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 legend of the Dead Man’s Gun
By Adam Parvey
A traveler passing through the Five States, who described themselves as a collector of strange histories from mining camps, cattle towns, river ports and lonely American roads, has given this newspaper a remarkable name for a weapon already familiar to our readers: the Dead Man’s Gun. This is the very gun once wielded by the famed Blackwater Trick Shooter until it was taken by the unnamed eccentric gunman. According to his account, the revolver is the subject of an old and wandering legend, said to have passed through the hands of duelists whose bullets struck with unnatural certainty. Men carrying it are not made invincible; they must still clear leather before the other fellow fires, but when they fire they are said to never miss. Thus its possessor may concern himself chiefly with speed, trusting whatever strange fortune resides in the iron to attend to the rest. Such an advantage has reportedly made ordinary gunfighters formidable and already gifted duelists nearly unstoppable.
Yet the Dead Man’s Gun has never remained long with one master. Its history, if the traveler’s collected tales are to be believed, is less a succession of victories than a procession of corpses. Some owners were murdered in their beds; others shot from concealment, poisoned, ambushed, or otherwise dispatched before hand could reach holster. On rarer occasions the gun’s certainty proved useless because its owner was simply a fraction too slow upon the draw. The traveler could not say how the celebrated Blackwater Trick Shooter came into possession of it, but his description of the weapon and the secrecy surrounding it bear an uncomfortable resemblance to the revolver that performer guarded so jealously. Moreover, the traveler showed a picture of the weapon to Blackwater residents who confirmed it is the very revolver they saw the Trick Shooter use. What audiences praised as astonishing skill may therefore have owed something to the Dead Man’s Gun.
That possibility carries grave consequences. The flamboyantly dressed stranger wanted for the Trick Shooter’s killing was seen taking the dead performer’s revolver from the Blackwater street and was later believed to be carrying that same weapon when he killed a retired duelist in Armadillo with a single shot between the eyes. Witnesses in both affairs described the stranger himself as extraordinarily quick, calm and deliberate. If the traveler’s legend is true, then the Five States now face a singularly dangerous combination: a pistol said never to miss in the hand of a man who scarcely seems to require its assistance. Legends grow taller with every telling, and this newspaper will not print campfire superstition as established fact. But if there is even a kernel of truth in the tale of the Dead Man’s Gun, then defeating its present bearer may depend upon catching him before he is ready, for few have a hope of outdrawing him.
Tragedy at Manteca Falls claims five lives
By Jose Chavez
What began as an afternoon’s recreation at Manteca Falls ended in calamity when roughly a dozen cowpokes swimming in the river above the falls were caught by the strengthening pull of the current and swept toward the precipice. The party reportedly entered the water without difficulty, but as the swimmers tired, several found themselves unable to make headway against the river; some struggled safely ashore, while just over half were carried helplessly over the falls and into the waters below. Five bodies have since been recovered, while one woman who made the terrible plunge was found alive in what witnesses are calling nothing short of miraculous fortune. Two other swimmers remain missing, and though searches continue along the river, there is little expectation that either shall be found alive. The tragedy stands as a grim warning to those tempted by the inviting waters above Manteca Falls: a river may appear gentle beneath the New Austin sun, yet near such a drop its current grants precious little mercy.
Revenue agents strike snowy Ambarino still
By Jane Duran
Revenue agents destroyed a moonshine operation in Ambarino at nightfall after discovering the still not within a cabin, cave, or cellar, but standing nearly in plain sight beneath the snow heavy trees, where its operators had apparently trusted the wilderness to conceal their trade. The agents struck as darkness settled over the woods, taking the moonshiners by surprise and provoking a short, deadly fight that left two of the distillers dead and a third in custody after surrendering. Sentiment throughout the Five States has long soured against the revenuers and their forceful campaigns, yet the agents show no intention of withdrawing from Ambarino or elsewhere. “We will continue to thwart these dangers to society, who put poisons into their products and deliver them to honest folk,” one Revenuer told the Herald following the raid, “the people may not like it, but it is what is best for them.” Such words are unlikely to improve the agency’s standing among frontier folk, particularly those who object to armed government men deciding what is best for them at the point of a rifle.
Blackwater herbalist warns of ginseng mix-up
By Daisy Fairman
A Blackwater herbalist has raised an unusual alarm after several foragers arrived over the past week carrying bundles of both American and Alaskan ginseng, apparently unaware that the similarly named herbs are quite different plants. American ginseng is generally recognized by its broad cluster of leaves and red berries when mature, while the Alaskan variety bears narrower foliage and favors the colder northern country; their medicinal preparations likewise differ in strength and character despite both enjoying reputations as restorative herbs. For many common tonics and remedies the confusion may amount to little more than an apothecary’s nuisance, the herbalist explained, but for certain ailments and preparations the wrong root may produce an improper treatment or even place a patient at risk. Determined to straighten out the matter before somebody’s stomach cure becomes something considerably less agreeable, the herbalist intends to travel among doctors throughout the Five States, inspecting their supplies and ensuring every bundle, jar, and dried root is properly labeled before it reaches another patient.
Cowpoke murdered upon lonely New Hanover road
By Donna Deshner
A witness has reported a savage killing upon one of New Hanover’s more remote roads, where a lone cowpoke was set upon by a dark haired, dark bearded man whose appearance seemed strangely refined for such bloody work. The witness described the attacker as dressed “fancy like,” wearing a suit and tie and carrying himself in the manner of a government agent or some other official gentleman. Whatever business brought the two together apparently turned violent without much warning, and the struggle was both brief and brutal. The attacker forced the cowpoke to the ground and produced a knife before the victim could regain his footing.
According to the witness, the killer pressed the blade toward the fallen cowpoke’s chest while the victim desperately seized at his arm and attempted to hold the weapon back. The resistance failed. The knife was driven home with a single forceful stab to the chest, killing the cowpoke and ending the struggle almost immediately. No identity has yet been established for the well-dressed assailant, and the witness could offer no certain explanation for the attack. Travelers upon New Hanover’s quieter roads would therefore be wise to remember that a suit and tie are no assurance of respectable intentions, particularly when the gentleman wearing them carries a knife.
Trail riders prevail against furious Lemoyne storm
By Emeline Vickroy
A company of cowpokes making a trail ride across Lemoyne nearly found their journey brought to an early end by nature itself when a furious storm overtook the riders along the way. A severe fog gave the first warning, settling thick across the country and obscuring the trail until riders could scarcely make out those ahead, before lightning began splitting the sky and heavy rain followed close behind. The rainfall soon cleared away the fog, but exchanged one danger for another, turning the trails to slick mud and making every slope, crossing, and uncertain patch of ground hazardous beneath the horses’ hooves. Despite the miserable conditions, the company pressed onward with care and ultimately completed its passage through the state, arriving wet, muddied, and weary, but with every reason to count the ride a success. As soon as the ride finished, the weather cleared, as if some mystical powers were testing the riders and acknowledged that they passed it.
The Fairer Sex?
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax – Lead Correspondent
I have seen a lot in Saint-Denis these past many years. Some of it delightful some of it horrifying. But the night life is among the most unique. Not just the “nightingales” who walk the streets, and the crime committed under cover of darkness. No, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen cabaret!
So many taverns, saloons, and even brothels have entertainment. The usual chorus line of dancers and the odd magician, but so often there is a well dressed lady who slowly strips and reveals until the audience becomes keenly aware that its actually a man under that gown and makeup. Its a lovely party trick, at least some think.
To some its just a bit of dazzle dazzle, burlesque in its purest form. I’ve heard differently. That the performers, while born male, very much prefer the gallentry of the female form. Not in a sense of sexuality, but a liberation, a form of joy even. There are many of these individuals, I lack a word for them, although I did hear someone whisper the word Eonist, taken from some French figure of long ago.
Truly, life has many facets. I would be telling a dreadful life if I said I fully understood these people. But they haven’t tried to burn my house down like some individuals, so I shall give no judgement.
The Five States Herald 