News

One of the scourges of this town’s recent past, Heartbreaker Eddy of the Wildcards gang, has finally been brought to justice by the dogged men of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. This intrepid reporter was on hand as they braved a hail of bullets to enter Patterson’s Gunshop, make their way upstairs and apprehend the villain. This act of bravery was only slightly sullied by the Pinkerton’s, abbetted by local law dogs, becoming embroiled in the gunfight with local chinese immigrants reported elsewhere in this paper. Eyewitnesses even claim that the detectives began the shooting that led to one death and two severe injuries. This, combined with the alleged assault on local character Barton Funk, has led to the Pinkerton’s beggining to acquire a mean reputation in this town. I personally saw them blaze away at several unidentified targets in their eagerness to get their man and claim their reward. Will the Wildcards want revenge?

Heartbreaker Eddy will remain in incarceration before transportation back east to answer for his crimes.

The lovely ladies of the Arizona Rangers were in town recently in their hunt for the Mexican bandido responsible for a stagecaoch hold-up deep in Arizona recently. Sadly, despite a good tip off, their prey managed to elude them. This reporter has heard that the bandido and his filthy accomplices are now holed up in their San Luis lair - will the Rangers dare raid over the border into California? Or will the Earp Sisters who frequent that villainous town intervene? Only time will tell.

The state marshall had cause to visit Aftermath this week following complaints made to him by representatives of the local Chinese community. Several local townsfolk have corroborated their claims that they were fired upon with no just cause by members of the Aftermath law enforcement establishment as they went about their legitimate business. For their part the law claims that the chinese inhabitants are in fact nothing less than a Tong gang, intent on running their illegal vices in the city and that the Green Dragon laundry is a front for their activities.

 One chinese immigrant was killed in the shoot out  and another injured. Concluding his investigations, the marshall stated that “this sort of thing happens from time to time” and that the Aftermath sherriff’s men had been “hasty in their judgement rather than biogted in their approach”. The chinese community have been excused their retaliatory action as self-defence and the local sherriff has been ordered to pay $10 in compensation to the mother of the dead man - this will be docked from his wages this month. Furthermore the marshall has reminded the local peacekeepers that no-one is above the law - not even them. The funeral of the chinese man will take place next month and a parade in his honor has been arranged.

It seems that the old Mexican town of San Luis, a stone’s throw from Aftermath City across the California border, has become home to a desperate bunch of Bandidos. They now treat this run down old town as their own and think nothing of attacking anyone passing through the town. The ladies of the Aftermath Women’s Guild have announced their determination to stamp out this den of iniquity - and knowing those Earp sisters that’s going to mean flying lead! This reporter only hopes that he is on hand to witness the valiant girls as they duke it out.

Aftermath City is fast becoming the place for the best card players west of the rockies to gather! Anyone fancying trying their luck should visit the Aftermath City Saloon where there’s sure to be a game on. Rumour has it there’s also a High Stakes Game that takes place somewhere in the City - invites are scarce but the rewards are rich. Keep an eye out for Aftermath’s own notorious hustler “Smiling” Clyde - few play him and come away with their pockets jangling.

 Poker games in Aftermath have been know to get out of hand so don’t be at all suprised if a ruckus kiscks off when you are at the tables. Politeness dictates that such disputes are settled with fists and feet rather than drawn iron but some players will think nothing of calling out cheaters!

Howdy stranger and welcome to the City of Aftermath; we hope you enjoy your stay in our town and don’t cause no trouble (we got a whole spitoon full of that already!) Aftermath City was named as it was set up in the aftermath of the Indian wars in the 1860’s hereabouts. The local Indian tribe had risen in rebellion and after several bloody months of fighting order was restored by the arrival of the US Cavalry, who still maintain a Fort in the region. You may see soldiers from the fort about town on R and R or carrying out official US Army business.

Well that’s just great.

As if I didn’t have enough problems maintaining law and order in the town with those bloody Pinkertons setting up and a unit of cavalry swaggering around as if they owned the place I now hear that the Earp sisters are up to something.

I have the feeling that the so-called Women’s Guild won’t be sharing many jelly recipes, not with the way those girls take offence at all and sundry. What they all need is a man - but heaven help the poor sod who takes on an Earp in any sense of the word!

The Aftermath City Women’s Guild met for the first time this evening in the backroom at Patty’s. There were only seven of us but I’m sure numbers will grow once others see what we’re achieving. Besides myself, Winnie and Mog there was Patty Mudd (there as herself rather than her alter ego of “Belle de Jour”), poor Clarrie Meadows, Holly - sorry, Doctor Holly - Daye and a stranger who introduced herself only as Jones. She gave the impression that we really shouldn’t ask any questions and I’m glad she’s with us rather than against us! Patty says she’s taken a room and paid for a couple of months, saying she preferred to stay with Belle’s girls rather than at the hotel. Given the way old man Porter looks at the ladies, I can’t say I blame her.

Clarrie, if course, had only been married for a couple of months when her Tom got himself mixed up in a drunken brawl outside the saloon. The lowlife who shot him got what he deserved but that won’t bring Tom back. In a way, it was seeing this senseless loss amongst other that inspired me to form the Guild.