The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-03-24

years one OF the greatest murder mYs-
terles Of the frontier was cleared mp Mon
day by the capture of the murderer at
Fort FettermaD, Wyoming Territory,
and his confession, which Glen. Adams.
OF The postofhce, received here that night
by telegraph. The affair has long since
became story of crime that for atrocitv
aad dendishness is not surpassed IN the
criminal history OF the country. 1t is a
narrative III which the principal stains
his hands with the life-blood of five
companions, ana then completes the
woIk by feeding for weeks off the pu-
crescent remains.
Nine years ago when the San Juan
mining excitement broke out, q party
composed of eighteen frontiersmen left
Salt Lake City to penetrate the new Ell
Dorado by way OF the old Mormon trail
through the Ute domain. On arriving
at the confluence OF the Gunnison and
Grand Rivers early III February. they
separated into two bodies of twelve and
six respectively. Their supplies had
diminished TO so small an amount that
when they were divided there were bare
ly railons enough fortwo days. The larg-
erdetachmentfollOwedt the Grand River to
Cochetopa River, while the smaller
crew, which consisted of Messrs. Miller,
Bell, Swan, Humphreys, George Noon,
and Alfred Packha, pursued the Gunni-
son south. Packha was selected for
leader. Gen. Adams was agent for the
Uncompahgre Indians at Los PInos
Agency, at the time. Late IN March
Packha appeared at the agency in an al
most naked condition, aud starving. He
was unable to eat for several DAYS. and
II required careful medical treatment to
save his life. To Gen. Adams, Pack ho
said he had been deserted by his com
panlOns and left to die in a snow
storm. He was taken to Laguache,
the nearest frontier settlement, for care.
Two days after the agency escort dc
parted with him couple OF Ute5 arrived
with strips of supposed meat, which
they showed to Gen. Adams as white
mans flesh. Suspecting foul play, the
general Immediately dispatched a second
party to bring Packha back to the agen-
cy as prisoner. Upon being shown the
human flesh and charged with murder,
Packha seemingly broke down, and cor
fcssed that the five men were killed, one
by the other, to provide food for the sur
vlvots. 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, he said, when he re-
turned to camp. Miller, Humphrey and
Noon then fell under the hatchot, and In
the order stated their flesh was devoured.
Bell then tried TO murder Packha, but
the latter detecting him in the act, felled
him dead with an ak before he could fire
+ second shot. Packha wound up bis
somewhat crooked story with an account
of his blind journey through the wilder
ness IN which he preserved his life
against the winter cold and storms by
carrying from place to place burning
Goals III coffee pot. Bells flesh was
what he fed ON. Meanwhile dur
ing the investigation a straggler
from the party of twelve turned up
almost dead from starvation. He de
scribed as nearly as possible where he
had LETT his companions in a dying con-
dition, and relief party sent ont with
food found them in camp on the Cebol-
la River, and they We're brought into
Los Pinos. On being told PacBha's ex-
perience they refused to credit it, and
demanded a scout. Packha offered to
guide party to the remains. An ex-
pedition of whites and Indians was or
ganized under the leadership of Henry
Lanter, of this city. The trail was taken
across the mountain toward the head OF
L. L
fork OF the GunnisOn was reached Pack
ha claimed to be confused, aud said he
could not direct the exploration any
further. He tried his best to lead the
party north. Lanter, growing suspi-
cious, charged him with the purpose of
misdirectlng the party, and insisted on
continuing south, whereupOn Packha
drew knife and tried to Kill him. Pack
ha was disarmed and ironed. The party
returned to the agency, after having
failed to discover the camp, and Pack ha
was confined in the Sagalche Jail. A few
days later he escaped, and trace of him
was never certainly had again till last
week.
Three years ago a desperate was killed
at Fort Defiance, A. T., whose description
corresponded with that of Packha, and 1t
was thought that he had at last met his
death. In June, 1874, a photographer
from Peoria, H., named Reynolds, acci-
dentally discovered the bodies of the
murdered men in a hemlock grove near
Lake San Christoval, and only a short
distance from the presenG Lake City.
Some members OF the Surveying party
who had fingered in the country visited
the scene and identified the men. The
bodies Of four OF the men, Swan, Bell,
Noon and Humphreys, we're lying side
by side. Two of them were rolled up IN
blanket. A bullet hole IN each head
explained the way OF the killing. What
remained of poor Miller was few yards
away. The head was severed from the
body, and the flesh had been taken from
the breast and limbs. There was evi
dence In the disturbed condition OF the
ground that he had fought hard for his
life. The bodies were preserved anG
easily identified. There was known tC
have been SO, 900 in possession of Tx
party, but not dollar could be found
There was no longer any doubt bat
Packha murdered the men to Obtain
their money, and, running out of fooC
ate their flesh. After having commit
ted the deed, he constructed a brusl
house and apparently resided there for
few days. Between 1t and the bodies
there was trail which he often Travelled
TO gloat over his deed or cul off meal
of human flesh. When he larted east
ward he evidently laid III d supply OF hi,
human food, and at some camping plac,
abandoned or forgot the strips OF fest
which the In ians found and brought tC
the agency. The horrible crime seemed
to end with these disclosures ano
| theories.
The closing chapter opened last week,
when member of the Sslt Lake party
telegraphed to the sheriff al Lake City
that he had met Packha face to face a
Fort Fetterman. The murderer va.
there recognized as the leader Of wha
has been for some time the most desper
ate gang of outlaws IL the gest. Gen
Adams was informed Of the discover V
and concerted movement by Sls rlffi
| Spangler, OF Denver, and Smith, OF Lake