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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.
Drama in the court room when bounty hunter Nathaniel Cross is accused of being the Grey Cowboy
The trial of Mark Gull, who is accused of being the masked vigilante the Grey Cowboy, started off as most trials do. Folks sitting in an orderly fashion, a judge controlling the pace of proceedings, and lawyers ready to make their arguments. However, the defense immediately made waves by bringing multiple Sisika inmates to the Saint Denis courthouse. The first of those inmates took the witness stand was asked three questions. The first was, “Have you encountered the Grey Cowboy before?” To which, the witness replied in the affirmative, indicating that it was in fact the Grey Cowboy who killed his friends and left him knocked out an hogtied for the authorities to pick up. The defense attorney then asked his second question: “Is the Grey Cowboy in this court room right now?” The witness appeared nervous before nodding and saying, “y-y-yes, the man who c-c-caught me is here now.” Though this may have been the expected answer for onlookers, the defense attorny did seem a bit surprised. He seemed genuinely curious as he asked his third question, “Would you point to the Grey Cowboy, for the benefit of the jury?” Murmuring overtook the calm courtroom as the witness did not point at Mr. Gull, but at someone sitting in observance. Those in the court room then began looking amongst each other until it was clear, the witness’ finger was pointed at bounty hunter Nathanial Cross, the very man who brought Mark Gull to justice. The murmurs turned to gasps of shock as the judge slammed his gavel to regain order.
The defense then brought up three more witnesses, all from Sisika Penitentiary. Two of those witnesses were other criminals while the third was a guard. The inmates told similar stories as the first witness, having encountered the Grey Cowboy and being arrested by him before pointing to Cross as the Grey Cowboy. Nathaniel Cross remained seated and appeared unmoved by the testimony. The state attorney refuted the claims made by the witnesses by saying they were criminals and that they could not be trusted. However, the guard offered what many felt was compelling testimony. Far from the criminals being coaxed, according to the guard, the criminals were speaking of the Grey Cowboy’s identity all on their own. The guard came across a number of inmates giving Mark Gull a hard time. According to the guard, other prisoners said things like, “I’ve seen the Grey Cowboy, you ain’t him,” and, “the Grey Cowboy is a might more intimidating than you.” Gull would agree with the expressed sentiment, reminding his fellow prisoners that he never claimed to be the Grey Cowboy.
The court room seemed divided over this revelation. The judge had a difficult time maintaining order as observers began whispering among themselves, wondering if it could be true. Before the defense could call up anymore witnesses, the prosecution asked for a week long delay. The judge, however, offered them only a single day. When court resumed, the state’s prosecution team had a difficult time refuting the testimony given, particularly as the guard was quite convincing. Nathaniel Cross took the witness stand and gave mundane details about Gull’s arrest. The defense wasted no time during cross examination, asking Cross immediately, “are you the Grey Cowboy?” Cross replied, “how can I be the man I arrested?” The defense accused Cross of not answering the question straight, to which Cross replied, “I am Nathaniel Cross, bounty hunter, what more do I need to say?” The judge then scolded Cross, saying, “you answer plainly or I’ll hold you in contempt of court.” Cross narrowed his gaze as he was asked again, “are you the Grey Cowboy?” Cross smiled when he said, “you should find some evidence, then you won’t need to ask.”
The court broke into an uproar again as the judge banged is gavel threating Cross to answer the question. Cross merely stood up and walked out of the court room. By the end of the day, a jury verdict was given. Mark Gull was found not guilty of the crime of vigilantism. Nathaniel Cross had left Saint Denis before the verdict was read. State and local authorities said they had no intention of arressting the bounty hunter while federal authorities said they would investigate the claims to see if corroborating evidence existed.
Good man goes bad in pursuit of a black bandana
By Alois Burditt
An outlaw group appears to be countering the BHTNC while adopting some of their methods at the same time. While BHTNC says they want to improve the Five States, this outlaw group wants to bring disorder. The unnamed group offered free bandanas to folks who would dishonor themselves through dishonorable deeds. At least, that is the claim of a “good man gone bad.” Ben Pruet was arrested for assault and horse theft this week. Until his arrest, Mr. Pruet was known as an upstanding resident of the Five States. He was known for helping strangers, always nodding to locals, and always brushing his horse. “Out of nowhere the man just goes rotton,” said a Tumbleweed deputy, “just starts attacking innocent folks, stealing horses, and even stopped feeding his own horse or cleaning it!” Despite his string of dishonorable acts, Mr. Pruet was unable to lower himself to the level this alleged outlaw group demanded. “I did the things and when I went to get my bandana, they said they never heard of the infamous Ben Pruet, so I hadn’t been bad enough,” Mr. Pruet explained. He was arrested before he could lower his honor any further. Mr. Pruet’s claims of an outlaw counter to the BHTNC remain unverified.
So called “plague doctor” to examine Armadillo residents
By Jose Chavez
A nameless woman arrived in Armadillo this week and drew a great deal of attention. Shore wore a dress as black as a starless night and a corset cinching her at the waist. Covering her face was a black mask made famous by the plague doctors, doctors who specialized in treating plagues since the 1600s. The woman traveled around the small town, checking on every resident that crossed her path. Historically, plague doctors have been the only line of aid for poor folks suffering during an epidemic. The arrival of this unknown woman was seen as a sign of hope among the hopeless population of Armadillo, where the only healthy people are a shopkeep, the sheriff, the bartender, and the travelers who stop in the town. Will she alone stop Armadillo’s woes where so many have failed?
Man gives up hunting after receiving a sign from God
By Delphia Atwood
A hunter was trailing a buck when he finally managed the perfect shot. However, right as he fired the kill shot, lightning lit up the sky and thunder drowned out all other sounds. “I paused and, well it shook me to my core!” the hunter said. While he still skinned and used the resources from the deer he killed, he has swore off hunting. “How can I ignore a sign like that?” the hunter asked, “I mean, next time it may not be a warning and God’s lightning could strike me down where I stand!” The hunter also explained that he has other was to earn money and support himself. He is considering a new career as a naturalists, wondering if God’s message was to be one with the animals. “I’m gonna see that Davenport woman about a new career,” they said in parting.
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Bounty hunter loses bounty when they refuse to leave dead bodies unlooted
By Jane Duran
A bounty hunter had a nearly successful hunt, but they were foiled by their own desire to leave no pocket unchecked. After a smooth attack left several henchmen dead and the bounty knocked out and hogtied, the bounty hunter said they took cover. After taking time to analyze the situation, they focused and killed the remaining henchmen with perfect headshots. While this seems to be the exagerated claims of a bounty hunter looking to build up their reputation, the next admission certainly makes it seem like an honest story. “I can’t not loot the dead, you know?” the bounty hunter said, “just seems a waste of life to not put a man’s earthly possessions to good use.” This obsession resulted in the bounty hunter being pinned down by reinforcements. Eventually the bounty hunter killed all the reinforcements but noticed the bounty target was nowhere to be seen. “Guess they woke up and wiggled themselves free while I was looting,” the bounty hunter said, “oh well, found a treasure map worth more than the bounty payout anyway!”
Blackwater taken over by energetic cowpokes
By Nick McCrary
Blackwater residents were caught off guard when a large posse of cowpokes came into the town an abundance of energy. “They were running and hollering, wrestling with each other and even shopping!” said one witness who watched the ruckus while enjoying a cigar. While the cowpokes were certainly obvious and drew a lot of attention to themselves based on witness accounts, they mostly left the townsfolk alone. “Occasionally they bumped into someone and flipped off a man once, except for the noise they kept to themselves,” said Blackwater Chief of Police Oswald Dunbar. Nobody was arrested, though police made sure to show a strong presence wherever the wild group wandered. Eventually they seemed to tire, with one of them saying, “I think all that coffee is starting to wear off…” before falling over and passing out. Locals left the cowpokes where they slept, until they got up of their own accord and rode out of town.
New game played in Big Valley called “horse roulette”
By Odell Clifton
The game is played by gathering your posse and having them all stand behind their own horse. This alone is enough to make most horses nervous. “It gets pretty tense watching the agitated horses and wondering who will go down first!” said one of the participants. After this initial “wait and see” period, the participants all strike their horse at the same time. Anyone who goes down loses and the winner is the last cowpoke standing. While many cowpokes remain standing during the “wait and see” period, no cowpoke has been able to stay standing after taking a kick to the chest. “It’s a fun game, but everyone loses,” said another participant. Horse breeders issued a word of caution before playing, “horses have powerful legs and a single kick to the chest could kill you. Maybe not instantly, but could result in a slow death of asphyxiation.” Still, with little to do in the Five States, the new game may catch on.
Andrew or Audrey? A Coachmen Mystery!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
On Friday, a beloved coachman left this world, but not without a parting gift of sorts. Andrew Marsh, a 30-year veteran of riding shotgun on various coaches, died peacefully in his sleep. He was 64 and had no living relatives. This would generally be the end of the story, but things took a strange turn before the burial. The undertaker did a quick autopsy to confirm the cause of death and discovered that old Andrew had a pair of breasts.
The undertaker, understandably confused, started checking other vital organs and came to a startling conclusion. Andrew Marsh wasn’t born a man; he had been a she this whole time.
Things only got stranger when the undertaker went through a private suitcase that belonged to the deceased. In it, he found identification papers for a miss Audrey Doyle and several pairs of women’s clothing.
Locals who knew Andrew were just as surprised to learn this information. For 30 years in a row, a woman had been riding shotgun on stagecoaches through the Five States and beyond, and not a single person had assumed this.
It all makes one wonder if, by the end, did she think of herself as Audrey Doyle or Andrew Marsh? Did she see herself as a he? Or was it always a persona, just a name attached to a job. I suppose we’ll never know; it’s just another legend of the west, I guess. The shotgun-toting coachmen that was born a coachwoman, you just never know some people.
Is the donkey the strongest animal alive?
By Donna Deshner
Cowpoke riding furiously past Flatneck station was brought to a sudden halt. “I hit something hard and went down with my house,” said Mr. Rod, “It felt like a large rock but I was sure I had not seen one!” Mr. Rod stood up and after shaking off his own cobwebs and checking on his horse, which was unarmed, he searched for the rock. To his surprise, he found a resting donkey. “The donkey seemed completely oblivious to what happened,” Mr. Rod explained. The donkey was clearly unharmed and completely unmoved. How a donkey could bit hit by a running horse and remain completely unaffected is a mystery. Mr. Rod put forth his own explanation, “donkeys may just be the strongest mounts in the Five States, slow but hardy. When can we buy one?” Presently, it is illegal to own a donkey without the proper paperwork. Nobody in the Five States sells donkeys either, as the paperwork requirement has made demand artificially low. “Demand for donkeys is actually quite high,” said a stable owner, who remarked that many folks inquire about purchasing a donkey. However, they all give up when they learn about the paperwork requirement that makes it literally impossible for most cowpokes to buy and own a donkey. With this remarkable story about donkey hardiness, perhaps bounty hunters will begin demanding the stout animal.
Fight breaks out when a naturalist tries to prevent the sell of animal products
By Mathilde Orry
A naturalist was horrified when a stranger killed an animal they had sedated. The naturalist said they were collecting blood samples and then reviving the animals with a natural remedy, so that they would not be left lying helpless. However, as they approached the sedated animal, another cowpoke fired their rifle and killed the sleeping deer. According to the naturalist, the hunter got off their horse and began to skin the animal as if the naturalist was not even there. The naturalist confronted the hunter and a heated exchange of words followed. “It’s too bad for him I happen to be a retired bounty hunter,” the naturalist said. They pushed the hunter and then tossed a bolas at them. The tangled up hunter was then quickly hogtied. “I left him there, defenseless and vulnerable,” the naturalist said, “with some potent predator bait nearby.”
Man assaulted while aiming bow and kills the attacker on pure instinct before blowing up
By Emeline Vickroy
A man looking to show off his “exploding arrows” ends up giving a deadly display. “Trick arrows” are all the rage these days, with such types as fire arrows, tracking arrows, and even explosive arrows all being very popular.
Reddit story. A bowman had an explosive arrow notched and read to fire off, however another man decided to interupt. The attacker attempted to tackle the bowman, however the bowman managed to fight the attacker off. After pushing the attacker back, the bowman quickly fired the notched arrow into the attacker’s forehead. Witnesses described the defensive move as pure instinct. After just a few moments, however, witnesses say the bowman’s face turned to horror as he realized what he had done. The dead attacker was now just feet away from him with a lit explosive arrow protruding from his head. Before the bowman could flee to safety, the dynamite attached to the arrow exploded, killing the bowman. The witnesses were far enough away to survive.
Well Respected Author Dies, Book Series Incomplete!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
George Irvine, a famous author of history and a bestselling medieval book series, has sadly died. Originally from New York, Irvine settled in the Five States roughly 20 years ago in order to be closer to nature.
While gardening one fine day, he was struck with the idea to write about the Middle Ages, an era of history he knew quite a lot about. So much so that he published seven books on the subject in the 1860s. However, this series wasn’t strictly accurate to history as it featured sea monsters, dragons, and probably more nudity than the era allowed.
Critical reception to this series of books, often nicknamed Crusader Lords, was incredibly positive. Even if the occasional puritan east coaster objected to the profanity and sex. Unfortunately, it seems people who have patiently waited for the series to end will need to find a new hobby. Irvine left no notes on future plot points, and the outline for his sixth novel was incomplete. Fans will forever have to speculate about how the series could have ended. A sad end to a beloved writer, but also not an uncommon fate. Countless other authors of the day have left incomplete books upon their demise. It’s just a fact of life; we don’t always get to accomplish what we want with the time we have.
Winston Motor Carriage Company begins marketing new motor carriage to the general public
By Frederick Vannesse
While most people seem to look at motor vehicles with suspicion, believing they could never replace the convenience of a train or utility of a horse, companies are aggressively trying to change that perspective. The Winston Motor Carriage Company is not the first company to build a motor vehicle and try to sell it, they are, however, the first to do so to the general public. This week they began running advertisements in the Scientific American. The ad claims that folks can completely dispense with a horse, doing away with the expense, care, and anxiety of horse ownership. Boasting that it only costs 1/2 a cent per mile to operate and it sturdy, yet lightweight. They claim the hydrocarbon engine creates no odor and that the motor carriage can reach speeds of 20 miles an hour. Time will tell if these new motorized carriages will become popular.
“Chattie” Charlotte Cooper amazes fans on her way to 3rd Wimbledon Singles Championship
By Rutherford X. Downing
Ms. Cooper continues to prove that she is a top competitor in tennis. After previously winning the Wimbledon Singles Championship in 1895 and 1896. However, in 1897 Ms. Cooper was defeated by Blanche Bingley Hillyard, who won their fourth Wimbledon Singles Championship. Ms. Cooper took the defeat humbly and vowed to return to regain her championship, which she did. However, many fans were disappointed that Bingley skipped the Wimbledon this year and in so doing, denying fans a heated rematch. Still, fans were treated to an exciting finals match-up. Ms. Cooper dazzled fans with her trademark overhand serve, a rarity in women’s tennis. She matched the serve with an aggressive style, attacking the net regularly. Her steadiness and speed allowed her to volley the ball back more often than not, leaving her opponent, Louisa Martin, unable to mount a solid offense. The game ended with a score of 6-4, 6-4 in favor of Ms. Cooper, who vows to return to defend her title.
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