Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-10
A HORRIBLE STORY.
Five Men Murdered in Their
Sleep by a COmrade.
He Lives Upon Their Flesh for Sew
raj Days-One Of n Most SiekenIng
Crimes Of the Century.

| eral DayS-Oue al the MOST S1ckenlng
Grimes of the Century.
saquache, tCol( Correspondence of the St
Louis Globe.
Here, in Saquache county, Southwestern
Colorado, the people have lately been
awakened to one Of the most dreadful and
diabOlical crimes on record. A few weeks
ago a man who was bound over to await
trial az the sitting of the next District
Court, escaped from the custody of the
sheriff of this county. About two weeks
afterwards, Aug. Is, the remains of five
bodies were found by a Capt. Graham and
party, near the Lake Fork of the Gunnison
River, about one hundred miles from the
town Of Saquache, in San Luis park. The
murdered and the murderer were easily
identified.
On the last day Of last November a party
of twenty-one miners left Southern Utah
to come across the mountains to the new
San Juan mines, in Colorado. They were
in wagons, and struck what is called the
old johnson trail. They found it a peril
GUS season of the year to travel thrOughthe
mountains. After travelling nearly two
months through deep SHOWS, after losing
their way and having 20 make, with pick
and shovel, their own roads over the noun
tains, they happened to come upon the win
ter camp Of the Ute Indians, on a stream
called the Uncompagre. Almost furnished
and worn out, they were most kindly re-
ceived by the Ute chief, Omay, who min
iStered to their wants and urged them to
remain, and not attempt further passage
until spring. These men speak most high
" of their Treatment by the Utes.
Most Of these men were content TO re-
main, but two small parties Of them struck
out. thinking they could get through to
the settlements. The first of these, con-
SiSting of five men. travelled about twenty
DAYS, and would doubtless all have persisted
had they not fallen upon the "cattle camp
of the Indians. They had been without
food several days, and had all given out
but one man by the name Of Burk. They
were wise enough not to make another al
tempt soon.
The second company started a few days
after the first, taking a different route.
They are supposed to have suffered much,
and TO have lived on wild berries for some
time. Their last camping grounds were
those above spoken of, where their remains
were found. All but n of the SIX, he
who went by the name Of Packer, in about
two months, making it the latter part of
March, arrived at the Los PinOs Indian
Agency. He told a sad enough story of the
fate Of his comrades; said they became
crazed with starvation, and cast lots to see
who should be shot TO furnish food for the
rest. This horrible tale of cannibalism
was published in the Territorial papers al
the time. He claimed to be the lucky
and last man-as indeed lie was the
last.
But his companions Of the original party
did not give credence to his story, and were
sure Of foul play. And one day while on
a big spree in Saquache he incautiouslY
displayed some of the property which was
recognized as having belonged to those who
were missing. Then he was arrested and
bound over rs above mentioned.
The bodies found were recognizable as
those missing, and it was further to be seen
that they had all been struck about the
head with a Ratchet; only one shot. He
must have taken his chance when all
of them were asleep. They we've
in a small grove of pines, shell
tered BY steep cliffs. The remains of a
rude brush tent showed that Packer had
remained there some time, and had partly
lived off the flesh of his dead comrades!
Most Of them had money, which was more
than inducement enough for such a fiend
TO mhrder them. The names, etc, of the
dead men are as follows:
Israel Swan, formerly from Missouri,
aged about ~fOrty-fye years.
George Noon, Of California, about nine
teen.
Shannon W. Bell, thought TO be from
Ohio. aged about thirty.
James Humpey, thought TO be from
Philadelphia, Pa, aged about twenty-six.
Frank Miller, a German, about thirty