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.
Highwaymen taking of the roads in the Five States?
By Lucien Privitt
Word of tariffs being extracted from travelers has started to spread around the Five States. One cowpoke came into the Blackwater Saloon and told his story. His story started with a long elk hunt. “I found me a decent elk, killed and skinned it,” the cowpoke said, “was riding south to sell the pelt when I ran into a pair of highwaymen.” They described the highwayman as, “two, rather calm and friendly folks.” In fact, when the cowpoke asked what the toll to pass the road was, they said it was a tip of the hat and a friendly hello. “Seemed to me these men were less about restricting road use and more about keeping folks friendly,” said the cowpoke, “it certainly made my day.”
For brightening his day with their friendliness, the cowpoke gave them the elk pelt he was planning to sell. “The few dollars I would have gotten ain’t nearly as valuable as running into friendly folks,” the cowpoke said. They clarified that the elk pelt was not a demand and that the highwaymen tried to refuse it. Similar encounters have been reported recently thought few have complained about it. “I like that there are folks out there making the Five States a friendlier place,” said on resident. Lawmen around the region have warned residents that they do not have to obey orders from these highwaymen, though few have suggested that a tip of the hat is a price to high to pay.
Rare coyote spotted and photographed
By Jose Chavez
The red striped coyote is said to roam Hennigan’s Stead, but it is rarely seen. Though it roams int he day, it’s habitat overlaps with Pike’s Basin, a known outlaw hideout. Those looking to see the rare coyote must do so without raising the ire of hiding outlaws, who are not keen on being seen by strangers. However, perfect weather conditions gave animal watchers the opportunity they had been waiting for. A recent heavy downpour flooded Pike’s Basin, pushing outlaws out of the hideout for the time being. The next sunny day, photographers were able to explore the area without fear and to their delight, the red striped coyote appeared.
Several naturalists were able to obtain photographs long before outlaws returned to the area. The outlaws did return to the area, however and soon the region became dangerous once more.
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!
Calumet Ravine search reveals nearly two dozen bodies
By Jane Duran
Two weeks ago a dead body was reported at Calumet Ravine. Authorities investigated and found three dead bodies, all killed by a gunshot wound to the head. For two weeks the investigation has continued and an additionally 22 bodies were found. Most of the bodies were far too decomposed to determine much about their wounds, though the gunshot wound to the head was present in all of them. Investigators are now certain that a serial killer is on the loose in the Five States. “While we do not know much about the killer at this point, we do know he kills his victims with a gunshot to the head,” stated a spokesman for the Ambarino State Rangers, “but at this point we do not know how he chooses his victims, other than as far as we can tell they are all males.” The victims that were not completely decomposed were identified as males and so the other bodies are assumed to be male as well.
The remains were collected for further investigation.
Man survives aggressive bear attack
By Odell Clifton
Bear attacks in Tall Trees have ben on the rise. The beasts have shown no fear as humans continue to spread in the region, leading to an increase in reports of bear attacks. While black bears are known to flee at the sight of humans, grizzlies have been more aggressive than ever. This week a Tall Trees resident was headed home on a dark night. Just as he headed for the door he heard it, the panting of a running bear. He dodged to the side on instinct as the bear crashed into the wall, bouncing away momentarily. He used that brief moment to quickly open the door, get inside and slam the door shut behind him. The bear circled the house a few times before retreating into the dark.
While this encounter ended with the attacked person surviving, not all altercations have ended as such. “We’ve seen a lot of dead travelers, mauled to death by grizzlies,” said a West Elizabeth State official, “shockingly, in some cases the body is left to rot, nothing eaten.” The state official suggested this means the attacks are pure aggression, ant not just bears hunting humans for food. “They have identified us as competition,” said one naturalist, “and so naturally, they are fighting back.” Cautions is advised while traveling in Tall Trees, especially at night.
Ogre in Valentine?
By Donna Deshner
A group of ranch hands fled the sheep pens in terror. One witness described their flight from the pens as, “frantic, like they just saw the devil himself!” The men ran to the sheriff’s office, where Sheriff Curtis Malloy quickly grew frustrated with them. “The Sheriff was tired of the way they just kept talking over each other, you see one would say a word and then the other would just jump in and then the third and it was just noise after awhile,” said one of the deputies. Sheriff Malloy kicked all of the men out but one and finally got the story straight. “This feller said that, he and his fellows encountered an ogre,” said Sheriff Malloy, “some kind of creature one of them read about in some book, if you can believe any of them can read.”
One by one they told their story to Sheriff Malloy. They headed into work when a large, man-like creature rose out of the muck and shouted at them. The “ogre’s” words were not clear, as none of the men could recall what it said. They just described a ferocious beast wearing a fur vest that nearly attacked them. Sheriff Malloy sent two deputies to investigate, but they found no evidence of the ogre. “What kind of ferocious beast leaves vulnerable sheep alive?” asked on deputy, suggesting the ogre was unlikely a real monster, “I suspect, in fact, it was just some man whose sleep was interrupted.” It is true that folks often take naps in the sheep pens. While not the peak of comfort, the pens do offer a roof to protect from inclement weather, assuming you can stomach the stench. In fact, there was evidence that someone had slept in the very area the “ogre” rose from. The men, however, are sticking with their story.
Gun Salesmen Saves Life!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
The mail-order catalog has been a boon for marketing and sales, but it can also occasionally save someone’s life. This may sound improbable, and it very much is, but truth is stranger than fiction.
Seymour Cartwright is just a lowly homeowner in Saint-Denis. There’s very little remarkable about him; by his own words, he is unmarried, works a stable job, and has few friends. He recently ordered a fancy Cattleman revolver, perhaps to pass the time. After sending in the order, a cabinet fell on Cartwright, pinning him close to his living room.
He couldn’t push the cabinet away, and nobody came, no matter how much he screamed. Time passed, he got hungry, and tired, darkness crept into his home. He was sure death was near; he made his peace with a higher power, and silently waited for the end to come.
Instead, a man working for Wheeler and Rawson knocked on the door with his new revolver. He waited for Cartwright to open the door, but he didn’t. As he was about to leave, the salesman thought he heard movement, so he looked through a window. There, the salesman saw the injured man near death. He ran and got help; by sheer luck, Cartwright pulled through.
Now, the man has a fancy gun, and a close friend. All saved by the power of the mail order catalog; now that’s quality service.
Civil War Ironclad for Sale!!!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
One of the great inventions of the Civil War was the ironclad vessel, a ship made of pure iron that could deflect a direct hit from a cannon. They weren’t invulnerable, but they could take a lot of punishment and keep on fighting.
They remained immensely popular for decades after the conflict, but have since grown outdated and old. The deck guns and artillery now used can easily punch a hole through the armor, they are large slow targets, and the cannons are sluggish. One by one, they have been sold off to various nations that still want something more substantial than a wooden sailing ship.
One such ironclad is the USS Little Turtle, built in the 1870s and used for various patrol duties along the Lannahechee River. Because of its river design, it can’t easily be sold off to European countries, so it’s being privately put up for auction. Anyone in the Five States can bid on this ship, with the starting bid being around 10,000 dollars. Tycoons and other rich folk are expected to dominate the bidding scheme; you never know when an ironclad might be needed to suppress the workers. Whoever buys it, I hope it doesn’t immediately sink from years of disuse.
Nobody will say what play is about, but claim Good Mr. Best was the best
By Frederick Vannesse
John McNally’s musical Good Mr. Best received rave reviews over the weekend. However, ask what it was about and you will get no answer. Reviews have left details of the plot out of their write ups. Those who have seen the play have sealed their lips, promising it is worth one’s time but giving no other details. McNally is not a well known playwright but words of Good Mr. Best is spreading and may end up being his most successful musical of all time. Part of the fervor around the play is the mystery surrounding its plot. Theater goers are intrigued by the lack of knowledge but seem to then embrace it after seeing the play, joining the silence and giving no info about the plot. If you are interested in Good Mr. Best it seems you will need to see it for yourself.
New engine patented
By Ivy Seager
Automobiles as a mode of transportation have fascinated many but been adopted by few. That has not stopped many investors, however, who believe automobiles to be the future of transportation. As a result, new waves of invention have begun. Rudolf Diesel has successfully filed for a patent for a new type of internal combustion engine that will be more fuel efficient than the other engines. Prototypes of the engine are currently too large for automobiles but can be used for ships and other types of mechanical devices, such as those seen in factories. The more efficient engine will be cleaner burning and cause less hazardous air conditions. The “Diesel engine” will continue to be refined and may very well be the standard of automobile engines in the future.
The Five States Herald 