The New York herald., 1874-09-11
Horrible Deed in the Wilds Of the
Rocky Mountains.
A Miner Kills and Eats Five Of
His Companions.
SICKENING DIET.
Discovery Of the Mutilated Corpses and tho
Deserted Camp Of the Survivors.
THE MURDERER STILL AT LARGE.

OMAHA. Neb., Sept. 8, 1874.
The particulars OF the horrible murder briefly
teegraphcd on the 1st inst have been received,
and for diabolical ferocity this deed, think, sx
ceeds anything known In the annals OF modern
crime. The murderer, Packer, IL still ct large,
having escaped rom his captors; but Sheriff vail
Of Saguache, has offered $500 reward for Packers
apprehension, and 1t Is believed he win soon b
taken. He was last seen near Del Norte.
The names OF the murdered men are Israel
swan, Samuel Bell, George Noon. James Humphrey
and George Frank. They were all from Salt Lake.
Utah, and the bodies have been identified BY Nh
Burke who knew all the actors in the tragedy.
LOST IN TIE WINTER wILDs.
Packer started ont with these men last spring
from Utah Tor the San Juan mines, and Mr..
Burke knows that they were all in company.
Several other parties started out about the same
time ana encountered deep SHOWS and suffered
great hardships. 1t is probable Packers party
got lost in the mountains, and wandered about
until nearly frozen and starved. Two men,
Frenchy aud Martformer, saw them and they were
then enduring many privations. Prenchy and
Martiormer made their " ay into the Los Pinos
Agency. which shey reached only after srea, ex.
ertions, and in q footsore and almost tamished
condition. They reported the condition Of Pack,
ers party and believed they would make their
way in, but none Of them ever came except Pack.
er, the murderer OF his unfortunate companions.
FINDING OF TIE DEAD BODIES.
About two weeks ago Captain Graham, while out
prospecting with q party on the south branch OF
Gunnison's River, came upon the dead bodies.
They were all lying under large pine tree, the
branches Of which swept the ground. IL stood In
q secluded spot. and the men had evidently taken
shelter there from the cold and storm. The dead
men were Ave in number and lay near together.
HORRIBLE PICTURE.
Four Of the bodies had the nesh cut from the
breasts, Thighs and calves OF the legs. The 70.
mains of two OF the bodies were in state Of per.
feet preservation, except where the nesh had been
cut on. All the bodies showed bullet holes.
One had the skull crushed in and another
had the head severed from the body, and
It could not be found. One OF the men
lay little apart from the rest, bullet hole in hs
breast and his skull crushed with some blunt in
strument like q hatchet. " is believed this was
the last man killed and that there was struggle
between the Victim aad murderer, Packer finish.
ing him with an axe or hatchet. Israel Swan was
an old man whose hair was quite white, and near
his body lay pocket book open, and BY it Q note
torn in two. The note was much weather beaten
and almost illegible, but enough could be read 70
show 1t was tor $500 and drawn In favor Of Israel
Swan. No signature or date could be made Vut
both being enaced by water. wind and weather.
swans body had been but little mutilated, only
little Of the nesh being cut from the thghs No arms
OF any kind could be found, but two old blankets
and three tin cups lay near the bodiea Captain
Graham thought the bodies had lain under the
tree about four months. A camp where . single
man hsa apparently stopped q couple OF wsskA
was found some distance Oh. BY the side OF little
lake.
THEoRY OF THE CRING.
It il believed Packer was actuated by the double
motive or self preservation ana robbery In commit
ting the murder OF his companions, He may have
meditated asking some TO kill the others ana sat
them; but, tearing ne could not bring them 10 bis
purpose. kept his counsel and killed oil the othsra
In such q case one would naturally fear being
made victim himself Even II Packer had taken
the responsibility ana shot down one OF
his party, that the others might have
food to eat, 1t likely the others.
fearing their turn would come next, would have
killed Packer. We read OF lots being drawn In
such emergencies to determine who should die.
but never believed these tales, and here II case
in proof that the old law OF seli.preservation
stands first, and there 10 no romance, except u
books, Tor ones dying that others may drink bio
blood or eat his nesh and live.
HOW THE MURDERS WERE DoNH
Packer, probably, would have preferred to XIII
only one or two OF his companions. but he had to
the attack was made, none but GOD and the muf.
derer knows but 1t Il probable he
took away their arms in the night and
then began the massacre with the bloody
hatchet This theory is sustained BY Captain
Graham, who says "tne bodies, except one, lay a.
II sleeping" the breaking in Of the skulls was
likely done nrst and the shooting afterwards One
man walked ana sprang up. only TO be shot down
like dog and then finished with hatchss.
HORRIBLE DIET.
It 10 dreadful to think OF this man camping near
BY and going every day for two weeks to cut
horrld meal from the bodies Of his dead comrades.
What were his thoughts through the silent watches
Of those long. bleak winter nights. with his dead
companions, slaughtered by his own hand, lying
cold and stln near him, none but the All Seeing
One and himself can ever know. The savage can
nibai may not know Of God or reason, but the
civilized annioal has all the knowledge and rsa.
soninQ powers which should make such horrors
douby horrible.
THE STORIES TOLD By PACKER
The murderer Is reported to have told, while IN
custody at Saguacne, two different stories about
the tragedy. First he said the men had gone pack
to Utah, aud then that he had killed and eaten
them to save himself rom dying oy starvation.
When he came In he had good Henry rine aod
some ammunition.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MURDERER.
The full name OF the murderer and cannibal 10 Il
G. Packer. aud the description given OF him By
Sheriff Wall 10 as ioilows:-"He IL i've feet eight
inches tall, heavy set and has lost two upper front
teeth and the nrst ana fourth nngers on the lsie
hand He is about thirty years OF age"
MS SUPPOSED coNcRALNENT.
The man can be easily identified by the loss OF
his nngers, not one In 10 900 being 80 marked. A.
before stated he was last seen near Del Norte bus
one person 10 sure he saw him one night at the
Criterion Hal, IN San Juan, Colorado, and he -
believed to have ned into New Mexico and TO bs
hiding IN the mountains. Wherever he may be, .
man so marked cannot escape when people are
once thoroughly informed OF his crime. ana in
few days, when this terrible story shall have been
read IN every part Of the civilized world, there VIII
no longer be hiding place for the criminal
FUNERAL OF THE LATE W. a. BUM5TED