Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-24
A CRUEE CA\NIBAL.
Adventures of Phil Gardiner, Phila-
deIphia Born.
From the Pdi1adslDAia Daily Ne,os.

could find. His brutal instincts first be-
trayed themselves when in drunken
brawl he stabbed one of his companions,
about which such a stir was made that
Phil Gardiner fled from his native
city, fed from his widowed mother and
only sister, and sought the plains be
yond the Rocky Mountains as Cain-like
refuge.
Phil was DESTROYS of joining one of the
smaller Mormon trains, and he hurried
on to Council Bluffs, where he found, to
mis- great dlsmay, that the last band OF
the Mormon emigration party had been
gone three days before his arrival. Hun
night in the deserted camp, and rising at
dawn next morning he started 10 oVertake
the train.
JOINED BY TWO DESERTERS,
Arriving at Fort Leavenworth, Phil
was joined by Two deserters from the Sec
ond Dragons, named Alison and MerrIck.
These men were armed with the carblnes
and heavy dragon pistols of the time,
with twenty rounds each of ammunition.
Phil had only the knife he had already
used With such deadly effect, These
three worthless had neither money nor
provisions, which deficiency they decided
must be supplied by fair means or foul.
Alison suggested AFRAID on La Chapelle, a
Canadian, who resided in LeavenwOrth
city, and who, it was reported, kept a
considerable amount OF money secreted
in his rude nut. The exploit just suited
PhiPs vicious nature. and of went the trio,
Alison, who was acquainted with the
premises, acting as guide.
They broke into the old mans cabin at
about O'Clock IN the morning, til d him
hand and foot, then threatened him with
instant death If he refused to make known
the place where his money was hidden.
La Chapelle being terribly frightened, was
for some time unable to understand the
situation, but Phil brought HIM TO a sense
of his danger by brutally severing one of
the old mans ears from his head, at the
same time threatening, with terrible
oath, to plunge the knife into his heart if he
did not at once yield up his money. The
poor old man told them where his hard
earned treasure was hidden and then fell
back senseless and III dying condition
on the bed, while the heartless rutfians
possessed themselves of his $500 and de-
camped for place of safety. But justice
was speedily upon their track, for when
daylight came old La Chapelle was dis
covered dead. The fright had killed him.
A party of Vigilantes was organized, and.
with the aid of bloodhounds, they were
soon on the trail of the robbers. Phil, being
the fleetesJ OF loot, soon Outsped his COM
panions, and crossing the Leavenworth
river reached a hiding place In safety.
But Alison and Merrick were overtaken
by their relentless pursuers, who ac-
corded them no mercy. The fighting
was desperate, but the outlaws were
finally shot and their bodies thrown on a
large fire made by the vigilantes for the
purpose of consuming them.
CANNIBAL'S FEAST.
Phil lay concealed on the river bank all
that day, but when night came he VEN
tured forth for the purpose of procuring
food, and, as he had eaten nothing for
forty-eight hours, his ravenous desires
were uncomfortable. Recrossing the river
he saw light in the distance and started
in that direction. As he approached
nearer and nearer he could smell burning
flesh. and this intensified his desire for
food till. arriving at the place, he discOv-
cred the smouldering remains of fire,
ana, in their midst, the half-consumed
bodies of two men. Even he felt some
horror at the sight, as he understood that
they were the remains OF his former COM
panious, but hunger was paramount to
all dismay, and he proceeded 10 satisfy
his cravings by eating some OF the ghastly
roasted flesh before him. This was PhiPs
loathsome taste for human flesh, which
be never failed to crafty when oppor-
tunity offered.
But the terrible deed which gained for
him the generally known title OF ssCan-
nibal Phil" occurred in the year 1854.
After the scene at Leavenworth, he had
overtaken the Mormon train at place
called Ash Hollow. on the river Platte,
where he was actually baptized and re-
I'M n no Of N fait ttIa
uli-fiedged pure and spotless Latter Day
Saint. But, although his daring led him
into all sorts of sorapes, still this lite was
not half violent enough for Phil, whose
wonderful reckless courage and endur-
ance becoming known, he seised the
opportunity offered him by the Off
Ger in command at Fort Laramie to
undertake the carrying of the mail
from that post to Fort Benton, on the
Missouri.
AN INDIAN BOY.
Accompanied by an Indian boy, both OF
them mounted on stout, hardy ponies.
with an additional one packed with pro-
visions, blankets and the all-important
mail, he started out into the endless snow.
DRIFT, with the mercury marking 10 de-
grees below zero. For three DAYS the
dreadful storm continued ;the wind sweep
ing the plain at the rate of 80 miles an
hOur, plleQ Jne snow In QrlitS against
every obstacle till Phil and his Indian
companion were literally buried beneath
20 feet of snow, which they pressed and
packed from beneath into the form Of an
Esquimaux hut. When on the morning
of the fourth day they emerged from their
snow prison, their provisions were en-
tlrely exhausted and their animals had
appeared-uudoubt edly persisted in the
snow; but, taking the mail-pOuch and
their blankets, they resumed the journey
on foot. Their progress was necessarily
slow, and on the twelfth day they en-
cOuntered one Of the tiercest snow storms
ever seen in the terrible valleys Of the
Wind river ranges of the Rocky Noun
tains.
Finally the Indian boy sank exhausted
in the snow. Phil crept nolselessly up to
the Indian, and, Selling MIN by the hair,
unsheathed his hunting knife. A hurried
plunge Of steel, wild shrek, and Pull
breathed alone. Only the ravens saw this
human tiend toasting and devouring his
companions flesh with CHASTITY relish;
then taking as much or the flesh as he
could conveniently carry, together with
the mail-pouch, he once more struggled
on, and after many days of weary plod-
ding he at last reached Fort Benton,
where bone, with some shriveled flesh
still adhering to 1t, was found upon him
as he tell, almost lifeless, IN front of the
commanders quarters. HIS extremities
were badly frozen. and altogether he was
In "A sorry state, but he was taken to the
hospital, and his hardy constitution soon