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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.
Smoking Gun kills man from a distance, still manages to leave personal message
By Ela Q. Asken
Another murder has taken place in Strawberry. Just as I thought the Smoking Gun left the quiet town, he returned. Moreover, it appears that the victim was the Smoking Gun’s target the entire time. The victim’s name was Jefferson Hanwick, a private investigator. Mr. Hanwick is a man I had gone to myself from time to time for information in the past, though never for the Smoking Gun. Which turned out to be a mistake. Mr. Hanwick’s body had already been moved from where he had been killed and his possessions were in the hands of the Strawberry Sheriff. A resident told me she had seen Mr. Hanwick hours before his death.
“He was speaking to a well dress fella,” she said. “After sometime, the fancy gentleman put something in the dead man’s breast pocket and walked away. The look on his face when he was left alone, almost as if he had known he was about to die.” The shot was fired from a high powered rifle, somewhere north of Strawberry. Deputies were unable to find the shooter. Sheriff Hanley let me take a look at Mr. Hanwick’s possessions. He was kind enough to point specifically to the items found in Mr. Hanwick’s breast pocket. There was an unlit, perfectly handrolled cigarette. Likely the item the Smoking Gun placed there so that I would know it was him given that unlike the previous kills, this one was done at range.
The other item in Mr. Hanwick’s breast pocket was a notebook. In it were details about the Smoking Gun that I had yet to discover myself, including a detailed description of him that matched the man I saw at the hotel. The last entry was but a few lines: “He knows who I am. He spoke to me. I was careful, perhaps he’s better. If I’m dead, it was him. If you are reading this and you are not him, pursue this no further.” I wonder why the Smoking Gun would not take such a notebook with him when he gave Mr. Hanwick the cigarette? Perhaps he is growing ever bolder. No new tarot card this time, but I suppose Mr. Hanwick himself is warning enough.
Wanted men killed in Stillwater Creek and elsewhere in Hennigan’s Stead
By Wylie Frey
Authorities believe the illicit bounty hunting business is thriving in New Austin after several wanted men were found dead all over Hennigan’s Stead. “We’ve known about a gang of six outlaws in the Hennigan’s Stead area for awhile now. Each is a wanted man, however, no official bounty had been issued,” stated the New Austin Rangers’ office. As wanted men without an official bounty, the outlaws were firmly in the domain of official lawmen only. Private citizens can only get involved after an official bounty is issued and only then if that citizen has a bounty hunting license. New Austin Rangers were first notified of the killings when a resident witnessed a masked man riding away from the top of Monteca Falls. The witness heard several gunshots before the masked man rode by on a dark horse. “My horse was already agitated from the gunshots, took all my effort to keep her calm and so I didn’t get a good look at the man,” the witness said.
He rode to MacFarlane’s Ranch, where two Rangers had been staying, to notify them of what happened. The Rangers quickly rode off toward Monteca falls after ordering a telegram to be sent to their colleagues in Armadillo. On their way to the reported siting, they changed their course at some point and instead rode toward Stillwater Creek, where they were killed. Rangers who investigated later found two wanted men among a dozen dead outlaws. The dead rangers had not gotten very close, killed from distance with a rifle. Near Monteca Falls the Rangers found an abandoned shack where half a dozen outlaws were dead, including two other wanted me. The final two of the six were found on the road heading toward the shack.
“We’re glad the bastards are dead, but two of ours are dead too and we won’t be forgetting that,” warned the spokesman for the New Austin Rangers. It is believed that the outlaw bounty hunter James Langton may have been behind the killings. He is believed to have allies in several police departments, sheriff stations, and state and federal bureaus. As a result, he would have known the six men were wanted by the Rangers. However, it is unclear why Langton would want them dead. As of now, the only link to Langton is little more than a lawman’s hunch.
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Del Lobo gang clashes with the Owlhoot Family
By Alois Burditt
The expanding Del Lobo gang has run into the resurging Owlhoot Family in Rio Bravo. The Del Lobo gang typically has claimed Cholla Springs and Hennigan’s Stead as its home, however their move westward brought the gang into conflict with the Owlhoot Family. The Owlhoots only recently reemerged after bounty hunters decimated their ranks several months ago.
The gangs collided at Benedict Pass. “Some folks came into town, said there was a war or something going on,” said Sheriff Sam Freeman of Tumbleweed. He took a few deputies and armed residents to investigate. “Outside of Tumbleweed, I ain’t got much jurisdiction. But the gangs are getting bold these days, if I need to go out to take the fight to them to keep it out of my town, so be it.” Sheriff Freeman’s posse scouted the area and chose to watch the fight from afar. Once it was realized that it was two known gangs fighting it out, Sheriff Freeman returned to Tumbleweed. “I told the boys they can watch, they need the entertainment, but I wasn’t going to interrupt those fools.” Those who watched the fight, remarked that the Del Lobo gang was far more disciplined, yet their discipline often broke at the sight of the Owlhoot’s ferociousness on the battlefield. When asked who won the battle, Sheriff Freeman said, “the people of the state of New Austin.”
Pair found dead, likely victims of a robbery
By Caylen V. Hornby
Two folks, a male and female, were found near Lake Isabella. Their identities are unknown. The pair appear to have been driving a wagon east on the road adjacent to Lake Isabella, indicating they were likely headed out of the Grizzlies. Whether they were headed into West Elizabeth or New Hanover cannot be known for certain. The pair were found by a pair of U.S. Marshals who had been patrolling the area to verify sightings of a new Wolf Man to hunt down. Readers will recall the Wolf Man was hung after being captured by a bounty hunter. Sightings of a killer inspired by the Wolf Man have increased and the United States Marshals have taken an interest.
However, one of the the marshals investigating the scene said, “this wasn’t a Wolf Man inspired killing. No animal tracks and the victims were killed with guns.” Further, it was noted that the wagon they had been driving was ransacked. If there was anything of value in the wagon, it was taken by the bandits. Few people live in the area, however I rode up to the Adler ranch, one of the few settlements in Ambarino, to get their take. “I’m surprised they were found out all,” said Jake Adler. “Been a year or so since I seen the law around here, many more good folk are robbed and killed out here and go completely unnoticed.”
Man found alive among nearly a dozen dead men
By Caylen V. Hornby
The abandoned town of Colter played host to several folks last week hoping to draw the attention of investors to a revitalization project. This week, in true Colter fashion, civilization’s retreat was followed by Colter being reclaimed by the untamed. Only a day after the protesters left the lifeless town, a gang out outlaws took over. Residents who were inspired by last week’s gathering attempted to visit Colter only to be robbed. A posse was rounded up and rode into Colter only to find that the gang was already killed, all but the leader anyway. The leader was unconscious when the posse arrived. Upon waking up, he described what happened. “The man in grey, he came through here like a madman.”
The man was shaken thinking about the event. He described a cowboy wearing mostly grey and black, wielding a shotgun. The grey cowboy cut through the snow, using the heavy snowfall as cover. “Every time he pulled the trigger someone died, then he got to me and I thought I was a dead man. I didn’t even look at him…” According to the survivor, the man in grey then told him to reconsider his life, before knocking him out. The man then pleaded for his life as the posse hogtied him and took him to the Valentine sheriff, where he is expected to be hanged until dead.
Greenhorns duel Outlaw Queen in Strawberry
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Freelancer)
The little town of Strawberry is a calmer place usually compared to places like Valentine or Tumbleweed. Not so this week, as the town bore witness to a duel and subsequent slaughter of a small-time gang of greenhorns.
Around midafternoon, a figure on a black horse rode into town.
She stopped at the general store and bought a few items before walking back to the tied-up Arabian. But before she could mount up and leave, a young man accosted her. The man was barely out of his teens, and he had three friends looking on. He claimed that this woman was the Black Rose herself, Myra Rose Hart. The figure took off her sizeable feathered hat and placed it on the horse.
Countless individuals peaked out from the windows; they had never seen the infamous Outlaw Queen in person. She pushed back a lock of her auburn hair and starred down the uptight little cowpoke. No words were spoken; it was clear he wanted to duel a legend. Whether it was to avenge her many victims or just for glory, none can say. Sheriff deputy Vernon Farley saw the commotion but made no effort to break it up. He knew who that woman was, no other fair lady of the lands had a face so pale white or lips so red.
In the blink of an eye, it was over, she drew first, and just as the poor kid had lifted the Cattleman out of his holster, he was struck down. The bullet hit him in the index finger. He dropped the weapon and cried out in pain as she walked towards him. The onlookers looked away, knowing exactly what was about to transpire. She took out her knife and plunged it into the kid’s chest, causing his guts to fall out. She grinned a wicked grin and kissed him on the cheek before he fell forward.
His friends did not take too kindly to seeing a comrade disemboweled. They all screamed her name before drawing, but it was short-lived. She drew her two revolvers and gunned each kid down with a single shot to the head. They thought she would be a pushover, a 20 some girl of the weaker sex. They had instead met a cruel succubus lacking a mothers caring heart. She finally got to her horse and left town. Those four boys now merely another notch on a firearm and another wooden cross.
New wagon designed for war expected to be available soon
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Freelancer)
In 1877 a stagecoach was attacked by bandits in Roanoke Ridge. The coach was robbed, and the driver, Johnny Slaughter, was killed. Cut to today, and German engineer Friedrich Yaeger used this robbery as inspiration for a new breed of vehicle. After designing the so-called Motor Scout, which is merely a bicycle with a Maxim machine gun attached, Yaeger read about the decades-old robbery and thought he could make a new invention that could have prevented the tragedy.
The result is what he has come to call the War Wagon. It doesn’t remotely look like the type of wagon you would typically see on the Great Plains. It’s armored from top to bottom in the same kind of steel used in cruisers like the USS Lewiston. It comes with one healthy horse pulling the entire wagon, it’s the one currently vulnerable part of the vehicle, for now anyway. The most notable feature is the rotating turret, inspired by the turret present on the USS Monitor from the Civil War. It comes with a state-of-the-art Maxim machine gun and can rotate 360 degrees, offering superior protection and visibility. Also of note are the narrow windows along the body of the vehicle, for the crew to aim out of, allowing heavy cover that can withstand small arms fire of any caliber.
The wagon has already been sold to the US military, right before the war with Spain has been declared. Its currently not available for private purchase, but Yaeger is eager to expand to more markets. Those that live in the Five State area already know how powerful Yaeger’s little pet is. One was used during the Valentine shootout sometime ago. How it ended up in the hands of Mexican bandits is unknown, although leading theories are that it was stolen from the US army. When the legal model will be available is unknown, perhaps after the war with Spain has subsided. But sooner or later, coachmen and the wealthy will be driving so-called landships across the plains, confident that no mortal foe can harm them.
Chickasaw tracker saves ambushed family
By Van R. Seldon
A family of three were traveling by wagon from Annesburg when they were ambushed by members of the Murfree Brood. The Murfrees are a notorious gang in the Roanoke Ridge area, known for the brutality of their attacks. The Durisch family was headed south to their new home in Scarlett Meadows. “I saved some money from working in the mines every day. 7 days a week,” said the family patriarch Maynard. “Bought us a piece of land and a house all ready to be built.” The Durisch family had given up the smokey Annesburg for the cleaner pastures of Scarlett Meadows. However, their journey was almost over be they arrived at their new home. “The dog started barking, getting real agitated,” said Arlie, Maynard’s wife. Soon after a tomahawk flew through the air and nearly hit Maynard. It was enough to give him pause and look around. Mr. Durisch then turned his view back on the road and saw the Murfree Brood for the first time.
“We were surrounded. I heard about the Murfrees, but never encountered them,” Maynard said. He was nearly killed before he could grab his shotgun as one of the brood members rushed the wagon from the side. Maynard had not noticed the man, but his dog did. The dog leapt from the wagon and landed on the Murfree before biting at the attacker’s throat. “I knew we were done for,” said Arlie, who was holding her son during the attack. Her screams, however, were not unanswered. Maynard took cover and started firing with his shotgun, keeping the Murfrees mostly at bay. Unbeknownst to him at the time, however, was that the Murfrees themselves were being attacked.
“I didn’t realize it, I just kept shooting and reloading,” said Maynard as he recalled seeing their savior for the first time. “I had just reloaded and aimed by shotgun at her and, I paused cuz I knew something was different.” Before him stood an Indian women, a bow and a rifle slung over her shoulder and a tomahawk in her hand, which was buried in the skull of a Murfree. Once Maynard lowered the gun, he said the Indian woman approached and introduced her as Akanowa, the famed Chickasaw tracker mentioned in this paper on a number of occasions. Akanowa had been traveling down the Lannahechee when she heard the ambush and decided to help. She accompanied the family the rest of the way. “She wouldn’t take no money, just said she heard the dog in distress and couldn’t keep going on her way. Guess we were fortunate she was around and that she has a soft spot for dogs.”
The Jenson Bones Boys brought in to face justice
By Mathilde Orry
The Jenson Bones Boys have long been sought in New Hanover and Ambarino. The four men that make up the core of the gang have been known to desecrate churches and murder clergymen. Their crimes have been committed throughout the Grizzlies and the Heartlands. The gang had been spotted in Lemoyne, which resulted in the issuance of an official bounty in Rhodes. A posse of cowpokes took the bounty and tracked the gang as it made its exit from Lemoyne back into the Heartlands. “Was more than four of ’em. Guess they got themselves a proper gang at some point,” said one of the bounty hunters of the gang. Each member of the posse was an experienced bounty hunter, “so it wasn’t so hard to spot the targets,” their leader said. The bounty hunters did not speak about their specific tactics, but said they were able to subdue the gang in short order.
“They had a wagon and a few escorts on horseback. Those fellers in the wagon were sitting ducks,” said one of the bounty hunters. The bounty hunters took no casualties or injuries, while none of the targets were killed. “They were certainly harmed though,” one of the bounty hunters laughed, “I always give ’em a good kick before tossing ’em into the wagon.” The posse brought the four men in, one driving the wagon while the others rode on horseback as escorts. Just before arriving in Rhodes, a few more gang members who had followed them made a last attempt at rescuing the Jenson Bones Boys. According to the bounty hunters, they failed and never had a chance. The Jenson Bones Boys are now being held in the Rhodes Prison. Sheriff Leigh Gray said, “we take church very seriously here. We take heathens very seriously. We take church desecrators even seriouser. Them boys ain’t long for this world.”
Miracle tonic being advertised in Saint Denis
By Aloysius Levron
A Mr. Ross Frawadsky has begun peddling a miracle tonic of his own design on the streets of Saint Denis, where many are concerned about various plagues and illnesses spreading in the Five States. Mr. Frawadsky, a lawyer by trade, promises that his tonic can cure any ailment one has and fortify the body against any ailment they do not have. Thus, according to his claim, his tonic is both preventative and curative. The local doctor, Dr. Theodore Scott, has warned against the tonics effectiveness. “This peddler of false hope is harmful to society, people decide the tonic is helping because they are well already and neglect their visits to the doctor. He provides medicine of pleasure, not of healing, ” he warns.
Mr. Frawadsky has countered the criticism by stating that, “the good doctor is well intentioned, but his concern is that folks won’t need him. If they don’t need him, they don’t visit him. If they don’t visit him, he makes no money!” He offered no evidence that his tonic performed as claimed, only stating that folks drinking his tonic feel better and are happy to buy the tonic by the case before he leaves town. Moreover, his cure works so well he never has to visit the same town twice. Despite the high demand, Mr. Frawadsky promises that his tonic is more readily available than clean water. “Taste great. Feels great. where’s the harm in great?” We were unable to verify any of Mr. Frawadsky’s claims. This article is not an endorsement of Mr. Frawadsky’s miracle tonic, which he sells with the motto, “an inactive medicine for an inactive people.”
Residents shocked this week by sudden snowstorm and gun giveaway
By Frederick Vannesse
Residents across the Five States woke up one day this week to snow covering the ground. The snow surprised many residents who believed the snowy season had long past. “I had a day of work planned, but I decided to have a smoke and relax instead,” said a resident in Blackwater. Others did not have a choice. “Maybe some folks can stay at home, but I can’t,” said a trader in Valentine. “I need to get my product out or my family isn’t eating. I can’t just stop and be trapped in my home.” The feeling of being trapped within their own homes was sentiment many others across the Five States related to.
Another cowpoke said. “I understand the trails are more dangerous when covered in snow, but it’s my choice if I want to brave that danger.” Another fellow who overheard the cowpoke’s comment took issue. He responded by saying, “yea but when you fools block the roads with broken down wagons, it’s going to be more dangerous for us all when bandits use those blocked roads to harass others.” I quickly exited the saloon in Rhodes as the argument escalated. The snow did not last long as it was driven away by warm weather. That same warm weather is expected to keep the snow at bay for a few months at least. Others warn, however, that the snow will return when the weather cools again.
The weather was not the only shocking even of the week. Many cowpokes had a free Navy Revolver sent to them in the BHTC’s effort to ensure that all residents in the Five States can defend themselves. As pressure mounts for the BHTC to fund additional jobs in the Five States, a free gun is likely to buy them some time. While the snow resulted in mixed reactions, it seems everyone in the Five States were happy to receive a free gun. Except those who lacked a gun locker.
New town founded in Oklahoma territory, debate over name
By Adam Parvey
The town of Wakita has been founded in the Oklahoma territory, however it was not without controversy. The town’s present postmaster had championed naming the fledgling town Whiteville. However, the town’s first postmaster disagreed. Like many in the town, he wished to name the town after a local Indian Chief who had come to notoriety by casting a protective spell around the region. According to residents, it was the Cherokee Chief’s magic that keeps the land protected from tornadoes. Those who wanted to honor Chief Wakita got their way and the town was officially named Wakita.
Senator Thaddeus Waxman Leads cavalry unit in Cuba
By Adam Parvey
Senator Thaddeus Waxman volunteered to lead a calvary division in Cuba. Waxman, who was an outspoken supporter of the War with Spain and of Cuba’s independence, said he would put his actions where is vote is. Waxman’s cavalry unit has already made a difference in the war. Though the U.S. was able to establish a naval blockade on the town of San Juan, the battle on land was much more difficult. The Spanish military held the U.S. back, inflicting more causalities on the U.S. than the U.S. as able to inflict on the Spanish defenders. However, Senator Thaddeus Waxman led his Rugged Riders cavalry division into battle and turned the tide in the Puerto Rico campaign. What was nearly a disastrous defeat for the U.S. became a powerful victory for Senator Waxman and his Rugged Riders.
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