Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-08-10
A IMAM EATERS" TRIAL.

The second trial of Alfred Packer.
better known as the MAN Eater, iva )
concluded at Gunnison City, Colorado,
August 4, with a verdict of guilty of
manslaughter on the five counts,
as charged in the Indictment. Judge
Harrison sentenced the prisoner to 40
years imprisonment in the peniten-
tlary, or 8 years for each man that he
Is supposed to have murdered. The
|crime Packer is charged with is ons of
the most horrible on record. In the
early part OF the winter of 1873, Packer,
in company with five prospectors, Is
rael Swan, William Bell, George Noon,
Frank Miller and James Humphreys,
started from Bingham, Utah, for the
new mining district in San Juan
County. The winter was severe and
game scarce, and when the party
reached the place where Lake CITY
now stands, they were out of proyi-
sions and suffering from the intense
cold. Here they went into camp, and
one night Packer murdered his COM
panions, and for fifteen days lived on
the flesh of the dead. Packer made
his way to the Los Pinos agency in
the early part of 1874, where he rep
resented that Bell had gone crazy with
hunger and murdered the other four
men while he (Packer) was out hunt
ing for game. On his return to the
camp Bell attacked him with Ratchet
and he was compelled to kill Bell in
self-defense. Packer was arrested, had
q preliminary hearing, and was con-
fined in the Saguache Jail, from which
he escaped he first year. In 1883 he
was recaptured at Fort Fetterman,
Wy. f., where he went by the name
OF John Swartz. At his first trial he
was convicted of murder and sentenced
to be hanged.
The trial which has just closed was
one of the most remarkable known
The last day Parker took the stand
and testified in his own defense. No
story could be more excitedly interest
ing and horrible than the bare recital
of how he and his five companions
wandered aimlessly about the noun
tains without food, raving mad with
hunger, eating their moccasins, willow
buds, rose buds, and finally devouring
each other. Then, after the death Of
the remainder of the party, the cold,
unfeeling account of how he took
flesh from the legs of his companions,
boiled it in tin cups, and ate it, has
never been equaled in the history of
jurisprudence in America. He admit
ted that once or twice his stomach re-
fused to retain such feast. Finally
his will conquered the animal weak
ness. and he prepared the food and ats
it without trouble.
On the discrimination the pris-
ener was confused by the cunning
Questions that were put to him. He
became enraged and branched off in a
fearful TRADE of abuse against news
paper men, the prosecuting counsel,
and winding up on the judge and jury
who heard the first trial, when he was
convicted and sentenced to be hanged.
He cursed Judge Terry in the most
wicked terms known to the English
language. His counsel, the Judge and
the sheriff all had to interfere to hush
him, and they did it with difficulty
He became fierce, and, rising to his
feet, he looked the demon that he has
been pictured, and his conduct caused
chill to pass over the audience, which
remained breathlessly silent. Ii was a
relief when Sheriff Shores took hold
of him and compelled him to quiet
down.