Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-05-28
ALEiA. GAZETTE s VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
A Terrible Story of Cannibalism.
The following letter has been received at the
Interior Department:

The following letter has been received at the
Interior Department:
Los PINos INDIAN AGENCY.
COLORADO, May 9 1874
Hon. e. p Smith. Commissioner Of Indian
Ataas, Washington, d. g.:
SIR Il have the honor to report herewith
briefly to the Department the circumstances by
which five men lost their lives lately while on
the Ute Indian reservation.
Iu my report for the month of February, un-
der date Of March 3, 1874, made mention OF
the fact that party ottweEty- one miners had en-
deavored to reach here from Utah, crossing the
reservation in midwinser, the San Juan mines;
that happily they had arrived at Ouray' camp,
on the Nucompagee, and had been we'll treated
and fed By him; that five of this party had
against the advice Of Ouray; endeavored to
reach the agency in Februarys and had been
found iu a starving condition by my herders
near the Gunnis0n cattle camp.
have now to report that soon after the hrst
party left Ouray's camp another party, consist
Ing of six persons, left in the same mauuer,
against the advice Of Oursy, with the intention
of reaching this agency.
They left camp about the first Of February.
A. q, Packer after being out two and a halt
good health and condition.
Upon being questioned what had become of
his companions, he said that shortly after leav'
ing Ouray's camp he had frozen his feet, that
his companions had left him some provisions
aud rifle, and that after getting well be had
managed to get through here by himself and
that his companions had probably died from
hunger and cold since they left him to his tate.
This story at first I believed, aud made ar
rangements to seud out and find the bodies,
but, after closer investigation and taking into
consideration such suspicious circumstances as
the possession OF money and articles which
we're recognized as belonging to his companions,
Mr. Packer finally confessed, under oath, that
one after another Of these FIVE persons had been
killed by the remainder to be used as food by
the rest, and that he himself had killed the
lust remaining man within only about twenty
miles of the agency. He excerpts only the two
first victims, Of whom he speaks as bavlng
died from starvation, and that they. had eaten
the dead bodies first before commencing to kill
each other.
believe this to be in the main correct as
Mr. Packer looked quite fat when he arrived
here and has since shown traces OF mental
alteration, which is said to be- the consequence
Of eating human flesh.
have turned over MIR. Packer to the civil
magistrate who will investigate the affair by a
regular inquest, and he will be proceeded with,
in accordance with law Of course shall ex-
tend all the assistance 10 my power to have the
affair cleared up, as it happened upon the res
ervation.
The remainder of the original party, ten
men, who took the advice of Ouray, have since
also come ip, being guided by the Indians, and
speak 10 highest terms of Ouray aud bis In
dians.
These men remained quietly at the Indian
camp on the Nucompagee until the road was
clear aud so have suffered comparatively very
little.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
CHARLES ADAMS,
United States Indian Agent.