The White Pine news., 1883-03-31
A sIcKENING STORY.
A Desperado Who Added Cann ibalism
TO the Crime OF Murder.

A Desperado Who Added Cann Ibalism
TO the Crime OF Murder.
IDen4sr Corr. st. Louis Globe Democrat
After nine years, one of the great
est murder mysteries of the frontier
was cleared up few days ago by the
capture of the murderer at Fort Fet-
terman, Wyoming, and his confess
sion, which Gen. Adams received by
telegraph. The affair has long since
become a story of crime that for
atrocity and fiendishness is not sur
passed in the criminal history OF the
country. 1t is narrative in which
the principal stains his hands with
with the life-blood OF i've eompan-
ions, and then completed the work by
feeding off the pntrescent remains.
Nine years ago, when the San Juan
mining excitement broke out, "A party
composed of eighteen frontiersmen
left salt Lake city To penetrate the
new Eldorado, by way OF the old
Mormon trail through the Ute do
main. On arriving at the confluence
of the Gunnison and Grand riy-
ers early in February, they separated
spectiyely. Their supplies had dim
nished TO so small an amount that
when they divided there was hardly
ralions for two days. The largest dc.
tachment followed tho Grand river TO
Cochetopa River, while the smaller
crew, which consisted of Messrs. Mil
Ter, Bell, swan, Humphreys, George
Noon, and Alfred Paehha, pursued
tho Gunnison south. Packba was Sc
lected for leader. Gen. Adams Vas
agent for tho Uncompabgre Indians
at Los Pinos Agency. Late in March
Packha appeared at the Agency in an
almost naked condition, an1 stary-
ing. He was unable 10 eat for sever
al days, and It required careful medi-
cal treatment TO save his life. To Gen.
Adams Paekha said he had been de-
serted by his companions, and left to
die in snow storm. Ho was taken
TO Saguache, tho nearest frontier sel-
tlement, for care. Two day : after the
Agency escort departed with him a
couple OF Utes arrived with strips of
supposed meat, which they showed
to Gen. Adams as "white mans
tiesh.n Saspecling foul play, the
General Immediately disp tened Il
second party to bring Packha back to
the Agency as a prisoner. Upon be-
ing shown the human flesh and
charged with murder, Packha seem
ingly broke down, and confessed that
the five men were killed, 10 provide
food for the survivors.
One day, when he was absent from
camp hunting, he said, his five com
panions drew lots for death, and
swan drew the unlucky number.
The victim was being cut up, nc said,
when ho returned to camp. Miller,
Humphrey and Noon then fell under
the hatehet, and In the order stated
their flesh was devoured. Bell then
tried to murder Packha, but the lat
ter, detecting him in tho act, fclled
him dead with an AK before he could
fire a second shot. Packha wound
up his somewhat crooked storey With
an account OF his blind journey
through the wilderness, in which he
preserved his life against the winter
cold and storms by carry from place
to place burning Goals in a coffee pot.
Bells flesh was what he fed on.
Meanwhile, during the investigation,
"A straggler from the party of twelve
turned up, almost dead from starva-
tion and cold.
He describes as nearly as possible
where he had left his companions
in dying condition, and IA relief
party sent out with food found them
IN camp on the Cebolla river, and
they were brought into Los Pinos.
On being told Packha's experience
they refused to credit it, and demand
ed scout. Packha offered To guide
party to the remains. An expedi-
hon of whites and Indians was organ
lied under the leadership of Henry
Lanter, OF Denver. The trail was
iaken across the mountains towards