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.
The future of the Five States still being debated
By Adam Parvey
What does the future of the Five States hold? Most claim the future is a bit bland, mostly more of the same. For residents of the Five States, it is like being stuck in time that never progresses. Those residents remain in the Five States because they enjoy it as is regardless of what the future looks like. Others remain hopeful, saying that the powers that be will soon return to invest in the Five States. “Other investments are tying up the rich people who have funded this region in the past,” said one resident, “those investments will eventually return to the Five States.” The poor fellow was mocked while sharing his theory at Smithfield’s Saloon in Valentine, with many folks telling him to give up. Some came to the hopeful cowpoke’s defense. “Takes a lot of gall to mock this poor fella while so many are still living here, despite the lack of opportunities,” a cowpoke scolded the mockers before leaving the saloon for the night.
The truth is nobody knows what the future of the Five States holds, though, recent action seems to suggest the Five States will remain underfunded and forgotten. “It seems to me that everyone is starting to forget about the West, the freedom of the range and roaming an untamed land,” said another cowpoke, “it seems oddly fitting the Five States would also be forgotten, left in the past where freedom and an untamed wilderness still exist.
Armadillo immortal?
By Jose Chavez
The good folks of Armadillo have had a rough life, plagued by illnesses and bad luck, many have fled. Those who stay in Armadillo live a hollow life. Despite this, the town still has a fully functioning sheriff’s office, general store, and of course, saloon. The plagues of Armadillo seemed to have had a strange side effect on at least one resident: they have become immortal. A violent resident named Theodore started attacking otheres randomly and when folks fought back, Theodore was unable to be brough down.
“I shot him, clean in the head, multiple times,” said one traveler, “he seemed to just shrug, look at him and fired back.” The traveler was hit in the shoulder and forced to retreat. The local sheriff’s office was unable to bring Theodore down either. A telegram was successfully sent out, however, and state police were able to reinforce the cursed town. Though they were also unable to harm Theodore, they did chase him off.
“I don’t know what could cause such a thing,” said a doctor who volunteers a lot of time treating Armadillo residents, “perhaps his body has just become so resistant because of Armadillo that he is resistant to death itself.” Many say this is nonsense and I have trouble believing it myself. But several witness corroborated the story, making seem at least possible.
New details about “The Executioner”
By Jane Duran
The weeks long investigation has turned up some solid information o the serial killer now being called The Executioner. While investigators still do not know how the killed chooses their victims, they are certain that Ambarino has just been a dumping ground so far. “We have identified a number of victims, but we will be keeping those identities under wraps for now,” the lead investigator said Nicholas Harrison, “but what we can say, is not a single victim lived in Ambarino.” Victims are said to have come from as far as New Austin. “This suggest the killer catches the victim unaware somewhere else, then captures and kills them and so far have dumped the bodies in Ambarino.” Officer Harrison said. It is unclear how long The Executioner keeps his victims captive before they are killed. Authorities are also no closer to identifying the killer or stopping him.
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!
Blackwater man reported missing
By Odell Clifton
Irving Folden has lived in Blackwater for more than a decade and witnessed the rapid change of the modernizing town. His disappearance was quickly noticed and unexpected. “By the time the wife came to file the missing persons report, folks already seemed to have noticed ole Folden wasn’t around,” said Chief of the Blackwater Police Oswald Dunbar. Mr. Folden’s wife, Edith, said that she last saw her husband head to the Blackwater Saloon on Wednesday. Witnesses at the saloon confirm seeing Mr. Folden at the saloon. “He drank a fair bit until it was dark,” said one witness, “then he got up, and stumbled out of the saloon.”
Mr. Folden does not live far from the saloon but was stumbling bad. Another witness saw Mr. Folden get help from a woman, who guided him on his horse and started riding toward his house. According to his wife, however, he never arrived. “I never saw anyone ride by our house with him,” said Mrs. Folden, “certainly nobody dropped him off.” The woman could not be identified as nobody got a good look of her. in fact, only one witness saw Mr. Folden get on the horse with a woman, so it is unclear if it happened at all. Blackwater police are now searching the local areas for Mr. Folden while state police are expanding the search into the greater West Elizabeth territory. .
Murder by train near Bard’s Crossing
By Donna Deshner
The train came into Valentine like it had many times before, but upon stopping the conductor quickly exited and ran to the town sheriff’s office. “He was in a fair bit of a panic,” said Sheriff Curtis Malloy, “said he witnessed a murder, four or five men putting another on the track to be ran over.” Unable to stop the speeding train, the conductor said the train ran the body over. “I, I couldn’t stop it,” the conductor explained, “I saw the, thought they were outlaws attempting to hold us up so I sped the train up and then saw that poor fella on the tracks.” Deputies were sent to investigate and they did indeed find a body near the tracks. The body could not be identified, being described as “completely destroyed.”
The men who were seen at the location could also not be identified, as they were only described as “average” looking. The conductor admitted they could be anyone and so the sheriff ended the investigation. The train company sent a maintenance crew to clean the tracks and ensure they safety for continued use.
Dock fight ends quickly before it spreads into full fledge riot
By Emeline Vickroy
Violence at the Saint Denis docks is quite common. Many rough and tumble types make a living working on the docks, a difficult and often dangerous job. Dock works frequently get into fights with each and other others. This week a traveler bumped into a dock worker and accidently started a fight. The dock worker’s fellow joined, making it a two on one fight against the traveler. Witnesses promptly ran to the police station to report the physical altercation. However, by the time the police arrived the traveler had knocked both men down. Witnesses nearby described the fight as a display of skill and ferocity. “He dodged, ducked, dipped, dived, and dodged!” the witness said, “and then he punched and punched so hard both men were knocked out cold!”
The traveler offered no resistance to the investigating police officers. After taking witness statements and the traveler’s statements, the traveler was allowed to leave. The traveler did not wish to press charges on the dock workers and so the policemen left the men on the dock to sleep it off.
Prostitute Or Lady? Who can tell?
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
The march of time never stops; progress can backslide, but rarely is it ever extinguished. Women are among that category, and now we have the great honor of knowing, few can tell the difference between ladies and prostitutes.
This has been an issue growing out of London, and it has been noted in major cities like New York and even Saint-Denis to a degree. If you see a woman walking on the streets, how can one tell between a lady of the night and just a plain lady?
This didn’t used to be an issue; it was pretty clear at a glance who was in what profession, but the aforementioned marching of time has blurred the line due to advancements in jobs and fashion. The best old shorthand came from the playwright John Gay in 1716.
“No stubborn Stays her yielding Shape embrace; Beneath the Lamp her tawdry Ribbons glare, The new-scowerʼd Manteau, and the slattern Air; High-draggled Petticoats her Travels show, And hollow Cheeks with artful Blushes glow; With flattʼring Sounds she sooths the credʼlous Ear, My noble Captain! Charmer! Love! my Dear!”
In essence, those who wear nothing but damaged and decaying dresses and ribbons, those who lack stays, and those who wear heavy makeup on the cheeks, probably are not churchgoers. I have no judgment for such ladies, but it’s helpful to tell who is who in times like this.
Famous Fireman Misidentified!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
When you write the deeds of history, you better get it right. It’s a thought that occurs to anyone researching, was this information recorded correctly? The majority of the time, it is correct, but there is a decent number of times where you are working with pure fiction.
This has befallen a researcher looking into the life of Frederick Swiger, a German firefighter who heroically saved a family decades ago in New York. The researcher had little to go on beyond a few newspaper articles and a photo of a young man in uniform. It was marked as Swiger; of course it was him.
This week, a museum in New York found the original negatives of that photo, and It appears the label was… just fireman. It didn’t claim to be Federick Swiger. This information was heartbreaking to the researcher, showing that despite being a great hero, we now know almost nothing. The researcher will continue his quest for knowledge, even if the light has dimmed at finding what he needs.
So let this be a lesson, double-check where you got your information from, and for the love of Mary, mark your newspaper photos or photograph collections correctly. The future historian going through this will thank you.
Gas powered automobiles not the only option
By Ivy Seager
Though gas powered automobiles are just now becoming popular in the developed world, it already faces competition by an alternative type of engine: electric powered. London, England has seen a fleet of electric taxis. These electric powered taxies are made of wagons that would have once been pulled by a horse. An electric motor is added that turns a belt, which in turn makes the wheels move and propels the vehicle forward. Because the vehicle itself is a repurposed wagon, the electric taxis ca be produced relatively cheaply and quickly. Removing the horse from the vehicle promises to clean up the streets, as horse excrement has created unsanitary situations on public roads, a problem that does not exist with the electric vehicles.
Producers of gas powered vehicles are not threatened by this competition. “These vehicles are more of the same, slightly modified,” said a Winton Automobile spokesmen, “our vehicles are an innovation, and sure to take you where you want to go and not just around the city.” Time will tell which type of engine proves most successful, or if the automobile will simply fail to replace the horse and buggy.
The Five States Herald 