U.S. Marshal and local Sheriff nearly hanged to death
By Alois Burditt
U.S. Marshal Tom Davies nearly paid for his vendetta against the Del Lobos with his life, and almost brought Sheriff Freeman down with him. Marshal Davies has been aggressively pursuing the Del Lobos gang for weeks now. Some have even accused Davies of breaking the very law he is attempting to uphold, which has led to an investigation into the attack on Valentine that occurred weeks ago.

For those who are not regular readers of this paper, here is a brief summary of events. Marshal Davies gathered a group of well meaning cowpokes in an effort to catch Del Lobos leader Alfredo Montez. The raid was unsuccessful in catching Alfredo, but they did manage to bring back the head of Alfredo’s cousin Jorge. Alfredo Montez responded by bringing the Del Lobos north of their usual stomping grounds into Roanoke Ridge. This bold move was noticed by Marshal Davies and he once again rounded up a posse and went after Alfredo Montez.

This time, Davies was successful and arrested Alfredo. He was then locked up in Valentine awaiting transfer to a more secure location when the Del Lobos gang attacked. The attempt to free Alfredo was thwarted by Davies and his posse of highly honorable folks. Alfredo was killed in the commotion which led to an investigation into U.S. Marshal Davies’ handling of the Del Lobos gang.

As a result of a low number of U.S. Marshals, Davies has remained on duty and was in Tumbleweed looking into leads on the Del Lobos when the town was assaulted without warning. Despite over half the town being badge wearing, gun toting deputies, the Del Lobos managed to takeover the town and take Davies and Tumbleweed Sheriff Sam Freeman as prisoners. An odd fellow known as Old Man Jones managed to round up Davies’ posse, who arrived in Tumbleweed as Davies was hanging in the gallows.

One of the sharpshooting cowpokes took aim and fired on the rope, splitting it in half and saving Davies from suffocation. As the cowpokes fought through the Del Lobos occupied town, deputies who had been captured took the moment to fight back and flee. Davies and Freeman were evacuated from the town and the very next day a small detachment of U.S. Army soldiers traveled to Tumbleweed to secure the town. The remaining Del Lobos gang members likely heard of the army’s movement because they abandoned the town. Sheriff Freeman is now looking to hire, “about a dozen deputies. Maybe more. I ain’t letting scum take over my town again.”

Wapiti Indians spotted in Grizzlies East
By Jane Duran
After weeks of no sightings of the Wapiti Indians, a small group has been spotted in the Grizzlies. A couple of folks hiking in the area came across the small camp of Wapiti. “Honestly, never met an Indian before, but I heard the stories about their savagery. I learned first hand, what you are hear ain’t always the truth,” one of the hikers said. The small band of Wapiti did watch the hikers cautiously, but never acted aggressively toward them. “My partner knew what to do. Just waved at them and moved slowly and openly as we passed them,” the hiker continued, “they must have realized we weren’t a threat. But what I saw was not a group of savages, just folk minding their own business. Which is more than I can saw of other folks.”

Some are worried that the Wapiti plan on attacking towns along the Lannahechee River. However, most believe the Wapiti are protesting the U.S. Government. Having been forced off their homeland in the Heartlands, the Wapiti are attempting to choose their own new home. The U.S. Government has responded with a threat, “The Wapiti entered into an agreement and if we must, we will enforce that agreement with the might of the United States Military.”

Skinner gang in Tall Trees?
By Salem Makintosh (Freelancer)
Following recent reports of Skinner sightings in Tall Trees, travelers are continuing to come across numerous unnatural deaths all over the area in which no animal could cause, but only monsters such like the Skinner Brothers gang. Although cattle rustling and robberies are unfortunately still common throughout the region, the spate of killings, scalping and burnings caused by the Skinners have shocked even the hardiest and most robust of local residents.

Back when the summer bill was passed not so long ago, the Skinners were rumored to have been hiding in the mountains of Ambarino. They were also rumored to had fought a ruthless feud against legendary gunslinger; Flaco Hernandez and his gang of desperado, who believed that there is only enough room for one gang up in those mountains. It is more than likely, if rumors are true, Flaco’s gang are the probable cause of Skinners migrating down to this region. One of the most wanted leaders; Otis Skinner is believed to be leading this pack of wild savages around, despite no sightings of him being confirmed. Lawmen and investigators were sent to investigate the gruesome scenes left behind this week on Tuesday, but none have returned. Two moons after the group went missing, residents of Manzanita Post claimed to have heard horrified screams late at night. Which led a justice posse to find a burial ground scattered with the groups remains on Friday morning.

I can only fear the worst for the poor victims of the Skinner Brothers, as the chances of surviving an encounter with this cult-like gang are incredibly low, most victims who happened to live through the torments were beyond from saving and had to be put out of their misery. Local law enforcement are urging residents and travelers to show extra caution when traveling in the back country on their own or at night.

Misfit Bunch hits Annesburg Mine
By Donna Deshner
At the time of writing this article, details still haven’t reached us from this week’s bloody raid of the Jameson Mine and Coal Company by the so called Misfits of the West .

What we know so far is that while the owner of the mine, Archibald Jameson, the sole remaining sponsor for the Pinkerton Agency’s involvement in the war against Misfits of the West, and lately the main target of their robberies in the western states, was visiting the Gaptooth’s Ridge region of New Austin to assess potential investment opportunities in mining near the town of Tumbleweed. Mister Jameson traveled not only with an army of geologists, surveyors, valuators, etc. but also with a large number of Pinkertons and armed guards, as a show of force, because he might have been targeted by the ruthless Misfits of the West Bunch who operate in the area.

Unexpectedly, his coal mine in Annesburg was attacked instead by outlaws that fit the descriptions of identified members of the Misfits of the West, who stole a yet unknown amount of money and bonds, killing many guards in the process, which instigated a worker revolt amongst miners who had been complaining for years about the poor pay and miserable work conditions in the mine, who ended up ransacking the place. We will report details on this daring heist on following articles as we receive more information. What we do know from sources close to Mister Jameson is the damages have been so great that all plans to invest in Gaptooth’s Ridge and Tumbleweed, plus the financing of the Pinkerton investigation on the Misfit Bunch, will be stopped immediately, and perhaps permanently.

We haven not been able to get an official statement from the New Austin state government on the implications of Jameson’s decision to abandon his plans to invest in the area, but we have received a statement from Nate Jones, an up and coming West Elizabeth politician who will run for state governor on the next election with bold promises to cut crime in the region. He has been very vocal about dealing with outlaws and gangs like The Misfit Bunch and the Van der Linde Gang, to name a few. He had this to say about the current state of events:

“With Jameson’s withdrawal from investing in the region, New Austin will remain a safe haven for thieves and killers, which puts West Elizabeth at risk, since criminals who exploit the lawlessness of the wild west can come and go as they please with no one able to stop them. To escape pursuit, outlaws need only cross state lines by Thieves Landing,  which is a den of smugglers and lowlifes and will likely continue to grow. With Jameson’s withdrawal there’s no longer a real opposition to major gangs in these states. The Sheriff of Armadillo, I’m sorry to say it, is known to compromise, and may even abandon his post if threatened or if the cholera outbreak expands. The Sheriff of Tumbleweed does whar he can, but now that vital investment which could’ve saved his town is not going forward, I fear Tumbleweed’s days are numbered. When they’ll talk about the inevitable demise of Tumbleweed, they’ll refer to the railroad skipping the town, and while that is indeed truth, the last chance this region had for survival and prosperity was shut down by the Misfit Bunch. Their actions were the last nail on Tumbleweed’s coffin. The town is emptying and soon enough outlaws will be drawn to it in large numbers. The promising mines near Gaptooth’s Ridge will now remain unclaimed by a strong presence that could’ve enforced it’s claim bringing stability to the region, now illegal miners will likely gang up and exploit the mines with no opposition other than stronger gangs. Fort Mercer has seen it’s share of outlaw violence and it won’t take long before a larger, more organized gang will take it over for good. When the frontier bridges get built, with the current state of political instability in Mexico, who knows how many outlaws will benefit from being able to disappear crossing the border after committing their crimes, making it extra difficult to fight them.”

“I have big plans for the region” he continued, “and if elected I shall work hand in hand with the governorship of New Austin to bring these plans to life. Starting with the building of a settlement in Tall Trees by the border with New Austin, to be used by the military, where we can based our project to connect West Elizabeth and New Austin by railroad, which will facilitate the mobilization of lawmen and will bring prosperity in trade. Also, supporting a stronger military presence, especially around Plainview, so that industrialists from our beloved state can feel safe to invest in exploiting the newly found oil without fearing gangs of outlaws. In order to achieve all of this, we need a stronger hand in the governor’s chair, someone who isn’t afraid to get his handa dirty to bring peace and prosperity to these lands. I am currently developing a strategy that will end the threat to progress that outlaw gangs pose by destroying them from the inside. Electing me will finally bring forth the unavoidable future of progress and lawlessness we all desire.” He concluded.

Bird populations flourish
By Mathilde Orry
While animal populations across the Five States decline, the exotic birds of the bayou flourish. It was not so long ago that these exotic birds were sought by cowpokes across the Five States. With exotic feathers in high demand, cowpokes with a careful aim were able to hunt the bayou’s exotic birds and earn quite a bit of money. The expansion of jobs in the Five States has created new avenues of revenue, reducing the number of folks hunting these rare birds. While conservationists are thrilled to see the population of exotic birds grow, they are remaining cautious.

“Some birds are still in danger, such as the bald eagle,” said a conservationist with the Five States Conservationist League. “And with reports of animal population declines all over the Five States, how long until the beautiful birds are put back on the hunting list?” There is a good reason to be optimistic about this situation, however. First, many cowpokes no longer earn a living hunting animals. They have become bounty hunters or collectors for the traveling gypsy Madam Nazar. They have traded hunting animals for hunting humans and objects of value respectively. It us unlikely these cowpokes will return to bird hunting because they are unaffected by the decline in animals across the Five States. Others who still hunt, however, may be back in the Bayou soon enough.

Restaurant Review: La Riviere Cafe Resaurant
By Tate Duger
In the heart of Saint Denis, just north of the only doctor in town, is La Riviere Cafe Restaurant. A simple restaurant that delivers on quality food, specializing in French and local Cajun cuisine. I decided to try something more local than French. I ordered crayfish etouffee, with red beans and rice and an appetizer of fried alligator. The alligator came in thin strips. The waiter said this was to make the alligator less chewy. I found the meat to be be firm, with a slight fishy taste. It had a spiciness to it that I found to be different than spicy foods I have had in the past. “Cajun spicy,” I was told.

My crayfish etouffee was brought to me with steam rising from the place. It was a healthy serving with whole pieces of crayfish that were caught in the Lemoyne Bayou in Lagras. It had a similar spice profile to the alligator. I was shocked by how perfect the consistency of the roux was. Not too watery, yet not thick. It made the etouffee as pleasant to eat as it was to taste. The red beans and rice are not mixed together. Red beans cooked with beef sausage made from local cows are served on top of a bed of rice. The high quality of the sausage stood out most. The beans and rice were also tender. The fact that I did not finish half of my red beans and rice was not an indictment of the flavor, but a testament to the generous serving. I washed this all down with a glass of swamp water, which is a cloudy and murky drink made up of unknown liquids and juices. I had a shot of vodka added to mine.

Though I was quite full, I had to order desert. For one, duty calls and no restaurant review is complete without a review of a desert dish. And, the dinner was so good I knew the desert had to be as well. I went with a simple banana pudding, which was served with fresh slices of banana. The pudding was a delight and satisfied my sweet tooth sufficiently without being overly sweet while the fresh slices of banana make one feel like they are eating healthy, even if they are not. And that is what eating is all about, I mean beyond sustaining life. It is about enjoying the experience, which I truly did at La Riviere Cafe Restaurant.
5 out of 5 Crayfish

United States prepares for war
By Frederick Vannesse
Following reports that the USS Lewiston was sunk by an external explosion, the wheels in Washington began turning toward war. President MacAlister has recently called on Congress to declare war on Spain, allowing him to comment forces to pushing Spain out of Cuba. While Congress did not take up legislation for a declaration of war during this session, it is likely to be on the top of the list when Congress reconvenes. While Spain continues to deny any involvement in the USS Lewiston’s explosion, fervor for war is high. It may be difficult to change the direction the U.S. is on.

‘Game reserve’ opened in South Africa
By Humphrey Harker
The South African government has established the Sabie Game Reserve, the first in the country. The goal of the reserve is to preserve the population of animals. To achieve this goal there are legal limits placed on hunting in the game reserve. Over hunting can kill off populations of animals fairly quickly and this is a step meant to protect the animals from a population collapse. The goal is not necessarily for the animals’ welfare, however. The goal of the population stabilization is to assist in long term hunting viability.

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