The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-08-19

Told by the I,emorseiess Wretch ian HIS
Own Defense.
Alfred Packer, better known as "the
Man Eater" was recently tried ~ Gum
nison, Col, aud found guilty of man
slaughter on five counts as charged IN
the indictment. Judge Harrison SEN
fenced the prisoner to forty years in
the penitentiary, or eight years for
each man it is supposed he murdered.
The crime Packer is charged with is
one of the most horrible on record, and
it is probable more excitement was
created over his acts of cannibalism at
the time of their discovery than over
any other crime committed in America
during the last hall century. During
the early part of the winter of 1878
Packer in company with five prospect
ors-Israel Swan, Wilson Bell, George
Noon, Frank Miller, and James Hum
phreys-started from Bingham, Utah,
to a new mining district in the San
Juan country. The winter was Sc
we're and game scarce, and when the
party reached the place where Lake
City now stands they were out of pro-
visions, suffering with cold, and crying
for salt. Here they went into camp,
and one hight Packer murdered his
companions, and for fifteen days lived
off the flesh of the dead men. In the
early part of 1874 Packer made his way
TO Los Pinos Agency, where he stated
that Bell had gone crazy with hunger
and murdered the four other men while
he (Packer) was out hunting for game
and on his return to camp Bell attacked
hat hn
PEELED to kill him in self-defense.
Packer was arrested, had preliminary
hearing, and was confined in Saguache
Jail, when he escaped the same year,
and was fugitive until 1888, when he
was recaptured at Fort Fetterman,
Wyoming, going under the name of
John Schwartz. His attempt to prove
at the trial that he killed only Bell
failed. He stoutly maintains his inno-
cence as to the other four, and seems
reconciled to his fate, although he
claims it is unjust.
1t is certainly one of the most re-
markable cases known, and the details
read more like the wild creations of
some vivid inauguration than actual
occurrences.
The last day Packer himself was
placed on the stand and testified in his
own defense. He looked pale, his
cheeks were hollow and his eyes
sunken. He stood up during the en-
tire statement, which occupied two and
half hours. At times he became ex-
cited and emphasized his words with
gestures and not infrequently with
oaths until restrained by his attorney.
As told by the defendant, no story
could be more excitedly interesting and
horrible than the bare recital of how
he and his five companions wandered
almlessly about the mountains without
food, raving mad with hunger, eating
their moccasins, willow buds, rosebuds,
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 admitted that once or twice his
stomach refused TO retain such feast.
Finally his will conquered the animal
weakness. and he prepared the food
and a.e it without trouble. All these
circumstances were listened to with the
closest attention by the crowd assem-
bled. 1t was only when the cross-ex-
animation uncovered the weak points
in the narrative that the witness testi-
fed to the impossible circumstances
which he recounted that the truth of
the novel recital was questioned. Then
it was that the story of starvation was
doubted. He testified as follows:
MY name is Alfred Packer have been in
the mountains tor many years. l was in Utah
in 1873, and worked in the mines there till be-
came loaded. This is "A form OF lead collie pc
culiar to the men employed in the vicinity Of
the smelters in Utah and Nevada. Then came
TO Salt Lake and there worked while in a
smelter. was still afflicted, and III the fall Of
1873 / Joined n party ut Bingham Canyon for q
prospecting trip to the San Juan country, in Col
orado Territory. 1 Travelled with McGrew, TO
whom gave $50 for my passage, and was to
work for the balance OF my fare. had s25
left. We reached Dry Greek, near Chief Ouray 8
camp, in January, lo7i Here the party
separated, Israel Swan, George Noon, Frank
Miller, james Humphreys, Shannon WILSON,
Bell and myself started from Ouray camp tor
the san suan. IL was cold, the snow deep, anu
travel difficult. We gave up our boots and tied
blankets about our feet. We had TO do IL to
keep them from freezing Ola man Swan gave
out first. He WAS old and in thin flesh Our
bread gave out on the ninth day. We had only
eaten one meal day during the last few days,
because il was storming and blowing so that we
"A
keeping up toward the summit of the hills. aim
ing for the Los Pinos Agency. Bell first gave
up his moccasins, and we made one meal OF
those, boiling them. next gave up mine and
then the others did SO. Bell had Ratchet
Noon had gun, but carried the gun about
half the time.
Il think we must have been out in the noun.
tains several weeks after running out OF food.
The men were getting desperate, and Bell
seemed to be getting crazy His eyes protruded
from his head. While the others complained
and talked, he remained silent. The men cried
for salt. They did not ask for food IL was only
salt, salt. We had been eating willow and
rosebuds for several days having found some
in the valley near tho lake. whore Lake City
now stands. We had run out of matches, and
carried fire with us in a coffee pot. One day
saw game trail upon the mountains and IL was
agreed that should go on the trail, as was
the strongest. took the Winchester rifle and
searched. In the morning left the men crazy
with hunger. In the evening when 1 returned
had found a bunch OF rose bushes and had a
good dinner from them, but no game. fclt
stronger. As approached the fire l saw Bell
bending over the blaze cooking some meat.
spoke TO him, and immediately he rose and
started for me with Ratchet ran back down
the bluff but l fell and while down shot him
through the side as he approached me. He fell
and the Ratchet dropped by me. snatchcd it
up and threw il at him and struck him in the
head / went up TO the camp again and found
that the rest OF them were dead and that tho