City Plagued By Booby-Traps

TRAPS LITTER THE STREETS

CHILDREN IN GRAVE DANGER

CLOCKWORKS TO BLAME AGAIN?

New Babbage, NB — It seems that this sooty city of ours is never at rest from the darker elements of our world who stalk our streets lurking in dark corners and baiting traps for the innocent and easily duped.

Such is the case in our city for the past week, as a series of traps have been reported in all neighborhoods. "Reports coming in from all over the city, little traps built for children." said Mrs E Gleat of Babbage Canals, a member of the New Babbage League of Social Welfare and Reform. "Yet another example of the youth of our city being preyed upon, they are seemingly at constant threat."

Others, however, believe the traps may be intended with other targets in mind. "Sure, the traps could hold a kid." said Mr Y Hanning of Babbage Traps and Chili in Clockhaven. "But the traps could also be intended for raccoons, or possums, them little clockworks what make noise all night, that fat little urchin that steals pies from windows, could be a lot of things is the point."

Some reports claim the bait of the trap is a simple red button, causing some to wonder if the culprit behind the traps is a member of the Red Button Bandits. Ms J Daghart of the New Babbage Militia could not be reached for a comment at the time of printing.

Kidnapping Cannibal Stalks Street Unfortunates

Artist's rendition of the fiend, based upon eye-witness accounts - illustration by Myron Bleek

FIEND SNATCHES CHILDREN TO FILL HIS SACK 

UNLUCKY EMILY'S LUCK REMAINED CONSISTENT

THE CITY'S RICH ALLEGEDLY SUPPORT THE FIEND

New Babbage, NB — The frigid and bleak streets of New Babbage have been perpetually jeopardous for the throngs of youths who make their homes there, but recently the dangers have increased tenfold, as news of a kidnapping fiend stalking the city's unfortunates hit the streets.

"He's huge and he stuffs them in a sack." said a youth named Petra Flack, earlier today.  "His face is all corpsey, and he's got weird green eyes, he smells like woobaloo's backside."

Most recently a street youth known as "Unlucky Emily" was snatched in public, from amongst a group of approximately twenty of the unfortunates.  Weeks earlier, a sea-faring lad named  Swift Will was snatched from the Gangplank Public House in Clockhaven, this time amongst adult witnesses who put up little fight, though their senses were no doubt muddled some by the drink.

Most public speculation seems to agree that the fiend consumes the children he kidnaps.  "Oh, he eats them for sure.  One time he kidnapped a kid . . . then his bones were found in the tunnels." commented a young unfortunate named Marteel, earlier today.  "He is very open about it." said Mr J Wreet to the Free Press.  "He's a monster.  I tried to stop him [at the Gangplank Public House] but he threw me aside like a toy."

Others in the city have different ideas of what the fiend does with the children.  "It is clear to me that this gentleman is using the filthy little scamps as slave labor." said Father O Moonwoll of the Church of the Builder.  "They would be much more valuable in that capacity, than as sustenance.  Have you seen any of them?  Most are skin and bones, yet one little porker waddles these streets daily, seemingly unmolested.  If dinner was the cad's intention, that round one would have been first on the menu."

This fiend has kidnapped several of the youths over the years, seemingly without any resistance from the powers that be in the city.  "T'is a class problem, plain and simple.' said Miss P Prim, of the New Babbage League of Social Welfare and Reform to a reporter of the Free Press.  She continued: "Had these children been the offspring of the city's wealthy and elite, there would be a public outcry, but since these children are orphans, and often seen as a nuisance by the populace, it is swiftly brushed under the rug."  When asked whether she thought city officials were secretly in favor of the fiend, Miss Prim chose not to comment.

City Children Hunt Black Birds

HUNT SEEMS ORGANIZED

MAYOR'S DISAPPEARANCE MAY BE RELATED

POSSIBLE REWARD

NEW BABBAGE, NB — Tiny legs on tiny feet scamper to and fro across the cobbles of the city today, all sharing a single purpose: the systematic hunt of black birds.

Children in every district have been witnessed tossing stones at corvids awing, greasing ledges, constructing wooden cages, marking maps, and strategically ambushing — all in the hopes of catching birds.  The ire of the street urchins seems to be chiefly aimed at ravens, crows, magpies, and starlings.

The reason for this pursuance is still largely nebulous at the time of printing, though suggestions have run the gamut from some sort of gambling sport to the belief that the birds are stealing souls.

'It could be related to the bounty Mayor Tenk placed on ravens a few years ago.' suggested prominent citizen Mr G Baroche of Clockhaven.

Young Master C Raynah, of the Academy district, stated to a member of the Free Press just before printing, 'We have a plan, but that is all I can say.'

It is currently unknown if a reward is being offered.