HORRIBLE STORY OF CANNIBALISM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2437, 28 October 1886, Page 2

HORRIBLE STORY OF CANNIBALISM.

Tho Cunard steamer A.uiaiiia, which arrived at Liverpool on August 15th from Now York, wiUi i.imili) and passongorß, brought |ni'.i:ukw of t'n trial and sentence of. Alfred Packer, at Donver, United Stales. Packer, who was sun-, tenocd to forty years' imprisonment', recited iu Court a allocking tale of cannibalism The dato of the crime went back to 1874, and occurred in the mountains ever which lie and his companions were travelling. Packer was a miner, and with five other's set out for a district which is now occupied by Lake City. • According to Packer's story, told in the Aesizo Court, the men had to travel through snow of great depth. ' It was January, and the cold was intenso. The -party had to discard their Iwots and walk with their feet wrapped in blankets' io prevent their feet freezing. Uu the ninth day their food cave out, and then they lived on what they could pick up, cbieliy willow and rosebuds. This was the only means of subsistence for many days. The oldest of the party waß the lirat to give out, and then another of the party niuned Bell appeared,to become peculiar as if-half-crazy. Tha men could not get liini to speak. They? carried a little fire in a pan. On one they struck a spimo trail, and "as appeared to be the strongest of tho party, the others insisted upon him follywing up tho trail. Ho did so, taking "'with him the only rifle which the party possessed. The journey was fruitless, but Packer refreshed himself with a meal of rosebuds. On his return lie found 801 l cooking something. Whuu he got near Bell rushed at him with an upraised hatched, Packer made oil'but fell, and as Bell caught up to hiin and was about to strike him with the hatchet Packei fired, shooting him through tho body. Packer then picked up the hatchet and struck Bell with it, killing him. On examination Packer found that all the meu were dead, and that Bell had cut a portion of the leg from one of tho bodies, and was engaged cooking it when Packer returned. Packer remained all ufeht at the camp, but next day went to n placo close by. His hunger drove hiin back, and he too took tho flesh from tho leg of Bell and boiled it in a cup. After partaking of tho first meal of hutnau flesh Packor vomited, but his second attempt enabled him to digest th« foDd. I'he same horrible expedient was resorted to until at last April set in, aiid no relief appoared. Then Packei took with him a supply of his unholy food, and mado for a placo some 40 miles oft Tliia he reached iu safety, and was there supplied with proper food. He was ashamed, he said, to toll his horrible experience, and said his party had got lost. Tho greatest feeling of horror passed through the assembled people in the Court-houEO as Packer minutely detailed the civciinißtatieo of hia crime, uud as ho was closely questioned by the counsel and Judgo ho poured forth a torrent of vile abuse at his questioners. Ho was live hours in tho dock, and the revelations were said to be without parallel iu the history of the Court.