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.
BHTNC and state governments manage to secure most localities from outlaw attacks
By Adam Parvey
After weeks of attacks across the Five States, the BHTNC and the state governments of the Five States have managed to put protect most of the region from outlaws. The BHTNC provided extra funding to hire more lawmen, which drew new hires from all over the country. Outlaw leaders known to organize the attacks were also hunted aggressively by bounty hunters. The extra effort has paid off. Most localities in the Five States have been spared attacks this week. Most, however, is not all. There was a sharp increase in attacks on Blackwater early this week. Authorities believe Blackwater became a focus because the town refused additional aid. “They didn’t refuse out of pride,” said a BHTNC spokesman, “they refused because they believed their own police force was enough to keep the town safe and wanted other towns to receive help instead.” The Blackwater Police overestimated their ability, or perhaps underestimated the increase in outlaws in the Southern West Elizabeth. In response to the increased attacks, the BHTNC offered increased rewards to cowpokes willing lend a hand in defense of Blackwater. “The increased rewards were a success,” said the BHTNC spokesman, “turns out folks really respond to offers of more money.”
The extra rewards were so successful that the outlaws were pushed out of West Elizabeth entirely. “We sent a few snipers to harrass them as they fled,” said the Blackwater Chief of Police Oswald Dunbar, “and left a few on patrol to make sure they do not return.” The celebrations however, were not long. “Unfortunately, we got word of an attack on MacFarlane Ranch,” Chief Dunbar said. A train coming into MacFarlane Ranch from Tumbleweed was preparing to come to a stop when the conductor heard the gunshots and instead, picked up speed. After passing by the ranch, the train came to a stop west of Thieve’s Landing, where a few folks exited the train and rode to Blackwater to spread news of the MacFarlane Ranch attack. The conductor then pushed the train back to top speed and went past MacFarlane Ranch to Armadillo, where a telegram was sent to Blackwater. The telegram arrived not long after the riders
“We struck fast and hard,” said one of the cowpokes who led the charge to defend MacFarlane Ranch. The posse fought through the attacker’s lines and set up defensive positions themselves. Over the next hour both sides exchanged gunfire with the attackers losing more men. Eventually, the remaining attackers retreated, finally ending the siege on the ranch. Posses were sent into New Austin to seek out and destroy any pockets of outlaws, however, no posse found any outlaws. Where the attackers disappeared to is unknown and authorities issued a warning to residents of the Five States that the attacks are likely to resume soon, likely in towns already thought to be secured.
Federal agents exit New Austin after pressure by local authorities
By Wylie Frey
The exit of the federal agents appears to signal that the hunt for bounty hunter turned vigilante, Nathaniel Cross, has ended in the state. Cross has not been spotted in New Austin for a few weeks, with the last sighting putting Cross in West Elizabeth moving northeast. New Austin authorities had been very clear that they would not cooperate with federal lawmen and have gone so far as to make life difficult for them. In the town of Tumbleweed, for instance, local lawmen rented out all available rooms, leaving federal agents no place to sleep. Sheriff Sam Freeman said, “these agents need to read the Constitution, they don’t have unquestioned authority over state matters.” In addition, the governor of New Austin issued a pardon for Nathaniel Cross earlier this week. While Cross has not be formally charged or been found guilty of any crimes, the pardon absolves him of “all deeds done as the Grey Cowboy,” and then goes so far as to deputize Cross as a state lawman.
The move is controversial but proved effective. With the pardon, state lawmen can claim they are protecting an innocent man should federal agents find Cross in their state. As a deputized state lawman, it makes federal action even trickier. There is no word whether or not Cross has accepted his deputizing, or that he is even aware of it. “Mr. Cross has been an effective bounty hunter and, as the Grey Cowboy, has put himself in harm’s way a number of times to protect New Austin residents with no reward,” a statement from the Governor’s office read, “such a man should not be chased by the law, but should be embraced by it. We are, after all, here to protect New Austinites.” Federal authorities refused to comment for this story.
Revenuers uncover underground moonshine operation near Cattail Pond
By Jane Duran
Revenue agents are celebrating another victory this week, after busting a moonshine operation in Grizzlies East. Federal authorities were aware of illicit activity in the area for months, but were unable to locate the source of the moonshine. An anonymous source says that Revenue Bureau of was thwarted for over a year. Their lucky break came when a man claiming to be an auxiliary member of the Ambarino State Troopers named Nolan Deleman, contacted them about an invitation he had received. “I had been riding down to Valentine for supplies when I received the invite to an underground saloon,” Mr. Deleman said. Upon arriving in Valentine Mr. Deleman sent a telegram to a revenue agent he had contact with. Agents arrived in Valentine within the hour and accompanied Mr. Deleman to the location of the saloon he had been invited to.
The posse arrived at a small shack that was of little note. However, upon opening the door music could be heard. The agents found their way downstairs and discovered a moonshine operation and a full sized saloon complete with a band. The saloon had a no weapons rule, which resulted in the patrons being unarmed. Authorities believe this is the only reason the bust did not end in bloodshed. The owner of the saloon was found behind the bar serving drinks to others. He showed no resistance and offered to cooperate if his guests were allowed to leave, which the revenuers agreed to. The moonshiner was alone, claiming to be a one man operation. The band, he claimed, was simply paid in cash and not made aware of illicit activity.
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Trader ambushed, fights attackers off until they “parlay” and flee
By Odell Clifton
Local great plains trader Tom Nelson was on the road to MacFarlane Ranch from his camp just southwest of Blackwater with a fully loaded wagon of pristine animal parts when he was waylaid and attacked by a single bandit who bore down on his wagon from behind a grove of pine trees.
The cowardly attacker’s shots missed Tom completely, but killed his Red Bay Suffolk Punch with a rifle shot to his neck. As his poor horse slammed into the ground, the entire wagon nearly flipped end over end and pelt bundles went flying in all directions. Tom scrambled to find cover behind the ruined wagon, took out his bolt action rifle, took aim, fired, and killed his attacker in a single well placed shot to the head.
Another of the gang’s members appeared high up on an overlooking cliff edge, and attempted to snipe Tom as he tried to load his horse with a pelt bundle. With bullets whistling by his head Tom heard even more bandits from a completely different gang yelling and riding towards him.
Tom managed to kill all the gang members one by one, and then turned his attention back to the remaining sniper on the cliff. A lucky shot to the head and the sniper was falling down 50 feet to the rocks below.
Yet another sniper appeared on the cliff face above, but this time Tom had had enough and drove his horse up a narrow pass around the north of the cliff, and confronted his attacker with a volley from his LaMat Revolvers.
Yet another bandit dressed almost exactly the same as the first appeared in the road below, and was making a quick dash towards the scattered parcels on the ground, but Tom managed to stop the bandit in their tracks with a powerful express rifle bullet to the chest at close range as he bore down upon the bandit from down the side of the pass..
Finally, after what seemed like an age, another bandit yelled out an offer of parley from the top of the cliff. Tom yelled back to get the hell away, and no more gunfire was heard after.
Only four and a half hours remained to deliver what remained of Tom’s trading cargo, but the wagon had been wrecked still halfway to the ranch. Gathering a hopeless resolve, knowing the Aradillo train would leave before he could deliver the four remaining bundles, he spurred his black Arabian steed to its fastest pace to the MacFarlane place and back again to the wagon wreckage three times before the train left the station with the dealer aboard.
Tom later claimed that he lost about $750 worth of sales that day, but purportedly was able to successfully ward off ten of his attackers, including the four bandits who all dressed the same and had tried to snipe him multiple times but failed repeatedly. The chaotic day ended for Tom with a empty-handed return to his camp where he was met with derision by his business partner, despite having survived such a massive assault. Tom escaped with his life, but not his pelts which had taken him nearly two weeks to hunt.
In the Blackwater Saloon, where the interview for this story took place, Tom finished off the last of his whiskey and reflected aloud — perhaps more to himself than to this reporter — that he might be more cut out for bounty hunting than trading after all.
When the Five States Herald reached out to Tom’s business partner (who refused to use his real name) and was asked about his lack of compassion for Tom’s ordeal, ‘Christopher’ replied only, “If only Tom was as good at making a sale as he is at dodging bullets!”
Long time residents frustrated over “useless” vouchers provided by the BHTNC
By Lucien Privett
A cowpoke has demanded that the Wheeler, Rawson, and Co. buyback “useless” vouchers found in the company’s Outlaw and Quick Draw Passes. “I don’t understand how they think it is okay to fill these exclusive passes with stuff most long time residents don’t need or can’t use,” said one resident. Multiple cowpokes have shared similar complaints. “A free horse stall,” said one shocked resident, “I already have as many horse stalls as one can own.” Similarly, some have expressed frustration over being offered a discount for a horse they already own. One voucher even offered a discount for a particular outfit, called the “Grizzlies Outlaw.” However, as one resident pointed out, “that outfit was given to many of us years ago. Imagine that, a discount for something most of us own!”
While many residents have expressed gratitude on behalf of new residents, they feel a bit forgotten by the Wheeler, Rawson, and Co.’s decisions. “If it wasn’t for us, would they be making the money they are making?” one resident asked, pointing out that without long time residents Wheeler, Rawson, and Co. would have made significantly less money over the last few years. A spokesman for the Wheeler, Rawson, and Co. responded to the complaints, saying, “our exclusive passes offer a great value for all residents of the Five States.” The spokesman elaborated, “there is something in the pass for everyone and for those who maximize their participation, they earn back their gold. It is a win/win situation.” The spokesman did not say anything about a voucher buyback program.
Man tries killing a hunter, kills self instead
By Donna Deshner
A hunter taking in the scenery while sitting on their wagon was interrupted with a stick of dynamite. “I was just in my own thoughts when I heard the sound of the dynamite,” the hunter said. They reacted on instinct and snapped the horse’s reins, moving the wagon forward before the dynamite exploded. The attacker, however, struck misfortune. “I saw him nearly ride his horse into a large rock,” the hunter said. The horse avoided the rock but in doing so put itself and its rider within the blast radius of dynamite. “I watched him get thrown from his horse but I never saw him get back up,” the hunter said. The attacker’s horse, however, miraculously survived. The hunter adopted the horse. “No horse should be punished for its rider’s silliness,” the hunter said.
Woman murdered in cold blood in Saint Denis
By Emeline Vickroy
A woman was killed in Saint Denis this week in broad daylight in a public square. According to witnesses an unidentified male walked up to the woman and shot in the face with a shotgun at close range. The woman’s head, “exploded into tiny pieces,” said one witness, who quickly took off running. Another witness stated that the man then picked up the woman’s flowery hat and put it on his head before fleeing the scene. Saint Denis policemen responded to the gunshot, however, the shooter was gone by the time they arrived. The unidentified man was described as average height, wearing a fur poncho and possibly dark chaps. The man is still at large. His face was not seen and so Saint Denis police believe finding him will be near impossible. If you have any information, contact the Saint Denis Police Department.
Dime Store Novels of Recent Outlaws Continue Hitting Shelves
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
Back in the day, we used to wait a while before we wrote colorful books about criminals. It took decades for Otis Miller to show up in Penny Dreadful’s seen in shops; he had been in the ground for years when it began. Billy Midnight’s lurid story was printed at least five years after he murdered a man in his sleep. That’s how it used to be; it wasn’t good, but there was a certain understanding of time limitations. Now it appears even that low bar for good taste has passed.
I was getting some bread and canned goods in a store recently when I saw the rack of dime novels. Instead of the old standbys like Black Belle or Jim Boy Calloway, I saw a woman in a large hat and coat. The book was called “Black Heart Myra,” and it was about Myra Rose Hart. Right next to it was a book featuring a hooded man with a long rifle. It was titled “Manhunter,” and it was about the Great Plains Sniper.
Almost all the latest batch of outlaws, criminals, and murderers are the centerpiece of low-quality literature, and they, for the most part, haven’t even been caught. Imagine if the Butcher Brothers had their own weekly book series while they still drew breath!
Out west, there’s a lot of things lacking. Seems good taste and respect are just two of many missing commodities.
Tornado in Indian Territory, initial death estimates greatly exaggerated
By Frederick Vannesse
The southern part of Ardmore was hit with a tornado this week, damaging several buildings. The tornado moved north, injuring S.H. Perkins and his family, with his nine year old daughter potentially being injured fatally. At the time of print, the young girl’s fate remains unknown as she is attended to by doctors. The tornado’s path of destruction did not end there. It struck 17 miles further north in Dougherty, where it killed farmer Frank Melton. Early reports before telegraph wires were downed by the tornado indicated a much higher death toll: 18 dead in Heafford Junction, later corrected to 2 deaths and 15 injuries. The Stuart and Goodyear camps were completely razed to the ground. Relief efforts are underway.
Princess Alice Disaster Remembered 20 Years Later
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
Twenty years ago today, England experienced its own great tragedy on the open waters. A paddle steamer called the Princess Alice was pulling into port in the River Thames when it was struck by another vessel. The ship broke into three parts and quickly sank. Sadly the ship had been working as a passenger ship and was filled to capacity that day.
Hundreds of men, women, and children were thrown into the water. Those that couldn’t swim died quickly. Those that could swim were blinded by the polluted toxic waters and also drowned. In total, anywhere between 600 and 700 people died within minutes; the exact count has never been conclusive.
There was an extensive trial, and some safety changes were taken, which meant little to those who perished. Those who lived often suffered horrific Illnesses caused by drinking the toxic water. Many probably died months later, more unnecessary deaths.
Fate can be ironic sometimes. The luckless ship that hit the Princess Alice, the Bywell Castle, was reported missing after a storm five years later. All 40 people died. They say the sea never gives up its dead; it also seems to believe in an eye for an eye. We can only hope such a disaster never occurs in these United States.
The Five States Herald 