Hogtied man meets gruesome end beneath train in New Austin
By Wylie Frey
A terrible tragedy has been reported along the railroad in New Austin, where an unfortunate fellow met his end beneath the wheels of a passing locomotive after apparently being hogtied and abandoned upon the tracks. According to the train’s conductor, unusually heavy dust had severely limited visibility, leaving the crew precious little time to react when they spotted the helpless man struggling against his bindings. “I pulled the brake but, well, I knew it wasn’t going to help,” the conductor explained. “So I released the brake and pushed through and reported it in the next town.” When questioned about his decision to continue the journey, the conductor maintained that stopping would have accomplished nothing beyond frightening the passengers and delaying their travels over a tragedy that could no longer be prevented. “No sense troubling decent folks over something already done,” he reportedly remarked. Authorities have since begun investigating the gruesome affair, though the identity of the deceased remains unknown, as does the identity of whoever bound him and left him to perish. Investigators believe the circumstances strongly suggest a deliberate killing rather than an unfortunate accident, and efforts are presently underway to determine whether the victim had any known enemies.

Trader robbed of entire shipment in Ambarino ambush
By Jane Duran
A hardworking trader has been left with empty pockets and an empty wagon following a treacherous robbery in the mountains of Ambarino. According to the victim, a customer had placed an order for a wagonload of goods, but upon arriving at the agreed destination, she was greeted not with payment, but with half a dozen firearms pointed squarely in her direction. Though accompanied by an armed guard, the trader found herself hopelessly outnumbered and was forced to surrender her entire shipment. The woman has since filed a report with local authorities, claiming the supposed customer deliberately arranged the transaction to lure her into an ambush. Investigators are presently working alongside the victim to identify the suspected mastermind, though no arrests have been reported. For now, the unfortunate trader has learned an expensive lesson: in Ambarino, a promising customer may prove nothing more than a highwayman with a shopping list.

Cowboy’s cruel intentions met with swift justice in West Elizabeth
By Odell Clifton
A most unpleasant affair unfolded upon the streets of West Elizabeth when a cowardly cowboy discovered that laying hands upon a woman can prove a fatal mistake. According to witnesses, the scoundrel attacked the unfortunate lady without warning, overpowering her and binding her wrists and ankles with rope as though she were common livestock. What wicked intentions the brute entertained thereafter shall forever remain a mystery, for a policeman arrived upon the scene with remarkable haste and delivered his judgment by way of a well placed bullet. The villain fell dead where he stood, while his distressed captive continued struggling against her restraints until the officer approached and mercifully cut her free. Though shaken by the ordeal, the woman was spared whatever further indignities her assailant had intended. The deceased cowboy, meanwhile, was left sprawled in the street for all passing citizens to behold, a grim reminder that good manners are not merely a social courtesy in these parts, but occasionally a matter of life and death.

Bounty hunter’s quarrel over bonus leaves four dead in Valentine
By Donna Deshner
A most ridiculous dispute over bounty payments turned deadly in Valentine when a short tempered bounty hunter, dissatisfied with the compensation offered for four captured fugitives, allegedly released the scoundrels upon the unsuspecting townsfolk. The trouble began when the bounty hunter arrived at the sheriff’s office with four wanted men secured inside his bounty wagon, demanding an additional reward for his considerable catch. When a deputy refused the payment, the hunter reportedly grew furious, declaring, “I saw the posting, 3 more than 1 bounty brought in at once!” He then gestured toward his wagon and continued, “and as you can see, this is 4 wanted men, that is 3 more than 1!” The bewildered deputy attempted to explain that the advertised bonus concerned the fulfillment of particular bounty conditions, rather than the mere mathematical difference between one prisoner and four, but the hunter would hear none of it. Rather than surrender his captives for the ordinary reward, he angrily departed Valentine with all four men still confined in his wagon.

Witnesses later reported seeing the hunter release the fugitives just beyond the town limits, whereupon the newly liberated criminals promptly returned to Valentine and began assaulting innocent citizens. Sheriff’s deputies, assisted by several armed cowpokes, responded to the disturbance and shot all four offenders dead before further mischief could be committed. No bonus was awarded, no prisoners were delivered alive, and the bounty hunter responsible for this extraordinary exhibition of wounded pride has not been seen since. Sheriff Curtis Malloy’s office has been left with four corpses, several frightened residents, and the unenviable task of explaining how a disagreement over a few dollars transformed an otherwise successful capture into an entirely unnecessary bloodbath.

Victims of the Eccentric Gunman identified as accomplished marksmen
By Aloysius Levron
Further investigation into the recent killings attributed to the notorious gunman Baltasar Villaseñor has revealed a disturbing connection between the victims, whose deaths initially appeared to be the work of a murderer selecting his targets without rhyme or reason. Contrary to those early suspicions, each of the deceased possessed some reputation for proficiency with firearms. Among them was Edgar H. Whitcomb, a retired professional duelist who had reportedly challenged and defeated gunfighters from California to New York during a career spanning nearly three decades. Though Whitcomb had long since abandoned the dueling profession, acquaintances maintained that his pistol hand remained remarkably steady. Another victim, Silas P. Barlow, was a celebrated trick shooter who had entertained crowds throughout the western territories by extinguishing candle flames with pistol shots and striking coins tossed into the air. Nathaniel Griggs, meanwhile, had distinguished himself in numerous competitive rifle matches, earning several trophies for his remarkable accuracy at considerable distances. The fourth identified victim, Walter C. Hensley, was a lesser known but nevertheless capable revolver marksman who had won several local shooting contests. Their accomplishments varied considerably, but all four had, at one time or another, publicly demonstrated their abilities with a firearm. Investigators now believe their reputations, rather than mere coincidence, attracted the attention of Villaseñor.

The discovery raises fresh questions concerning the peculiar motivations of Villaseñor, whose extraordinary marksmanship, flamboyant appearance, and possession of the so called Dead Man’s Gun have already inspired considerable public alarm. Earlier encounters suggested that the Mexican fugitive, commonly called the Eccentric Gunman, possessed an unusual fascination with formal challenges, occasionally permitting his chosen adversaries an opportunity to draw before engaging them. Yet the circumstances surrounding these latest deaths indicate that several victims were afforded no such consideration, having been killed without warning or any apparent opportunity to defend themselves. Whether this change represents a deliberate abandonment of Villaseñor’s former principles or merely an alteration in his methods remains uncertain.

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