The Fremont County record. [volume] (Canon City, Colo.) 1877-18??, 1883-03-17
A HUMAN FIEND.
Alfred Packer, the Murderer
and Man-Eater,
Captured Near Fort Fetts-man, Wyom-
ing, After Ten Years.
A Thrilling story of Early Days Ii
Southern Colorado.


Southern Colorado.
The Denver Republican of last Tuesday
contains story, related by General E. F.
Adams, concerning which many older resi-
dents of Colorado are somewhat familiar !;
yet we give it briefly, believing it will be
perused with interest nov:
THE STORY.
In the winter of 1573-74 party of pros
pectors, numbering about twenty men, left
Salt Lake City for the San Juan country.
General Adams was then Indian agent at
Los Pinos, in Saguache county, and this
agency was one of the objective points of
the party. The prospectors reached Ourays
camp, in the Uncompahgre country in
December, when that chief endeavored to
dissuade them from attempting to cross the
mountains at that season, offering them
comfortable quarters, and inviting them to
stay and spend the winter in hunting on
his domain. The ambitious miners, how
ever declined the offer, desiring to be the
first on the ground in the new Ell Dorado.
After warning them of the danger that be
set their pathway, ouray directed the pros
pectors to follow up the Gunnison on the
ice until they came to o cattle ranch be-
longing TO the agency, where they could
recruit up, and thence probably reach the
agency, which was located where the city
of Gunnison now stands. The major por-
ton of the party took Ouray's advice; but
six men, named Miller, Bell, Humphreys,
Swan, George Noon and Al. Packer, de-
termined to cross the range direct TO the
headwaters Of the Rio Grande, where mines
had been discovered. Packer advised this
course, and it was taken at his suggestion
that he was well acquainted with the
country, and could guide the party to its
destination In six weeks after leaving
0uray's camp Packer arrived at the agency
alone He said he had started out with
the party, and after few days he became
lame and unable to walk, when his COM
rads deserted him, going in a southerly
direction while he, after waiting until he
became able to walk, made his way east,
subsisting on roots, berries, and an occa-
sional squirrel or rabbit. He also stated
that he had no doubt his companions were
safe at Silverton or Las Animas Forks.
After hearing Packers tale of woe,
General Adams pitied him, and offered him
work bat he refused employment, and
remained at the agency but a few days,
going thence 10 settlement in Saguache
county, with the avowed intention Of max
ing, sIi- way to friends in Pennsylvania
Packer proiessed to have no money, and
sold his Winchester rifle to one of the agency
employees for $40. While at Saguache the
poor fellow spent his time in drinking.
gambling. and at times displaying large
roll of money. In April, while Packer
was vet there several of the original party
appeared in Saguache, and questioned him
as to the fate of the five men who started
with him over the range The news also
began to be noised about that none of
n tl y,zl
or any other point near that place, and
General Adams proposed to Packer to guide
party in search of them. This. after some
hesitancy, Packer agreed to do. About this
time he got drunk one day, and exhibited
a pipe, poeket-knife and other articles
known to belong to members of his party.
This circumstance, together with the fact
that he told several conflicting stories con-
ceruing his trip, at once aroused suspicion
against him. General Adams noted these
things, and determined that if Packer did
not go with the search party he would de-
tain him on the reservation until the snow
disappeared, and the fate of his comrades
be ascertained. Threats of flynching having
been made by the members of the original
party, General Adams took Packer to the
agency, and tried to elicit from him a true
story Packer said he had borrowed the
money exhibited from friend in Saguache,
This General Adams soon disproved, when
= body of men marched to the agency,
and demanded Packer; but General Adams,
by promises that after he had used all his
endeavors to make the prisoner confess, he
would deliver him to them, restrained them
from any rash act Just then. Packer then,
in the presence of Mrs. Adams, Miss Gauss
NOW Mrs Fred Zell, of Dcnver,) and the
men who were demanding his life, made
full confession which was taken down by
a clerk. While the prisoner was talking,
two Indians came to the agency with strips
of meat which they had found in the snow,
and which they pronounced human flesh,
and that of white men. General Adams
then told Packer his confession WAS lie,
from beginning to end, and that ii he did
not tell the truth he would be swung up.
Packer then broke down. cried like = child,
and told q different story.
TALE OF HORROR.
He said that the party, After leaving
Ourays camp wandered around for several
days and was overtaken by q snowstorm
and was near the point of starvation.
While ont gathering wood one day the rest
OF the party killed old man Swan, and were
cutting him up when he came TO camp.
The money and articles in his possession
We're divided among all the parties and
his flesh cooked and eaten. Two days after
wards another one of the men was killed.
Two of his partners came to him one day
and told him that Miller would be the best
man to kill, and he was killed, but he
(Paekcrl had nothing to do with it. Millcrs
money was also divided. Humphreys and
Noon were then killed and eaten, and
none were left but Bell and himself. He
had old man Swans gun, Bell had rifle,
and they agreed to try and make their way
to some settlement, intending TO live on
rabbits and such other small game as they
could kill.
While in a grove of hcmlock trees one
evening, while he was stopping down to
pick up some wood, Bell struck ut him with
his rifle, missing hun and breaking the
stock on tree. To save his life Packer
says he shot Bell, and snhsisted upon his
flesh until he made his way to the agency.
The killing of He'll occurred close to Lake
san Cristival, and Packer, cutting away all
the flesh from the body he could con-
veniently carry, started across the country.
He carried fire with him in an old tin
coflee-pos, and would make fire every
night when he campcd.
The miners did not believe the story
about Bell, knowing him 80 well, and said
he would not attempt to xii! a corprsds IN