The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-03-30
Eating his Comrades,

Alfred G. Packer, who murdered
his five companions in Southern Col
orado nine years ago, and ate their
flesh, and was recently captured near
Fort Fetterman, is now in Jail at Denver
awaiting trial When the train which
bore him arrived at the Union Depot
from Cheyenne, q great crowd was
in waiting. As Packer alighted from
the train, heavily ironed and between
two officers, the excited men, women
and children thronged around to get a
glimpse of him. 1t was only after the
greatest difficulty that the United
States and county officers succeeded in
getting him through the waiting room
to a conveyance. The fear that
stamped itself on Packers face with
the hue of death as he surveyed the
mass of people from the car steps was
not relieved by the remarks and NUT
terngs that met him at every step.
"He ought to be lynched right here"
said San Juan miner, whose remem-
brance of the awful crime was height
ened by the coloring tradition had
given it. "There he goes" shouted
another ''look at him-Packer, the
ghoul." "a civilized cannibal,'
shouted a third As he shambled
along in his clanking shackles, Packer
eyed the crowd furtively, with increas-
ed pallor. When he was comfortably
seated within the hack provided for
his transit to the jail he heaved glad
sigh and muttered thankful "Well,
I'm glad that part Of it is over with
Packer is man of middle age and he
has repulsive countenance. He is
PENNSYLVANIA, and has been in the
West mining for twenty years. His
great crime was committed while on
prospecting expedition. He made
confession to General Adams, who
caused his arrest at Saguache, Colora-
do, shortly after the crime. After de-
scribing the struggles of his party in
the snow, Packer said: 1--WE followed
the mountain until we came to the
main range. / don't remember how
many days we were travelling them
think about ten, living on rosebuds
and pine gum, and some of the men
were crying and praying. Then we
came over the main range. We camp
ed twice on stream which runs into
big lake (San ChristobeD; the sec
ond night Just above the lake. The
next morning we crossed the lake and
cut holes in the ice to catch fish.
There was no fish, SO we tried to catch
snails. The ice was thin some broke
through. We crossed the lake and
went into grove of timber All OF
the men were crying and one of them
, was crazy. Swan asked me to 60 and
, see if l could not see something from
, the mountain. l took gun, went up
| the hill, found big rose bush with
buds sticking through the snow, but
; could see nothing but snow all around.
r l had been kind of guide for them
{ but did not know the mountains
r from that side When came back to
: camp after being gone all that day l
4 found the red-headed man Bell, who
: had been crazy in the morning, sitting
s near the fire roasting piece of meat
e which had been cut out of the leg of
: the German butcher, Miller. The
latter's body was lying the furthest off
from the fire down the stream. His
: skull was crushed in with Ratchet.
n The other three men were lying near
o the fire. They were cut in the fore
: head with the Ratchet. Some had two
J. and some three cuts. l came within a
| rod of the fire, when the man saw me
o He got up with his hatchet toward me,
il and l shot him sideways through the
belly. He fell on his face; the hatch
5, ct fell forward; grabbed it and hit
II him on the top of the head. / camped
A that night at the fire. Sat up all night
S, The next morning / followed my
$, tracks up the mountain, but could moi
n make it, The snow was too deep and
.e l came back. l went sideways intC
is piece Of pine timber, set up two
Is sticks and covered them with pint
Y. boughs and made a shelter about three
" feet high. This was my camp unit
e. | came out. went back to the fire
It, covered the men up and fetched to thu
W camp the piece of meat that was nea
10 the fire. | made new fire near m,
e. camp, and | cooked piece of mea
ne and ate it. tried to get away ever.
" day, but could not; SO l lived eff tn
a. flesh of these men the bigger part o
lg the sixty days | was out. Then tn
IN snow began to have crust. / starte,
out up the creek to place where
big slide of yellowish clay seemed t
he come down the mountain. There
81 started up, but got my feet wet, an
Is having only piece of blanket aroun
he them, froze my feet under the toe
tie and l camped before l reached the tol
4ct making fire and staying all nigh
* The next day l made the top of th
se hill and little over | built fire G
or top of log, and upon two logs clo'
al together l camped. | cooked some
ng the flesh | carried with me for foo
Il | carried only one blanket. The
he was $50 among the men l fetched
ok out with me and one gun. The re
us headed man, Bell, had fifty-dolli
Mt bill in his pocket; all the others t
zen getber had only $40. l had $50 m
to self. If there was any more money
ted the outfit | did not know of it, and
ne remained there. At the last cam
eel just before reached the agency, a
ain my last piece of meat, This meat
um cooked at the camp before | start
or out, and put it into bag, and carri
xty the bag with me. / could eat but
his little at time. When | went G
rec with the party from the agency
ion search for the bodies we came to t
lan mountains overlooking the stream, b
ma | did not want to take them furth,
nd | did not want to go back to camp.
my | had stayed in that vicinity mu
EN-, longer / would have taken you (Gt
ms eral Adams) right to the place; /
not they advised me to go away.
of would not state what he meant
no "they.D When ! was at the Sheri
are cabin in Saguache was passed k
rim made of a penknife blade, with VIII
Gus | could unlock the irons"