odell Clifton
For nearly a year now a strange bug has infested the Five States. The insect breeds in the ear canals of horses and then spreads to other biological hosts. In this case, the human caretakers of the horses left at the stable. “We learned that the bugs are parasitic and are able to drive themselves into the brains of hosts,” said one researcher, “once inserted into the brain, they can exert mild control over their hosts.” This control was most commonly displayed as a defensive action where stable hands would lock the doors of stables to keep customers trapped inside. Being trapped inside made them vulnerable to infection, furthering the spread of the bugs.
An insecticide was identified that worked on the bugs and was initially successful, however, it also caused damage to the brains of those who were treated. In time the bugs become resistant, reducing the value of the previous treatment. The new treatment use the same insecticide, but combined with other chemicals and natural oils. The treatment has been being applied in secret for weeks now. New stable hands treated horses while infected stable hands also received treatment. The treatment was also spread throughout other areas horses live. Wild horses were even treated. Researchers can finally announce their efforts were successful. Sells of horses, saddles, and other supplies have gone up.
Scandal! Local governments funding California city!
By Frederick Vannesse
This week, after a thorough investigation, it was learned that the state governments of the Five States are funding expansions in the city of Los Angeles. The economy in the growing west coast city has been flourishing with steady investments over the last several years. However, it was only learned recently that a considerable amount of those investments in Los Angeles came from the state governments of Ambarino, Lemoyne, New Austin, New Hanover, and West Elizabeth. The root of the scandal is the fact that no new investments have been made in the Five States. Each of the five state’s governments have done little to grow the economy in the Five States, leaving the region in a holding pattern. Plenty of folks still live and work in the region, but there have been no new investments or new jobs in the region. Even the economy has stagnated, with no new items being delivered to the Five States. It is as if the Five States is trapped in time.
Residents are understandably upset that their home states seem to have been abandoned as investments are made elsewhere, on the other side of the nation. The latest investments include a variety of new clothing items that many Five States residents would like to see brought to their local stores. Nobody in any of the region’s state governments responded to our request for a comment.
Drunken cowpokes get rowdy but fight is anticlimactic
By Emery Cosberry
Half a dozen cowpokes walked into Smithfield’s Saloon this week with one goal in mind: to get drunk. They each took seats at the bar and began ordering their drink of preference. The bartender said they started drinking with purpose, swallowing down alcohol as if they had little time left to live. “I’ve seen folks drink to drown the sorrows or fight the pain, but this was different,” the bartender said, “they seemed to have the goal of just being drunk for no other reason than to be drunk.” Eventually each cowpoke seemed to hit their limit, teetering on their seats until one stood up. He stumbled and pushed one of the other drunk cowpokes which ignited a brawl, of a sort.
One drunkard swung on another, missing by a mile and falling to the ground. Another tried to tackle a cowpoke still drinking, but missed and crashed into one of the solid wood columns holding the building up. They all ended up on the floor, rolling around and swinging fists and feet wildly in the air. Local deputies were brought in to drag the drunk cowpokes out. For once, the “brawl” ended with nobody hurt.
Bounty hunter lives to fight another day thanks to some help from a stranger
By Emeline Vickroy
A bounty hunter known only by the name “Nova” was ambushed heading into Saint Denis to deliver a bounty. While she managed to fight off a couple of the attackers, she was shot in the shoulder and taken down. Witnesses say she fell off of her house and landed hard on the road. The ambushers swarmed the downed bounty hunter when more shots were heard, this time coming at the ambushers. The attackers were caught by surprise and were unable to mount a counterattack, dying to the new comers gun. Witnesses say a cowpoke holstered his carbine repeater and then dismounted, helping the bounty hunter up.
Nova quickly jumped on her horse and rode off with the bounty still bound. After turning in the bounty and dressing her wound she looked for the cowpoke that saved her life. She was unable to find him, but when she saw me talking to witnesses had this to say. “If you read this paper, thank you,” Nova said, “thank you for saving my life!”
Private investigators arrive in the Five States in great force
By Adam Parvey
Local law enforcement has had their hands full with a myriad of problems and this has resulted in the investigation into the attack on the Five States printing presses being largely ignored. Our own Lead Correspondent, Sofia Kathleen Fairfax, has led the investigation herself but has been limited by the constant watchful eye of Andrew Hindley, the target of her investigation. This paper’s owner, William Warrington III, has put forth a small fortune to hire private investigators to follow up on Miss Fairfax’ leads. The private investigators have stationed themselves in every town and city in the Five States. Local law enforcement have had mixed opinions.
“Having a few more armed, intimidating, mostly law abiding, folks around tends to help keep things calm,” said a deputy in Annesburg. Sheriff Malloy in Valentine had a different opinion. “More armed folks just creates more tension,” said Sheriff Malloy, “young guns always looking to prove themselves against folks of stature.” The private investigators have assured local law enforcement they will limit their activities to searching for Mr. Hindley and his known associates.
The Five States Herald 