The Dawson journal. (Dawson, Ga.) 1878-18??, 1886-08-19
the MAN EATERS TRIAL.
A Tragedy that Surpasses the
arctic Sea Horror.

Eater" was concluded at Gunni-
son City, Colorado, last Thursday.
The crime which Packer was
found guilty Of and for which he
has been sentenced to the peniton-
tlary for forty years, is one of The
most horrible on record. In tie
early part of the winter of 1873
Packer, IN company with FIVE 9th
er prospectors- Isreal Swan, Will
liam Bell, George Noon, Frank
Miller and james FL lmphreys-
started from Bingham, Utah, for
the new mining district in San
Juan county. 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 provisions and suffering
from the intense cold. Here they
went into camp, and one night
Packer murdered his companions.
and for fifteen days lived on the
flesh of the dead. Pacl er made
his way to the Los Pinos agency
IN the early part Of 1874, where
he represented that Bell had gone
crazy with hunger and murdered
the other four men while he
(Packer) was out hunting for
game. On his return to the camp
Bell attacked him with a Ratchet.
and he was compelled to kill Bell
IN self-defense. Packer was ar
rested, had a preliminary hearing
and was confined in the Sagauche
jail, from which he escaped the
same year. In 1888 he was re-
captured at Fort fettermah, Wy.
L., 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 ORG Of the most remarkable
known. The last day Packer took
the stand and testified in his own
defense. He looked pale, his
checks were hollow and his eyes
sunken. He stood up while Civ
ing his testimony, which occupied
two and half hours. At times
he became excited and emphasized
his words with gestures, and not
infrequently with oaths, until re-
strained by his attorney. No sto-
ry could be more excitedly inter
esting and horrible than the bare
recital of how he and his five
companions wandered aimlesslv
about the mountains 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, pnfeeling account of how he
took flesh from the legs Of his
companions, boiled it liz tin cups
and ate 1t, has never been edualed
i'll the history of jurisprudence in
America. He admitted that once
or twice his stomach refused to
retain such a feast. Finally his
will conquered the animal week
ness, and lie prepared the food
and ate 1t without any trouble.
All these circumstances were
listened to with the closest atten-
ton by the court, jury, lawyers
and spectators. 1t was only when
the cross examination uncovered
the weak points in the narrative
and the witness testified to the
impossible circumstances that the
truth of the story was questioned.
He testified as follows:
"My name is Alfred Packer. I
have been in the mountains for
many years. 1 was in Utah in
1873, and [ worked in the mines
there until l became loaded.
T This is q form of load collie pc
culiar the men employed in the
vicinity of the smelters in Utah
and Nevada. Then [ came to
Salt Lake, and there l worked
while in smelter. I was still
afflicted, and in the fall Of 1878 |
joined a PARTY at Bingham Can
on fer propectingl trip to
San Juan county, in Colorado
Territory. l travelled with Nc
Crew. to whom l gave $50 for my
passage, and was to work for
the balance Of my fare. | had