The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-10
The Murderer Ate His Victim
of Man-Eater Said to Haunt Dead Mans Gulch
Where Crime Was Committed

settled over Cannabal Mesa this past
month-just IS years after the crime
was committed-brings to the minds
OF he old-timers the phantom mist
Wnlch a settled oNer the mountain
when Packer first made his appear
ance at the Los Pinos agency.
wrestling fortunes from the wilds, OF
to Mears is today the only witness
alive who appeared against Packer.
This railroad pioneer. who was MAX
ing the trail Of old San Juan toll road.
was one OF the party that discovered
the bodies. several months after Pack
er had escaped. So bitter did Packer
MS parole the pioneer roadmaker was
warned by his friends that the convict
had threatened to get him.
Near however. approached Packer
n day on n street. and the liber-
ated "cannibal' said that he had no
desire to stir up further trouble.
1t was in April. 1874, that a man
where General Adams was Indian
agent: The stranger gave his name as
Alfred Packer and stated that he was
one of six men who had separated
from a part of Utah p]rospectors. The
original party. he stated. had left Utah
early in the fall. headed for Los Pinos
agency. and had made their way to
rose, where the Indian chief had beg
sed them not TO try and cross the
mountains at that time of year Pack
er stated that the party divided. me
section following Ouray's advice,
starting for Los Pinos by way of Gun
niscn. He had endeavored to guide
the other five men to the agency and,
| as a result fhaX. hoI hoc0~a> 1oe< No.
weeks they f%oundered in the noun
tain drifts. their provisions rapidly
disappearing. Packer then told a
story of horrible privation. of hunger
and cold. but his appearance did not
bear out the story, as he was fat and
sleek. as though he were we'll fed.
There was a queer look in the mans
eye as he talked, and when questioned
as to the whereabouts of his compani-
ons he stated that he had become
lame and that they had deserted him.
He said he was absolutely without
POUNDS. "
Packer. after a good rest at the
agency. set out for saguache. fifty
miles distant. Here he entered the
store of Mears & Gotthelf. In paying
for a horse which he purchased from
Otto Mears he offered a bill, which
Mears. who had heard that Packer
had made counterfeit money in Utah,
rejected. Packer then pulled out his
pocketbook filled with money. and in
this wallet Mears saw several Wells
Fargo drafts. The stay Of Packer in
Saguache was livened by poker play
ing and drinking, all Of which cost the
newcomer. who had stated at the
agency that he was BROKE" consid-
cradle money.
Mears' suspicious were so thorough
~ aroused that he urged General
\ n n N q IN 1~S@-x T. VI
stated that he could no do this un-
less Packer could be lured back to the
agency ground. In the meantime
members of the original party from
Utah. who had taken the Gunnison
u to what was then a cattle ranch,
appeared and insisted upon being led
to where the other fl men were.
When the party conducting Packer
pack to the Los Pinos agency was
crossing a creek Otto Mears saw Pack
er throw something into the water.
When asked what 1t was he replied:
oh. just trash"
When searched at the agency no
wallets were found upon him. 1t was
known that Packer was broke" when
he left Salt Lake city, and that he
had begged the prospectors, many of
whom disliked him on account OF his
d~isagreeable temper. and his being
subject to fits. to take him along, as
he knew the country.
In the minds Of many the suspicion
was deep grounded that Jacker misled
his companions into the wilderness,
instead of taking them to Los Pinos.
with the intention Of numbering them
for their money.
When General Adams insisted that
Packer make a confession. the canni-
bal told a CHASTITY story of subsisting
on roots and rosebuds and on moe
- I'M N,~HtI kh~ Al N--H T.
panions eyes old that they were con-
templating cannibalism. One day the
Oldest OF the party. a nan named
Swan. died Of exposure, he said, and
the remaining five devoured his flesh.
Next the survivors decided to kill a
young mar named Miller. and his flesh
afforded them nourishment for some
leaving. said Packer, only Shannon,
Bell and himself. Bell, he claimed,
attacked him. and that he, in self-de-
Tense, slew his assailant and then cut
strips from his flesh and devoured
them.
Il packed strips Of flesh about me
for future use and started for the
agency. When / saw the buildings /
threw the flesh away"
A strange coincidence following
Packers first confession was the
startled appearance of several Indians
who brought to the agency strips of
meat which they believed to be hui
man flesh.
Packer calmly. according to the
story told by the late Mrs. Adams,
wife of General Adams, confessed that
he found h meat Of the breast most
tender and sweet. and hat he found
nothing distasteful about the flesh OF
his companions.
The story of Packer determined
General Adams to force the "canni.
bal' to lead him to the spot where he
last saw his companions. In the par
ty was Herman Dauter, and Packer
made an attempt to kill this young
man on the journey. Instead Of lead
ing the party. Packer. after Turing
them to an inaccessible mountain, IRE.
tended to he bewildered and unable to
get his bearings.
Subsequent stories told as to how
one day he had been asked by his
companions to go to the top Of a
mountain to look for signs Of the
agency. and how on his return he had
found Bell STOPPING over the fire cook
ing some meat show the Degenerate
mind Of the fiend.
When ] approached Bell he said.
h turned on me aud attempted to
kill me. ! grabbed his gun and shot
him in self-defense. / then cooked
land ate the meat he was preparing.