The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-19
A CAPTURED CANNIBAL.
REVOLVING STORY OF cANNlsALlsM,
A Man Crlrad By Famine Kills Three Men,
aad Is Shot BY Companion In the Act Of Eat
isg their Flesh, Who'll Turn Cooks And Eats
the nsman Flesh to Keep from Starring.

l
DENVER, CoLo, March H. Sheriff
Smith, Of Hinsdale county, arrived from
Fort Fetterman tonight with Al Packer,
the murderer and cannibal, who killed FIVE
men near the site Of Lake City nine years
ago. After the slaughter the slayer lived
for number Of days off the bodies Of his
victims. Packer belongs TO a party Of FIVE
prospecton, who were overtaken in the
winter by famine. According to the state
ments made by him when captured at
sagachea alter the occurrence, the party were
upon the point Of starvation, and agreed
among themselves to kill each other by lot,
at such times as the bodies OF the victims
were required for food. This story has been
discredited from first to last by the people
Of that county, because tho bodies of the
four men were found lying together, three
with bullet holes through the skull, aud
one with the head chopped of. A reporter
for the Denver Tribune, through General
Charles Adams, who was at the time oi the
slaughter Indian CommissionerinC Colorado,
obtained the following statement from
Packer at the county Jail tonight:
TIE cANSiBALs STATEMENT.
l, Alfred Packer, desire to make true
and voluntary statement in regard to the
occurrences in Southern Colorado during
the winter OF 1873. l wish to make it TO
Mr.. Adams, because have made one be-
fore about the same matter. When We
left Ouray Camp, we had about seven days
food for one man. We Travelled two or
three days, and It began to storm. We
came to q mountain, crossed by a gulch,
and came on to another. We found the
snow so deep that we had to follow the
mountain on the top. On about the fourth
day we had only pint Of flour left. We
| followed the mountains until we came 10
the main range. l don't remember how
many DAYS we were travelling then. l
think about ten days, living on rosebuds
and pine gum, and some OF the men were
crying and praying. Then We came over
the main range. We camped twice on
a stream which runs into big
lake [San Christabell, the second night
lust above the lake. The next morning
we crossed the lake aud cut holes into the
ice TO catch fish. There were no fish, so
we tried to catch snails. The ice was so
thin some broke through. We crossed the
ice and went into grove oi timber. All
OF the men were crying, and one OF them
was crazy. Swan asked me TO go and see
if l could not see something. from the
mountain. I took a gun and went up the
hill; found big rose.bush with buds
sticking through the snow, but could see
nothing but snow all around. had been
a kind OF guide for them, but did not
know the mountains from that side. La.
MURDER AND CANSiBALIsM.
When l came back to camp, after being
gone nearly all day, found the red
headed man who had been crazy in the
morning sitting near the fire roasting
piece Of meat which he had cut off the leg
Of the German butcher, Mills. The lat
ter's body was lying farthest from the fire
down the stream. His skull was crushed
in with hatchet. The other three men
were lying near the fire. They we're cut IL
the forehead with the Ratchet. Some had
two and some three cuts. came within
rod Of the fire. When the man saw me he
got up with his hatchet toward me and |
shot him sideways through the belly. He
fell on his face. The hatchet fell
forward. Igrabbed it and hit him on the
top OF the head. camped that night at
the fire. l sat up all night The next
morning 1 followed my tracks on the
mountain, but l could not make It. The
snow was too deep and came back, setup
two sticks and covered them with pine
bouphs, and made shelter about three
feet high. This was my camp until came
out. / went back to the FIRE, covered the
men up, and fetched TO the camp the piece
OF meat that was near the fire. made q
new fire near my camp, and cooked q piece
OF meat and ate 1t. l tried to get away
every day, but could not, so lived off the
flesh OF these men the biggest
part Of the sixty days was out Then
the snow began to have . crust.
/ started out up the creek TO place
where q big slide OF yellowish clay seemed
TO come down the mountain. There l
started up, but got my feet wet, and, hav.
liny only a piece OF blanket around them
froze my feet under the toes and camped
before [ reached the top, making fire and
staying all night. The next day l made
the top OF the hill and little over. built
fire on top Of log, and upon two logs
close together camped. cooked some ol
the flesh l carried with me for food. l car.
ried only one blanket. There were $40
amongst the men. l fetched 1t out with me
and one gun. The red.headed man, Bell,
had $50 bill in his pocket. All the others
together had only so. l had $50 myself.
II there was any more money in the outfit
| did not know OF it, and 1t remained there
at the last camp.
HIS LAST PIECE OF MEAT.
Just before reached the agency, ate
my last piece Of meat This meat cooked
at the camp before ! started out, and put
It into bag and carried the bag with me.
I could not eat but little at "a time. When
/ went out with the party from the agency
10 searchior the bodies we came 70 the
mountains overlooking the stream, but l
didn't want to take them further. ! didn't
want TO 90 back to camp. II had staid in
that vicinity longer would have taken
you (Gen. Adams) right to the place, but
they advised me TO go away.
file would not state who he meant by
HThey."l When ! was at the SheriAHs
cabin at Sagachea wag passed a key made
ont OF a penkniie blade, with which Icould
unlock the irons. l went to Arkansas and
worked all summer for John Gill, eighteen
miles below Pueblo. Then went to Gil,
bert's ranch, still further down the river,
put In crop Of corn, sold 1t to John Gill,
and went to Arizona.
Appended to this statement was the affi.
davftioi the prisoner. 'I
Arranging Parnell's Reception.
New YoRE, March lS.-There was
large convention Of Irish societies in this
| Ii A.. 5o,, a. orror,a n racan+ior IN por.