New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-07
EATING THE BODIES OF MEN.
CRIMES OF ALFRED PACKER, THE MINER.
HIS NARRATIVE OF sUFFERING-DEMoNIAC Gun
DUCT AS A WITNESS.

DENVER, Aug O-The trial of Alfred Packer lot
murder and cannibalisn which was concluded at Cum
nson Yesterday was one of the most remarkable cases
known. The last day he testified in his own deiehce
He looked pale. His checks were hollow and his eyes
sunken. lie stood up during the entire statement
which occupied two and half hours At times lie De-
excited and emphasized his narrative with gest
and not nfrequently with oaths until resraheu
by his attorney As told by the defendant, no story
could be horrible than the bare recital OF now
he and his five companions wandered aimlessly aoout
the mountains without food, rlving mad with munger,
eating their moccasins, willow buds rose BUDS ana
finally devouring each other. Then after the death OF
the remainder of the party the cold unfeelng account
Of how he took flesh from the legs of his companions
boiled in tin cups and ate it, has never been equac"
in the history of Jurisprudence in America. lie admit
ted that once twice his stomach refused 10 RETAIN
such fast finally his will conquered the animal
weakness and he prepared the food and ate it with
ont trouble All these circumstances were Listened 10
with the closest attention by the crowd assembled
Ii only when the xamnation uncovered tho
weak points in the narrative and the witness testied
TO the impossible circumstances which he recounted
that the truth of the recital questioned. lie tcs-
tilted folows
| have been in the mountains for many years. was
in Utah in q aud worked i'll the mGe- there nntl
became loaded This Is form OF lead cone peculiar
to the employed in the vicinity of the sin"iters IN
Utah and Nevada Then came to salt Lake and I,
| there | worked while in n smclter. was sun
afflicted, and in the fall of l-13 joined party at
Bingham Canon for trip to the san Juan country IN
Colorado. | travelled with McGrcw to whom gave
$50 for my passage and vas 10 work for the balance
OF my fare. had go left. We reached Dry 'rech'
near Chei Ouray s.camp. in January. ls'l liere ne
party separated. Israel Swan. George Noon. Frank
Miller, James Humphreys Shannon Wilson beii ana
myself started Iohi Ouray's camp for the SAN Juan.
II was cold. tie snow was deep and tray dlhcuit.
We gaycap boots and tied plackcts about our iect
II
man Swan gave ont first. lie was old and IN tu,
flesh. Our bread gave out the ninth day. We had
only eaten meal dag or The last few days hcc1use
II .tormins and blowing that We could see only
a few feet before us We wcic keeping up toward TIE
summit of the hills. aiming Tor Los Imo, Agency.
Bell gave mp his moccaHh-. and we m"lr one IN ~ :"
those. boiiing them | next gave up nlne' ana theh
the others Bell had hatchct. Noon had a gum but
carried At about half the time. THINK we must have
been ont u the mountains several weeks alter running
ont OF food The men were getting desperate ana pen
seemed To he getting crazy. lii- eyes protridcd iI@
h- head. While the others complained and talked hc
remained ront. The men Cicd for salt. Ihcy dld
not AK for food; II was only SALT salt we hal ntrn
eating willow and rose buds tor several days having
found the valley near The lah". where Lake
city uow stands We had run ont OF matches nhd
carried tire with in cohe- pot. one day We LAW
q game trail up"n the mountlinS ana II WIS a~Iec'I
that should - the trIIl, n was the -iiongeSt
took he rir aud searched. IN the morning lex the
men crazy with hunger. In the evening when re-
tIrucd lld found bunch of rose iu,hr, and hhd
good dinner from them. but no game. ioit -tiongcr
A. Approached the fire, raw Bel De mhdhS over me
fire cooking some meat. okc 10 hun aui inncdi-
a'.'y hc rose and started for with hachet. ran
back down Tie blum. Dut fell. and while down shot
IN throu-h the side as be- approached me-. II" i"li
and the hntrhct dropped by me" | -uaicled 1T up ana
threw II At hnn and struck Inn iu the head went up
Ia the camp again found that The rest oi the men
| ver, dead and That the meat B,U Nar cooking MJ-
hr-h from the lcg OF liuup phny- stayed ~ camp the
rest of that night. then made my camp oil snort
distance and stayed there tor po"sl'E ht'rh hhtS'
| Duuug this time crazy with hunger and cut the
| flesh om Bells l,g and boiled II W tn cup ana
| ate H. II made very sick. Ny stomach was empty
nnl weak and I vomted violently that night. alter
| thus frequently ate the meat and several times
tr,cd 10 oct ont of the country would climb up tie
mountain. but failing to see any nope would return
again To- camp and again cut the flesh ion the limbs
of The dead men and eat It %,s about forty mile.
| from Los Pno~ Agency and d!d not hho" ne 'hict
| distance. ibls Was III April
The witness narrated at great length how he wander
ci from day to day over the mountains. having sup
ply.oi human hc-h with him Finally. in the last days
Of April ne found hs way 10 Saslachc. He con
tinurd
Here Major -Dowucd gave me my first food. which
was brandy and a |. lit diet / soon re. gained my ap
petite and took up my lodging with Larry Dolln.
| saloon-kccprr. General Adams had gone to Denver
and was expected back every day. FINALLY lac came
and met him after and told him wanted TO get
back 10 the los lnos country. aud oin my conIad's
| lie agreed To take had bought horse and sad
dle from otto Metz Tor SO. returning to the agency
my story Was told. but not a. now tel H. Tor WAC
| ashamed for the world 10 know how had HHed'
General Adams got me into hl' Once ana induc,d ne
Ia make the confession of which lac told yon ddht
think II put in writing 10 prove my story party
stared with to find the remains, bat got lost and
could not find my way II wa 30 stormy wurn we
went over the ground III the winter that 'oud not
| see the landmarks The party Thought was playing
them false and they began to accuse In1 oil muIuernS
| the men. We returned TO camp and was arrested
| and taken to Slguachc.
The prisoner related how he treated by the
officer; how he provided with a key to h's
| shacklos and a sack of food While the sheriff was
gone from home hc released himself and made his way
Canon City and from there Pueblo where he stayed