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.
Rare pelts hit trader markets
By Adam Parvey
To many hunters and dealers in exotic items, rare animal pelts have become somewhat common. However, this week, many were stunned to find rare pelts cut up and sold with bulk goods. “This is a problem because it means these pelts aren’t as rare as we think, and that’s a problem because it could reduce my income,” said one hunter who asked not to be named. A trader I spoke to named Libby Ramsey admitted that her recent shipments contained rare pelts. “These rare animals have thicker coats, more material to use. A few of them provide as much material as three or four of their pristine but otherwise common cousins,” she explained. The less time she needs to spend hunting is, “more time I can spend enjoying life.” Miss Ramsey says that she does not need fancy coats or the acceptance of, “some prissy woman afraid to hurt a fly.”
It appears that other traders have likewise decided to hunt down rare animals for their materials, instead of their blood or potential to be turned into a coat, as many buyers have reported rare parts in their shipments. It seems unlikely that this trend will bring down prices on intact pelts or the coats made from them. A cut up piece of a legendary animal is certainly not the same as a properly skinned pelt or custom made coat. Still, those that deal in the trade of exotic animal pelts see this as a bad sign. “They need to stop, stick to hunting and gutting common animals. Leave the rare ones to us true sportsmen,” said the anonymous hunter.
Horse thief stopped by new farmhand
By Alois Burditt
A horse thief was killed in the act by a quick thinking farm hand. A. Aitken’s stable has been targeted by horse thieves in the past, which is not surprising given the near lawless land that surrounds Tumbleweed. “We have the best horses in the Five States, maybe the country, and thieves know it,” Mr. Aitken said. As a result, he decided to hire a new farm hand who proved to know how to handle a gun. “Guy comes to me and said he’s lookin’ for a career change, wants to be a stable hand,” Mr. Aitken laughed. “Late in his life for a change and with a bad arm, I questioned if this was the right job for him. But I had him to shoot some bottles and he was damn impressive,” Mr. Aitken elaborated.
The time came for the new hand’s skills to be put to the test when a thief came into the stable with two pistols drawn. Everyone froze, including Mr. Aitken, at the armed thieves arrival. Everyone but the new farm hand, who fired his pistol before anyone there realized he drew his weapon. The hand’s aim was true and the thief was struck in the forehead and he died instantly. Nobody else was injured. The farm hand refused to comment, seeking only to do his job. The Five States could do with some more humble men like him.
Body found in Moonstone Pond
By Jane Duran
A fisherman found a body floating in Moonstone Pond this week. He quickly rode south to Emerald Station, where a telegraph was sent to the authorities. Investigators were unable to conclusively determine if the man was murdered or accidentally drowned. An unlabeled bottle of alcohol was found nearby. However, a set of tracks quickly fleeing the scene indicate someone else may have been there. “Maybe this guy drank a bit too much ‘shine, fell in the pond and drowned. Maybe he was pushed in,” said the investigator. The man was not identified by press time.
Hunter mauled to death near Little Creek River
By Daisy Fairman
The hunter had stayed in Strawberry for several days, often riding out to Little Creek River during the day and returning by night. The hotel clerk confirmed that the hunter had paid for the full week, but did not return after leaving Strawberry on the fourth day. The town butcher noted that every evening the hunter returned with materials to sell, mostly meat. “Said he was looking for the Ridgeback Spirit Bear, said it had been spotted in the area,” the butcher stated. When the hunter did not return, the hotel clerk assumed he had camped in the wilderness. However, his body was found in northern Big Valley the next day.
Large wounds from claws as well as the hunter’s shattered skull suggest he was killed by a bear, maybe the very bear he was hunting. A set of tracks moving quickly from the woods to the area where the hunter’s body was found indicate that the bear was likely very aggressive. “Bears don’t usually attack unless you get to close, but this one chased from far away. Almost like it knew it was the hunter’s prey,” one of the investigators said. Smaller bites on the body suggest smaller creatures scavenged what the bear left. “And I think it left a lot. It didn’t kill to feed. That bear killed to kill,” the investigator said. Travelers are advised to be extra cautious in the region and to ensure all food be secured properly. “I mean them too, the travelers. They are food and they should get guns and secure themselves while traveling near Little Creek River,’ the investigator warned.
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Wanted man brought into Blackwater claims to be innocent
By Nick McCrary
A man wanted for theft was brought into Blackwater screaming that he was an innocent man. Chief Oswald Dunbar says it is not as common as it seems, “lots of folks when arrested for the first time claim innocent, but most bounties have been found guilty already.” The man claimed he had not stolen a single thing in his life, “except maybe a few hearts of beautiful ladies.” Blackwater police were not letting the press interview the man, however I was able to sneak in through the back door unnoticed. The man claims to have recently come into a lot of money through a high stakes underground poker game. “I put everything I had into that game and got lucky,” the man said. He said he played it safe until getting a great hand. Another player, who he said was called Lambert Rink, went all in as well. “I think he thought I was bluffin’ but I wasn’t!”
He also claimed to have put the money away before he was arrested, but would not say where. Following the brief interview, I looked into Lambert Rink and was shocked to learn that he is a member of the BHTC. Though that alone does not confirm that this bounty was issued as part of a grudge, it certainly raises concerns. Especially in light of recent other scandals involving the BHTC’s bounty hunting program. Once again, the BHTC has refused to comment.
Another false arrest made in relation to Smoking Gun manhunt
By Nick McCrary
A wealthy traveler was passing through Blackwater and decided to dine at one of the local restaurants. His experience with Blackwater hospitality was less than stellar, to say the least. An unnamed policeman saw the “fancy man and thought he looked like the killer everyone is looking for,” and made the arrest. The man was released within the hour and Chief Oswald Dunbar issued an apology.
Man’s boat destroyed by falling cowpoke
By Emery Cosberry
A New Hanover resident is furious after he survived a near fatal accident. While rowing beneath Bard’s Crossing, the man said he heard yelling coming from above, “like a couple of fellers arguing.” The next thing he heard was the sound of a man screaming and getting rapidly closer. “He crashed right down the middle of my row boat, almost hit me!” the man explained. The row boat creaked and exploded under the pressure of the man’s impact. The boat owner had to abandoned his boat and swim ashore, though did not see the fallen man come out of the water. The next day a body was fished out of Flat Iron Lake not far from where the boat was destroyed and it is presumed to have been the man that fell through the boat. No information on the identity of the other man heard arguing on Bard’s Crossing is available at this time. Investigators are working under the assumption that this man’s death was not accidental.
Tragedy Befalls Valentine Workers
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
This week, Valentine experienced the most unusual of accidents. A local worker was riding in an open wagon, ready to pick up some meat from the local butcher. The worker never made it; as he was rounding the road, another worker was trying to shear some sheep. One of the sheep got loose and ran into a man starting up a newly purchased table saw. The sheep hit the table hard enough that the saw went flying off towards the road. The as of yet unidentified worker was just starting to yell at his horse to move faster when the spinning blade rapidly approached. He never saw it coming; the poor fella was instantly decapitated.
The horse, however, either didn’t notice or was startled by the grisly event as he started to run faster and faster. The horse then began running down Valentine’s main street. A man who was carrying a wooden board for a house under construction turned around just as the cart ran him over. It’s unclear if he died from his organs being crushed, or from the fact his heart seemed to have stopped seconds before after seeing a headless rider.
Local officials are dumbfounded on how to explain this situation; it seems unlikely anyone is going to be allowed to use a table saw anywhere close to Valentine following this incident.
Stable Owner Firebombed, Loses Precious Horses
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
Two mornings ago, Tom Thornton woke up to the smell of smoke and burning fur. Thornton is the owner of one of the biggest stables in Lemoyne. He is constantly selling pack horses to local farmers, along with the occasional high-quality horse sale. The week before, Thornton managed to procure two white Arabian horses. He knew these horses would go fast; wealthy men from Saint-Denis can’t get enough of this rare imported horse breed. To make sure nobody stole them, he hired a few guards from the Greys to protect the barn. Evidently, this protection wasn’t enough.
Thornton ran out of his house at three in the morning, yelling for someone to get some water. The barn was on fire, and his prized horses were screeching in pain. He looked around for his two guards but couldn’t find them. Thornton tried to get the stable doors open but found them stuck. Some fellow stable hands ran and got a pail of water, but it was far too late. By the time the fire had died out, nearly all the horses inside were gone. One Morgan managed to survive, but everything else, including the Arabian, was dead.
At first, Thornton suspected it was the Braithwaites, probably unhappy he turned to their immortal rival. But as he walked away from the barn in disgust, he tripped over one of the Grey guards. The guard was missing a throat, as if human teeth had ripped it out. The other guard was next to him, a gag around his mouth but still alive despite several stab wounds to the chest. Thornton found a letter in the dead Grey soldier’s hand. Just a drawing of a black rose. Nearby farmers could hear his shouts from miles away, and they will not be reprinted in his paper. He made it quite clear who did this, the red-haired demon, Myra Rose Hart.
New sport craze takes over the Five States
By Adam Parvey
Cowpokes not content with so called “sanctioned” activities have invented a new sport they call Pigby. Pigby is very much like the game of rugby or football, except that an actual pig is used for the game. A referee throws a dead pig carcass between two teams. Each team then must fight the other team to secure the pig carcass and run it to the other side of the field. Players are not allowed any weapons and must rely on their own toughness and ability to fight. Fists, tackling, and even strangling are all allowed. Pigby was invented just before the arrival of Harriet Davenport, who promptly condemned the game as, “animal hatred of the greatest magnitude.” The game as has continued to grow and provide entertainment for many who do not find an interest in the sanctioned activities the BHTC and the Five States legislatures have offered.
Farmers across the region have protested the game, many claiming to be victims of the game’s players. “Where do you think they get the pig from? I watched them kill my prized pig and just ride off with it! The bastards!” said one farmer. For those who have not had their pigs stolen, they protest because they could be a victim. “How do I know my pigs ain’t next?” one farmer asked. As the game picks up interest, however, it is easy to imagine the purchase of a pig to be a possibility. “Many people like to watch, maybe we can sell tickets? Or ask for pig donations?” an organizer wondered.
“Seer” claims newborn baby to greatly impact the human race
By Frederick Vannesse
A baby born in Demopolis, Alabama is said to be born under good omens. A woman who claims to be able to see the future has claimed that the baby, named Waldo, will greatly change the future. She said he will create, “a substance strong like metal, but lightweight and even bendable” and that his creation will “be applied in ways he never would imagine.” Mr. and Mrs. Semon have chosen not to discuss the seer’s prophecy and have stated they will raise the boy they way the planned before the see said anything.
Controversy surrounds Lord Kitchener’s victories in Sudan
By Ivy Seager
Lord Herbert Kitchener, a British General, has led a successful campaign in the Sudan. Under Lord Kitchener’s leadership, the British have retaken much of Sudan. Those victories are irreversibly tarnished, according to some. Following the retaking of the Sudanese capital Omdurman, Lord Kitchener had the Muhammad Ahmad’s tomb destroyed. The former Mahdi of Sudan was interred in the tomb in 1885. The British government has not commented on the incident.
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