The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-18
PACKER ASKS PARDON.
Man Who Killed and Ate Five Men in
Colorado Seeks Freedom.
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
Alfred Packer, the man eater" in Colo
rado State Prison, serving forty-year sem
fence Tor murder, has made application for
PARDON he has served eleven years of his
sentence. Counting off good time he has
twenty more to serve. But the men of Lake
City, Colo, declare Packer is very much
more likely to live those twenty years
dom.
The case OF Alfred Packer. 1.-The man eat
er, is one of the most sensational that
ever was known in Colorado even in those
carry days when human life was held at
Cured for which no questions have ever
peen asked The murder occurred in the
winter of 1884. Five men were killed by
the monster Packer, and aside from his
CONCESSION there is every evidence that he
uVed Tor weeks on the flesh of his VIC
tins. In detail, this is the story:
In the late autumn of 1873 a company of
twenty men started to prospecting for gold
and silver in the San Juan country. south
west Colorado, having been made up from
various camps about the central portion of
the State. They reached the Uncompahgre
river, near the present location of Mont
rose, and were received by the famous old
Ute chief, Ouray. They camped for a time
in his village, but in December, 1873 an
nounced their intention to push on into
Ouray advised against it, saying it was
certain death to go over the mountains in
across country and six-Miller, Bell. Hum
phrey Swan, Noon and Packer-tried to go
up the Gunnison. Ouray gave them instruc-
tions,. and even supplied them with provi-
sions. Nearly all had money. Three Of the
& CO.
Packer said he had been over the country
and knew it well. He was made guide. Six
weeks later Packer made his way alone to
Las Pinos agency, about seventy-hve miles
from Lake City, weary and worn, but not
especially hungry, and asked for a drink
of whisky.
He said he had ''gone lame" the second
frO01 " and hot lie
companions had deserted him. He had fol-
lowed as fast as he could and had finally
lost the way in the snow and had only by
accident reached Las PinOs.
He told his story to Stephen A. Dole. then
an attache Of the agency. He declared he
had subsisted on roots and leaves and had
companions had reached Silverton or the
Las Animas valley.
Packer was disinclined to accept it, He
said he had enough of the mountains and
was going to work his way back to his
home in Pennsylvania. This was a decep-
ton, for he was born and reared at La
grange, in northern Indiana, where his
father still lives, being now ninety-one
After waiting three days at the agency
Packer started to Saguache. forty-five miles
away, first selling his Winchester for $40, as
he said he had no money.
But he lived very high at Saguache play
ing poker and drinking whisky Meantime
Indians coming in to the Las PinoS agency
brought strips of human flesh from the
very trail Packer had followed. At Sag
Packer bought a horse of Mr.. Means, pay
ing $40. He first offered Mr.. Means num-
Der of crisp new bills. Means was afraid of
counterfeits, and asked for other money.
Packer put the new bills back in one pock-
ct and brought out another in which Means
saw some Wells-Fargo drafts
General Adams, the Indian agent, pro-
posed to send a rescue party over the trail
to find Packers five companions. he
wanted Packer to guide the rescuers. Pack
er made many excuses. By this time Gen.
Adam and others not only believed the five
men were dead, but that Packer had prac-
ticed cannibalsm- They were not blaming
him till they knew more about the case. If
he had been starved into the act, they
would feel some spirit of leniency. Packer
was finally constrained to guide the party.
AS they passed a stream of water Packer
threw away two small dark objects, later
believed to be pocketbooks. He was ac-
cused at Pinos of having killed his COM
rades, and then told General Adams this
sSwan died the second day out from
Ouray's camp, and we all ate pieces OF his
flesh Two days later HI n1 te died ner
lions of his flesh. Then we went forward
Miller was killed by accident. and three
again ate. Bell and agreed to be friends.
but he struck at me with his rifle and
killed him. Then / ate again"
III. f. Lauter organized party or SIX.
and, making Packer guide, led them over
the trail. Packer went wrong, and con-
fessed he did not know the way. On the
knife and the party returned, turning over
Packer to the sheriff at Saguache, charged
with murder.
party that came into Pinos agency brought
tales of scattered strips of human flesh.
photographer named Reynolds, working
for Harper's publications in New York,
came on the fateful camp June IL -Four
bodies were lying side by, side, rolled In
their blankets. Their skulls had all been
crushed in with an AK. or Ratchet. Bells
blanket was gone, but his body was found
twenty yards away. He had evidently
fought, but was killed with bullets His
flesh was nearly ali gone. The flesh OF
the others had been scarcely disturbed.
A rude shanty. had been built, and nd. worn
path led from it to Bells body. There was
flour beef and potatoes in the caDln.
warrant was then issued in regular form
The pockets OF all the men mao 9e Ell, rli, tb
But July 8, 1874, Packer escaped from the
sheriff.
the crime ''F'renchy," who had been in
that first party of fourteen that went over
the pass from Ourays camp, was IN Fort
Fetterman, and he heard Packers voice
through the partition. He notified General
Adams. then a postoffice inspector, and
Packers arrest followed. cities had sprung
up where all was desolation ten years os-
fore, and Packer was taken to the jail IN
Arapahoe county. March rs, 1883, they took
him to Lake City for trial.. April IL the
Jury returned a verdict of guilty, ana Judge
Earrv Sentenced the prisoner to hang May
~ But before that day the Supreme Court
handed down a decision in another murder
case holding that the law under which the
prisoner was convicted had not been passed passed
at the time of the crime. Packer lawyer
srot n new trial postponing execution of the
Sentence by a stay. On the second trial
the man was again found guilty, ana re-
ceived, under it, a sentence or forty years
He was sent to Canon City, where he still
remains. 1,o,.. 49,
~ +tjrt1yfo11r wears old. His family in In
diana is eminently respectable. The. effort
to secure pardon is made by the II friends ends
tasts in colorado are reaching Governor
Adams daily. 1t is believed if ever the man
IS liberated he will suffer by lynch law the
penalty for his wholesale murder.