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.
Manhunt for the Smoking Gun has begun
By Adam Parvey
Following the murder of the Herald’s own Ela Q. Asken, a manhunt is being conducted across the Five States. Previous victims of the Smoking Gun have generally been the kind of folks that get mixed up in nefarious dealings, but the murder of Miss Asken sent shock-waves across the Five States. Further, owner of this paper, William Warrington III, is personally funding most of the search. He has hired Pinkerton agents, bounty hunters, and made generous donations every police department and sheriff’s office in the Five States. “I am a man of tremendous means and not much time left,” Mr. Warrington III sayd, “I have no children to leave my property to. If I must, I will sink every penny I have to my name into finding the man who murdered Ela. We will find the Smoking Gun.”
No sightings of the Smoking Gun have been reported since he left Annesburg last week. Those reports have been unreliable, with some claiming to have seen a “dapper gentleman” board a stage coach heading south while others swear to have seen, “a fancy man in a flat cap” on a train heading north from Annesburg, and still others claim to have seen a “city slicker” fleeing into the mines.” The train escape has been ruled the least likely, as the timing of train departures from Annesburg does not quite line up with the timing of the gunshot that killed Miss Asken, which was heard by many in the small town to have occurred in the early morning. Further, telegraphs were sent out warning of the Smoking Gun potentially being on the train, however, he was not seen by authorities who staked out the stations. It is possible that he may have jumped off of the train in Ambarino.
The wagon escape is the hardest to rule out, as many wagons leave the town and not all return. A wagon operator who folks hire to move around the Five States admitted to taking a well dressed man from Annesburg to Saint Denis. However, upon investigation, this man’s identity was confirmed as a man with property interests in Annesburg. The mine escape is considered probable and worrisome. “The mines have several exits, maybe some we don’t know about,” said the mine foreman. If the Smoking Gun escaped through the mines it is unlikely that his trail will be picked up. A few tips have also come in regarding the name on the scrap of paper found in Miss Asken’s clenched fist.
A man, who identified himself with the initials M.B., said he has a brother name Amos who is, “a scoundrel of the worst sort.” However, investigations into this Amos, whose last name we will not mention here to respect his privacy, revealed that he has not been in the Five States recently. Another wild theory is that the killer is in fact, Amos Lancing. Mr. Lancing would fit the well dressed description of the Smoking Gun, however Mr. Lancing is also dead. “The thought of a rich man faking his death to become an assassin is just, well, ludicrous,” said Blackwater Police Chief Oswald Dunbar, who also happened to personally see Mr. Lancing’s corpse.
The manhunt for the Smoking Gun will continue until he is found and brought to justice. All tips should be sent to the Herald directly.
Kidnap victim rescued by brave naturalist
By Wylie Frey
New Austin is a big state with many roads that are seldom used by travelers. A kidnapped woman was fortunate this week that a naturalist happened to be traveling on one of those lesser traveled roads. The naturalist heard the woman screaming for help and quickly put away her varmint rifle and pulled out her Lancaster Repeater, making short work of the kidnappers. The victim was promptly untied and freed. She then searched her abductors, taking things she claimed belonged to her before paying the naturalist for their assistance. The victim took one of the kidnapper’s horse and rode off.
Woman’s horse killed when ran over by a train
By Alois Burditt
A woman has filed a complaint against the Pacific Union Railroad following the death of her beloved horse. The incident occurred after the woman had taken a stagecoach to Armadillo. “I needed a rest, so I hired a wagon to take me to Armadillo,” she said. Her horse trotted alongside the stagecoach, stopping on the railroad tracks as she disembarked the coach. The woman heard the train’s whistle announce its imminent departure, but had not realized her horse was on the tracks until it was too late. Though the train was not at full speed at the time of impact, it was enough to knock the horse down and crush the animal beneath it.
The train engineer continued picking speed as the woman screamed about the loss of her horse. The Pacific Union Railroad did not comment for this article, though I have learned the engineer in question was transferred to a different railroad. A strange twist in the story comes from a bounty hunter visiting Armadillo at the time of the incident. “I had picked up a bounty when her horse was ran over, quite tragic,” the bounty hunter said. However, they noted that, “when I came back with the bounty, I saw the woman riding the same horse that was just ran over. Not the same breed, same horse. Odd.”
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!
Man found dead at bottom of a cliff
By Jane Duran
What was originally believed to be a hunting accident, was revealed instead to be a failed attempt to sedate the rare chalk horn ram. “He told me he was headed up that way, looking to get a sample of the chalk horn,” his friend said after learning of the man’s death. The man, identified as Simpson Melvin, was found dead late Friday morning. Given his distance from the cliff above, it seems likely he was pushed. An examination of Melvin’s body revealed broken ribs, consistent with getting rammed by an angry ram. On the cliff, investigators found what appeared to be ram tracks, which may confirm the theory. Melvin’s varmint rifle was nearby, two of the tranquilizer bullets had been fired.
Duel outside Blackwater ends with one woman dead
By Nick McCrary
Two women were witnessed arguing with each other south of Blackwater, though the content of the argument is unknown. “I just heard a lot of yellin’ back and forth, accusations about something or some such…” said a Blackwater resident. The argument ended with a gunshot. Blackwate police, however, were busy chasing a horse thief around town to respond in a timely manner. By the time the policemen made it to the site of the duel, one woman was dead and the other was missing. Blackwater Chief of Police Oswald Dunbar requests that any information about the shooter or the altercation be reported to him.
Big Valley resident complains about area becoming overcrowded
By Daisy Fairman
A woman known as Mama Watson has taken to complaining to the West Elizabeth state legislature about the arrival of too many people to her “quiet and peaceful” home of Big Valley. Mama Watson is known by many cowpokes, as she offers odd jobs to those looking for work. While many have admitted to working with her, nobody seems keen on discussing the type of work she pays for. Mama Watson herself sheds no light on intentions, “you a reporter? Why would I answer your questions?” she told me. According to her official complaint, she noticed an “odd gypsy woman doing all manner off odd things with men and woman at strange hours,” appearing regularly near her home. She only decided to complain now after the arrival of, “an unkempt woman cavorting with animals and humans alike,” arrived east of her home. The state legislature issued no comment.
Violence Erupts at Cornwall Facility!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
After weeks of protests, violence between protestors and Pinkertons erupted at a Cornwall oil refinery in California. As of this writing, the number of casualties is unknown. The details leading up to this massacre are currently developing, but this is what we know presently.
For weeks, workers had gone on strike, demanding more pay and protection. Cornwall, of course, refused to negotiate and instead tried to hire an army of Pinkertons. But his rival Abigail Tremaine had already hired the Pinkertons in California, ironically, to protect these workers. Well, Cornwall eventually found some agents, and a standoff began. Tired workers crying out for support, while two mercenary armies stood only yards apart, firearms at the ready.
The tension finally reached its climax today, when the workers began throwing rocks at Cornwall’s men. One stone struck a young Pinkerton whose name is not known. He got up and fired a shot from his Lancaster repeater, striking a worker in the throat. For but a second, all was quiet.
Witnesses describe the following events as being like the Civil War had reignited. Gunfire from all sides, shouting and screaming to reload and fire! Cornwall’s Pinkertons even brought in cannons and Gatling guns. Sticks of dynamite arched through the sky; the ground was littered in spent cartridges. The cries of the wounded constantly rang out. Eventually, the factions began to fight with bayonets, rocks, and even their hands. All the while innocent workers either fled or were gunned down. After several hours the fighting died down.
Descriptions of the battlefield are ghastly. Blood flowed through the barricades like a river. Men fell as if by command, mangled corpses unmoved from where they had fallen. People are already demanding Congress do something about Cornwall and the Pinkertons as a whole. Miss Tremaine has already made several statements in favor of these notions. If this is what she wanted, then she has already reaped what Cornwall sowed.
The “Grey Cowboy” strikes in Cumberland Forest
By Emery Cosberry
Valentine lawmen were alerted to a gunfight, both by travelers coming into the town from the east and by the faint sound of distant gunshots. They arrived to find all but one member of a gang dead. The surviving member was hogtied and barely conscious, he was also the leader of the gang and the only witness. He said, “a man in grey clothes came at us,” the gang leader recalled, “started with a lever action shotgun, but switched to lever action pistols.” The “Grey Cowboy” then tackled and hogtied the gang leader before knocking him out with a kick to the head. The whereabouts of the Grey Cowboy are unknown, but it is believed he headed south on horseback.
Would be assassins thwarted by clever target
By Van R. Seldon
The well known bounty hunter Nathaniel Cross was targeted for assassination this week. However, he managed to escape with the help of his long time traveling companion Akanowa and oblivious guards at Cornwall Kerosene and Tar. Mr. Cross and Akanowa fought off the first assassin with ease, afterwhich Mr. Cross fled south. A witness reported seeing Akanowa moving between trees while shooting at the assassins. Mr. Cross eventually sneaked onto the Cornwall Kerosene and Tar property. When assassins approached holding their guns at the ready, the guards took offense.
The guards killed one of the assassins as others fled back north into the woods where Akanowa awaited them. Before long the surviving assassins retreated east for good, giving up on the target. At this point, it is unknown who hired the assassins, but some have speculated it may have been the Boy, a less than savory resident of Valentine.
Policemen attacked across Saint Denis
By Aloysius Levron
Lawmen were targeted this week throughout Lemoyne, though the motivation is unclear. “What we know is that several of our policemen were killed in the line of duty,” said Saint Denis Chief of Police Benjamin Lambert. What has struck Chief Lambert is odd is the tactic. “It’s the same story I’m hearing over and over,” he explained, “cowpoke slowly rides up, appearing calm, before shooting a single lawman and then fleeing.” The original assumption was that these targets had a vendetta with lawmen, however, if that were the case why stop after killing one lawman and then fleeing? One Saint Denis resident believes he has the answer.
“Well, they didn’t have a problem with the lawmen, killing one is just the easiest way to get them to chase you,” said Nadine Humes, a member of the Respawners. She elaborated, “I ain’t an Avatar so I don’t know much, but I know they just wanted to flee the law.” Humes’ theory suggest a motive that few, including this writer, can understand. Why would a person want to be chased by the law? What could they possibly gain by escaping the law? Bragging rights? As always, explanations from the Respawners create more questions than they answered.
Congress Authorized Soldiers Pay
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
This week, after a quick vote, Congress has allowed a special type of pay for soldiers soon to be returning from Cuba. The average serviceman will return home as both a hero and a richer man.
The particular pay will come in the form of unique gold coins minted just for American troops. Each coin will be worth an average of 45 dollars. While this may not sound like much, on average, a soldier earns thirteen dollars per month. There was also an incentive to settle in the Five States, cheaper property being the chief benefit. One other notable advantage is allowing the men to keep their newly issued bolt action rifles for hunting and self-defense.
While so many decry this pay as putting the cart ahead of the horse, it’s hard to complain. Unless Spain has somehow acquired support from Martians, the war is more or less over already. In the coming months, many careers will be made from the actions of the war, from politicians to papers. Why shouldn’t those who faced death head-on also not be rewarded?
New tire company forms in Akron, Ohio
By Frederick Vannesse
Frank Seiberling has founded the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company to provide tires for bicycles and carriages. Additional, Mr. Seiberling has announced that his company will manufacture rubber horseshoe pads as well as poker chips. The rubber tires produced by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company are promised to offer the smoothest wagon ride one has ever experienced. Further, Mr. Seiberling promises to expand rubber tires across the country, hoping to design tires for the emerging motor vehicle. “It is unlikely that the motor vehicle will replace bikes and wagons for everyone, but we will ensure a smooth ride for them as well,” a spokesman said. When asked to comment whether soldiers returning home from Cuba will be able to find a job amid accusations of having no jobs available for military personnel, the spokesman merely said, “we support our troops and accept applications from all men willing to work hard.”
Julio Argentino Roca regains Presidency for second time in Argentina
By Ivy Seager
Senator and former President, Julio Roca is President once more. Having served his first term from 1880 to 1886, President Roca was nearly assassinated at the end of his first term. He did not leave politics, however, after leaving the Presidency. Instead, Mr. Roca became a senator and a Minister of Interior. Recently, Mr. Roca has taken on many of the Presidential duties when President José Evaristo Uriburu fell ill. Roca ran practically unopposed, as the opposition party could not rally behind a single candidate. The split in the opposition gave Roca an easy path to the Presidency. It should be noted that Roca did not intend to become President again, as he chose to put forward someone else as a candidate for Presidency. However, he humbly accepted the candidacy and now, the Presidency.
The Five States Herald 