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.
Judgement Day Arrives for Black Rose
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
The day almost everyone in the Five States has been anxiously awaiting is here. The trial of Myra Rose Hart began this morning, and it wasn’t a dull affair. As predicted, the prosecution threw everything they had at the infamous outlaw, and she fought back in the same way an angry snake fights a mongoose.
Every witness you could imagine was brought in. Eyewitnesses, survivors, families of the deceased, Miss Hart’s own family were questioned at one point. One jury member surprisingly admitted that the person who cried the most was Audrey Hart, not individuals like the Newbarr family. The poor woman seemed broken after hearing in graphic detail all the crimes her daughter has done. Every type of crime was covered, from mass murder to public indecency. I dare say there isn’t a law she wasn’t accused of breaking. There were even murders and other crimes discussed that haven’t even been covered here by the Five State Herald!
After every witness was questioned, Miss Hart would just walk around the room armed with only a snide remark. When discussing the murders of Moria O’Bannon, Myra merely discussed how little people cared about the last killer nurse. When the subject over her bounty hunter license came up, which was never discovered, by the way, she ranted about the corruption in the original BHTC. When Leviticus Cornwall’s connections to her were brought up, she pivoted to discussing the war he’s having with Abigail Tremaine. When one man asked her about cannibalism, she merely admitted life is too short not to try everything. Never once did she admit to being sorrowful over her crimes. She merely misdirected and accused others of similar crimes.
The entire event was a circus, this woman who is barely an adult, pacing back and forth with hands still cuffed, lashing out at every accusation. She knows very well the end is near, and she intends to make it memorable.
At the end of the day, lead prosecutor Alexander Ferencz finished with a speech that didn’t hold back. With the fury of a burning sun, he called her quote, “biblically evil. The type of person who makes one weep for humanity. Some people who are dead deserve life; others who still draw breath deserve it snuffed out. Never have I seen someone so deserving of the latter. You aren’t even human; you’re not one of us!”
Something about that insult must have gotten to Myra, for she snapped back fiercely. “You people. You people disgust me! You cast judgment on me, say I’m not human. It makes you feel better, I’m sure. Makes it easy to sleep at night, thinking that you have nothing in common with me. I am one of your own! The only thing separating me from you, is where we stand now. You dragged me through this courtroom the way a hunter displays his prized kill. We all have mothers, fathers, people who loved us. You think because I murder, steal, and pillage, that I’m not human? Pick up a history book, or just look around. We are all sons and daughters of America, united by rage and bound by blood. I will go to my grave content with my existence. Can any of you say the same?!?”
The verdict for this trial is expected in the coming days. Then we will truly see the type of judgment true sons and daughters of America possess.
New resident embraces a confused Sheriff Freeman with a big hug
By Alois Burditt
A cowpoke who recently moved to the Five States was overcome with emotion this week when he saw Sheriff Freeman at the Tumbleweed jail. “I didn’t think he’d be there, I thought he was dead!” the cowpoke said. They elaborated: “I recall trying to save him and that marshal with I an eye-patch, but I failed.” The explained that while trying to save the lawmen he was shot and killed. “But I woke up in bed, instead of in heaven or the, um the other place,” they stated, “it all felt so real that when I arrived in Tumbleweed, I expected a new sheriff.” However, Sheriff Freeman was very much still alive. The cowpoke gave the sheriff a big hug, holding the embrace until Sheriff Freeman put a hand on his revolver. The cowpoke was still elated and went to the saloon for a celebratory drink.
The dream is odd, however, it does resemble an incident that really did happen. The Del Lobo Gang had taken over Tumbleweed over a year ago. During that takeover, Marshal Tom Davies (who happens to wear an eye-patch) and Sheriff Freeman were both captured and prepared to be hung. However, a group of cowpokes came to the rescue and drove the Del Lobo away. Why this cowpoke is having such a dream long after the incident occurred (long before the cowpoke arrived, even) is a mystery that is likely to remain unsolved.
Revenuer checkpoint brings in moonshiner
By Jane Duran
The much maligned agency tasked with getting un-taxed alcohol under control in the Five States successfully arrested a moonshiner this week. The agency pointed to the arrest as a big deal. The moonshiner arrested, however, was a small time moonshiner. “In fact,” an agent who asked to remain anonymous said, “this fella didn’t even have a bootlegger to move his product, and his product was of the lowest quality.” The anonymous agent laughed, saying the Bureau is revealing itself to be increasingly incompetent and likely to be replaced in the coming years. The checkpoint had operated for 10 hours straight, with most of the agents working for the duration. It is estimated that the agents’ salaries were four times the value of the confiscated moonshine.
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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!
A Change Needed in Blackwater
By “a concerned citizen“
London. Paris. St Denis. What is holding our fair town back from being able to join the ranks of these sophisticated cities? Just the other day this reporter witnessed yet another act of uncouth violence on our streets, and what did the local authorities do? Not a thing! I personally observed a local ruffian, Wes Wyhunnan, throw a carriage driver from his seat and into the mud, and ride away in his vehicle, right under the noses of our local constable! The same carriage was later found abandoned in the hills south of town in a ball of fire. The carriage driver’s crime? Asking Mr. Wyhunnan to refrain from blocking the entire street while selling his goods, and then politely nudging him out of the way.
Now, dear reader, I don’t blame Mr. Wyhunnan, (who has been variously described to this reporter as “a degenerate loafer” and “ a no-good card cheat” any more than I would blame a snake that bit me when I walk by. No, the real blame here lies squarely on the town mayor, Eugene McGovey. McGovey has long failed to hold the local law enforcement accountable for their actions, or complete lack thereof! Educated readers will no doubt call to mind the beating of S.M. Neely outside his own grocery and the den of “ladies” of low morals uncovered in the back of Lockhart’s Photography Studio. No charges were pressed in either of those cases! There is only one cure for this cancer, and that is change at the top. When the ballots come out next June, look for a new hope on the ticket!
Khali Rosehall Dead! Betrayed by fellow outlaw William Caine after abhorrent murder.
By Chester Winters
The Saint Denis Police were shocked late Sunday evening when investigating a wagon abandoned outside the police station. Inside the wagon, under a thin layer of cloth, they discovered a body alongside a note. The note was abrupt and concise, it read:
“This is the body of Khali Rosehall. He massacred a family. I desire no payment regarding his bounty.
-William Caine”
The body itself was unrecognisable, and the note was both disturbing and perplexing. The Police initially considered it to be either an attempt to cover up an unrelated murder, or an attempt to further evade law enforcement by the pair of outlaws. This was until and hour later when a dishevelled and frightened man entered the police station to report a crime. The man was identified as Vincent Montgomery, a coach driver who came to report the murder of his clients. It did not take long for the police to realise this man had witnessed the events which led up to feud and subsequent duel between the two outlaws.
He described the scene as happening at sunset, he was transporting Davis Howell, a lieutenant with the Saint Denis Police Department, along with his wife, Agatha, and their son, Jimmy. As the coach was passing by Bolger Glade, a single gunshot came from the direction of the ruined church, the shot striking one of the horses in the head killing it instantly and bringing the coach to a halt.
A moment later a masked figure described as lanky and awkward emerged from behind a nearby shrub, a pistol aimed at the driver as he ordered the family out of the coach. Reportedly, Lieutenant Howell initially exited the coach alone, trying to negotiate with the figure. However, when a second outlaw arrived and aimed a rifle at his wife and son, the Lieutenant decided it was best to comply with the outlaw’s demand. The three family members as well as the driver were led at gunpoint into the wooded area behind the old battlefield, eventually coming to a stop in a small clearing where the captives had their hands bound behind their backs.
Initially, it seemed like the two outlaws had planned to ransom the four of them, though for a reason unknown to Mr Montgomery, the lanky outlaw began executing the prisoners. First was Lieutenant Howell, then his wife Agatha, then their son, Jimmy. Before he could fire the final shot to kill Mr Montogmery, the older outlaw had drawn his pistol and shot the executioner in the head, killing him as abrubtly as he had killed the family. After this, the older man slung the body of his former companion over his shoulder and left without even a passing glance at the scene.
It didn’t take long for the story to be linked with the body found in the wagon, though the police were skeptical, as the gunshot to the head that the body had sustained made initial identification difficult. It was decided that the case would be handed to the Pinkerton Agent Hannibal Kellogg, who had been leading an investigation to bring Khali Rosehall to justice. Further examination of the body confirmed it to be that of the young outlaw, and interrogation of the coach driver and investigation into the slaughter of the Howell family led Agent Kellogg to confidently conclude that the story told by the survivor matched with the evidence found in relation to the incident. When questioned on whether or not William Caine would receive any rewards for bringing in Khali Rosehall, the agent laughed at the question, claiming that this act does not absolve the man from his previous sins, and that he will pay for those in time.
Priceless white Arabian stolen from Emerald Ranch
By Emerry Cosberry
A horse from “solid breeding stock” was stolen from Emerald Ranch this week. The horse was said to be faster than other horses of its breed and was being sold to the Braithwaites. The horse was to be loaded onto an inbound train and taken to Saint Denis, where a horse inspector was waiting to look over the horse before the purchase was finalized. The price the Braithwaites intended to pay is unknown, however it is known that the horse was being protected by no less than two dozen armed guards. “That’s a lot of guards for a single horse, so I expect there was a fair amount of money to be made on the deal,” said one observer. The theft occurred quickly and without warning. According to the testimony of several guards, a lone cowpoke stole the horse. “First I knew of the attack was when I looked over and saw one of the other guards dead,” said a surviving guard. He called over others and they soon realized that two guards were dead with arrows in their necks.
It was not long after that that the cowpoke was spotted. “We had them for a moment, but they ran straight to the horse!” said on guard. The horse was startled by the sound of gunshots and by the cowpoke jumping on its back. The majestic creature began bucking and trying to toss the cowpoke from its back. “They held on tight and well, we couldn’t do anything until they were bucked off, which didn’t happen,” one of the guards admitted. Once the cowpoke broke the horse’s will, they road quickly west. The guards gave chase but had to be careful with their shots, which the thief did not need to do. “They fired pretty freely, slowed down our pursuit until we lost them,” one of the guards confessed. The thief was last seen riding toward Blackwater, just north of Flat Iron Lake. Nobody riding a white Arabian, however, was seen arriving in the city and the thief is still at large.
Federal investigation opened up regarding corruption in Rhodes
By Mathilde Orry
The town of Rhodes has long been accused of corruption among the lawmen who are supposed to uphold order. The Gray family has been a “pillar” of the Rhodes community going back decades, both owning a considerable amount of property in the area and upholding the law. The allegations against them have historically come from the Braithwaite family, who have long been rivals of the Grays. However, allegations of corruption have started coming from many others, including bounty hunters. It was noted in this paper that several wanted men have been known to hole up in Gray owned property and that Sheriff Leigh Gray has refused to arrest or hold such people at his prison. Recent allegations have come forward that it is not just the Grays that are corrupted, but the BHTNC itself. The BHTNC just recently defended itself against similar accusations and has only recently begun restoring its reputation.
These new allegations hold that the BHTNC has embraced Rhodes because of the Grays’ corruption. At the center of the allegation is the fact that to obtain a bounty hunter’s license, one must go to Rhodes. This gives Sheriff Leigh Gray the power to deny licenses to people he does not like. Further, across the Five States over half of the escaped bounties escape from Rhodes. This, accusers say, is further evidence of corruption. Officials of the state of Lemoyne say the federal government has no authority to investigate Rhodes and promised to hold its own investigation if the federal government backs off.
Salesclerk excited for new catalog pass
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
Just recently, the ever so popular Wheeler Rawson catalog released its latest collection. It’s often called the Outlaw Pass; it’s a popular paid-for collection of clothing and other apparel for the average cowpoke. Despite being made for the wealthy fashion-conscious individual, some shop owners like to buy the pass for themselves.
E.H. Kretzschmar is the owner of a shop in Blackwater. He works as a tailor, and he is so happy the pass has come around. “It’s the only thing that helps me get through the slow hours of measuring the dress size of a lady or arguing with an uptight customer. I order the pass, go out and hunt some ducks, and eventually, it comes. I can’t imagine life without it.”
While some cowpokes are incredibly disappointed in this season’s pass, some are just glad to have something to look forward to on those long hikes through the Five States. Like Mr. Kretzschmar, it’s a good way to pass the time. Besides, is having fun wasting time, really wasted time?
Celebrated Union General passes away
By Frederick Vannesse
General William Rosecrans earned a great deal of fame during the Civil War for his victories in the Western Theater. General Rosecrans was known for being outspoken as well as for his tactical prowess. Scholars have noted that around the same time General Lee and the Confederate Army had been broken at Gettysburg, General Rosecrans had pushed the Rebel army out of Tennessee in spectacular fashion. Telegrams between Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and General Rosecrans reveal that Rosecrans was asked strike the finishing blow, though miscommuniation led to to General Rosecrans failure to do so. Following the Civil War, General Rosecrans held several political posts. He recently had gotten over pnuemonia, before the loss of his favorite grandchild resulted in intense grief and a rapid decline in his health. General Rosecrans passed away peaceful in his sleep.
John Gourley redeems himself at the Grand National
By Rutherford X. Downing
Two years ago John Gourley was knocked from the horse Manifesto, ending his chances at winning the Grand National that year. Mr. Gourley was not to be denied, however and he continued his training. This year, he rode the bay gelding Drogheda, named after its breeders’ home town. Atop Drogheda, Mr. Gourley braved a blinding snowstorm with determination to win. That determination paid off when Mr. Gourley arrived looking like a “mounted snowman,” so covered in snow he was. Drogheda was tended to after the race and was said to be in good health. Drogheda’s trainer Richard Dawson was pleased with the performance. For his excellent skill in horse riding, Drogheda’s owner offered Mr. Gourley a pension for life, which Mr. Gourley eagerly accepted.
The Five States Herald 