Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-15
AFRIeHTFUL CONFESSION.
FIVE MEN MURDERED AND THEIR BODIES
EATEN BY THEIR sLAYER.


EATEN BY THEIR SLAYER.
DENVER, Col, March 14.-After nine
years one of the greatest murder mysteries
OF the frontier was cleared up 10 day by the
capture of the murderer at Fort Fetterm an,
w. l., and his confession, which Gen.
Adams, Of the postofics, received here to-
night by telegraph. The affair has long
since become 4 story of crime that for
atrocity and 6endishEess Is not surpassed in
| the criminal history OF the country. 1t is
narrative in which the principal stains his
| hands with the life-bood of five companions,
and then completes The work by feeding for
weeks off the putreacent remains. Nine
| years ago, when the San Juan mining excite
ment broke out, party composed OF eight
| cen trontersmen left Salt Lake City TO
penetrate the new Eldorado BY way of the
old Mormon trail through the U,e domain.
| On arriving at the conf lence OF the Gunni-
| son and Grand rivers early in february,
they separated into two bodies Of twelve and
six respectively. Their supplies had dimin-
| ished 10 so small an amount that when they
were dividel there was barely ratioas enough
for two days. The larger detach nent fol-
lowed the Grand river TO Cochetopa river,
while the smaller crew, which consisted of
Messrs. Miller, Bal, Swan, Humphreys,
George Noon and Al red PAckha, pursued
the GuDuisou south. Packha was selected
for leader. Gen. Adams was agent for the
Uncompahgre Indians at Los Plnos Agency
at the time. Late in March Packha APP
peared at the agency in al almost naked
condition, aud starving. He was unable 10
| eat for several days, aud it required careful
medical treatment 10 save his lie. 10 q IN
Adams Packha said he had been deserted
by his companions, and left 10 die 10 q SNOW.
| etorm. He was taken to Laguacbe, the
| nearest frontier settlement, for care. Two
days after the agency escort departed with
him a couple of Utes arrived with strips o
supposed meat, which they showed 10 Gen
! Adams as "white mans fish" Suspectins
.. foul play, the general immediately dis
patched a second party TO bring PAckh.
back 10 the agency as prisoner. UpoI
i being shown the human flesh and charged
with murder, Packha seemingly broke down
: and confessed that the five men were killed
/ one by the other, to provide food for the survi
' vors. One day when he was absent from cam
. hunting, he said, his Eve companions DIRE,
9 lots Tor death, and Swan drew the unluck
number. The victim was being cut up, h
said, when he returned 10 camp. Miller
9 Humphrey and Noon then fell under tn
= = | hatchet, and in the order slated their hss
5 was dsvoured. Bell then tried TO murde
! ! Packhs, but the latter detecting him in III
= act, fsllsd him dead with an SIX before b
: could ire a second shot. Packha wound u
y his somewhat crooked story with an accour
e OF his blind journey through the wildernes
!. in which he preserved his life against tn
T winter cold and storms by carryin
) from place 10 place burning Goals j
coffee pot. BelPs flesh WAS wins
q he fed on. Meanwhile during the il
5 vestigation a slrssgler from the party c
+ twelve turned up almost dead from starys
!. ton. He described as nearly as possibl
q where he had left his companions in a dyin
is condition, and a relief party sent out wit
. food found them in a camp on the Ceboll
n river, and they were brought into Los Pine
1t On being told Packha's experience they r,
T fused to credit it, and demanded a sceu
It PAckha offered to guide party 10 the II
l. msins. An expedition of whites and II
: dians was organized under the leadership
Henry Lanter, OF this city. The trail WI
taken across the mountain toward the hes
of the Gunnson river. When the mort
fork OF the Gunnison was reached Packh
claimed to be confused, and said be coul
, NOT direct the exploration any further. II
= tried his beet 10 lead the party north. Lar
ter, growing suspicious, charged him wit
n the purpose OF misdirecting the party, an
" insisted on continuing south, whereupo
Packha drew knife and tried TO kill hin
d Packha was disarmed ard ironed. The pa
i ty returned to the agency, after having faie
10 discover the camp, and Psckha was cor
3 fined ia the Sagauch Ill. A few days late
IL he escaped, and trace of him was never ce
iaiuly had again till last week. Three yea
&c ago a desperado was killed at Fort Defanc
- A. T., whose description corresponded wit
!. that Of Packha, and it was thought that
d had at last met his death. In June, 1874
photographer from Peoria, Ill, named Rel
he nolds, accidentally discovered the bodies (
10 the murdered men N hemlock grove nei
| II ID 81
g lance from the present Lake City. Son
u members Of the surviving party VINO hs
~ fingered in the country visited the scene al
~ identified the men. The bodies OF four
in the men, Swami, Bell, Noon and Hum phrey
we're lying side-by-side. Two of them we
ne rolled up in q blanket. A bullet hole
lie each head explained the way Of the KILN
ey What remained OF poor Miller was a fe
yards away. The head was severed fro
AZ AZ the body, and the flesh had been taxi
d, from the bresst and limbs. There W
evidence in the disturbed condition Of Il
IA ground that he had fought hard for his lii
20 The bodies were preserved and easily iden
ct, fed. There was known TO have BEEN sbo
$4,000 in possession of the party, but n
ls. a dollar could be found. There was no long
ne any doubt but Puckha murdered the men
- obtain their money, and, running out of foe
or ate their flesh. After having committed t
re deed, he constructed brush house and 8
ny parenily resided there for a few days. I
pc tween it and the bodies there was a tn
a, which be often Travelled TO glost over
IA deed or cut of meal of human flesh. VIII
T., he started eastward he evidently laid in
on supply of his human food, ard at Sol
camping place abandoned or forgot the stri
at of flesh which The Indis found and broug
Ter TO the agency. The horrible crime seem
nd to end with these disclosures aud theoIie'.
THE CLOSING CHAPTER
No opened last week, when a member OF
in Salt Like party telegra phed 70 the sheriff
sd- Lake City that he had met PscKha face
10 face at Fort Fettermau. The murderer v
there recogniz d az the leader of what
bv been for some time the most desperate ga
OF outlaws in the West. Gen. Adams '
ID informed Of the discovery, and a concert
il movement by Sheriff. Spsngler, of Denv
ut. and Sharpless, of Cheyenne, resulted in
IN capture of Packha to-day. When confro
he ed with the details OF the hudipg of
Ter bodies and the charge Of having murder
IN. the five men for their money he copfess
ere Gen. Adams has received the statement
he the confession, but the details will not
had for few days.
ABIG LAND FRAUD.
iy, LoUIsIASIANs PLUNDERISG MDoNALD's