The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-03-23
THE COLORADO CANNIBAL.
He Arrives ut Denver and His Starry Is
Again Told.

He Arrives ut Denver and His starry IL
Again Told.
DENVER. March 1T.-Sheriff Smith, OF
Hinsdale county, has arrived from 1T. Fet-
terman with j. L. Packer, murderer and can
ni5al, who killed five men near the site oil
Lake City nine years ago. After their
slaughter the slayer lived for several days
of The body of one of his victims. Packer
belonged to body of five prospectors, over
taken in the winter by famine. According
to statements made by him when captured
at Sagache few weeks after the occurrence,
the party were upon the point of starvation,
and the party agreed among themselves to
kill each other by lot, at such times as the
bodies of victims were required for food.
That story has been discredlted from first to
last by the people of that county. because
the bodies of four men were found lying to-
gether there with bullet holes through their
skulls, and one with his head chopped off,
General Charles Adams, at the time of the
slaughter Indian Commissioner of Colorado;
obtained the following statement from
Packer:
/, Alfred Packer desire to make true and
voluntary statement in regard to the occur
rance in Southern Colorado during the win
ter of 1873. wish to make it to Mr.. Adams,
because made one before about the same
matter.
When we left Ouray's Camp we had about
seven days food for one man. We travelled
two or three days when it began to storm.
We came to mountain crossed by gulch,
and came onto another. We found the sno"
too deep. We had followed the mountain on
top. On about the the fourth day we had
only pound of -four left. We followed
the mountain until we came to the main
range. l don't remember how many days
we were travelling then, but l think about
ten days living on rose buds and pine gum,
and some of the men crying and praying.
Then we came over TO the main range. We
camped twice on stream which runs into a
big lake, San Cristabel, on the second night
just above the lake. Next morning we cross
ed the lake and cut holes in the ice to catch
fish. There were no fish, so we triedt catch
snals. The ice was too thin, and some OF
the party broke through. We crossed the
lake and went into a grove of timber, all
the men crying, one of them crazy. Swan
asked me to go and see if could see some
thing from the mountain. | took gun and
went up the hill; found a big rose bush with
buds sticking through the snow, but could
see nothing but snow all around. had
been kind of guide for them, but did not
know the mountains from that side. When
came back to camp, after being gone near
ly day, found the red-headed man, who
had been crazy in the morning, sitting near
the fire roasting piece of meat which had
been cut off the leg of German butcher,
Mills, and the latter's body lying farther from
the fire, down the stream. His skull was
crushed in with Ratchet. The other three
men were lying near the fire. They were
cut in the forehead with Ratchet; some had
two and some had three cuts. came within
a rod of the fire; when the man saw me, he
got up with his Ratchet and came toward me;
shot him sideway through the belly. He
fell on his face; the Ratchet fell forward;
grabbed 1t and hit him on top of the head. l
then lighted fire and sat up all night. Next
morning started, following my tracks OH
the mountain, but could not make it; the
snow was too deep. / came back, set up two
sticks, then with pine boughs made shelter
about three feet high. This was my camp
until came out. l went back TO the fire,
covered the men up, and fetched to camp q
piece Of meat that was near the fire. made
new fire near my camp, cooked piece OF
meat and ate 1t. l tried TO get awav every
day, but could not; 50 lived off the flesh Of
these men the biggest part of the sixty days
was there. When it began to thaw, start
ed up the creek to place where big slide
of yellowish clay seemed to come down the
mountain; there started up, but got my
feet wet, and having only piece of blanket
around them froze my feet under the toes
and camped before 1 reached the top, making
fire and staying all night. Next day l got
to the top Of the hill and little over, built
fire on top of log, and upon two logs
close together; camped and cooked some o.
the flesh carried with me for food. Icarried
only blanket. There were only seventy
dollars amongst the men. | fetched 1t Out
with me, and one gun. The red-headed man
Bell, had fifty dollar bill in his pocket. Al
the others together had only twenty dollars
had $40 myself. If there was any more
money in the outfit, did not know II, and II
remained there at the last camp. just before
l reached the agency l ate my last piece o.
meat. This meat l cooked at camp before
started out, and put it into bag, and carried
the bag With me. | could eat but little al
| time. When went out with the party
from the agency to search for the bodies, We
| came TO the mountains overlooking the
stream; bot did not want to take them fur
Their, aud did not want to go back to camp
When was at the Sheriff's cabin at Sagacht
was passed key made out of pen-knift
blade, with which could unlock the iror
door. went to Arkansas and worked al
summer for John Gill, eighteen miles below
! Pueblo, then went to Gilbert's ranch, still
further down the river, and put in crop Of
corn and sold it to john Gill, then went tt
Arizona.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,