HORRIBLE STORY OF CANNIBALISM.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2230, 23 October 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

HORRIBLE STORY OF CANNIBALISM.

The Cnnard steamer Aiirania, which arrived at Liverpool recently from New York with mails and passengers, brought particulars of the trial and sentence of Alfred Packer, at Denver, United States. Packer, who was sentenced to 40 years' impiisonment, recited in court a shocking talc of cannibalism. The date of the crime went back to 1874, and occurred in the mountains over which he and his companions were travelling. Packer was a miner, and with several others set out for a district which is now occupied by Like City. According to Packer's story, told in the Assize coiut, the men had to travel through snow of groat depth. It was January, and the cold was intense. The party had to diseaid their boots and walk with their feet wrapped in plankets. Tins was to prevent their feet hvcziug. On the ninth day their food gave out, and then they lived on what they could pickup, chiefly willow and rose buds. This was the only means of subsistence for many days. The oldest of tlw party was the first to give out, and then another of the party named Bell appeared to become peculiar, as if half crazy. The men could not get him to speak. They carried a little fire in a can. On one occasion they struck a game trail, and an Packer appeared to be the strongest of the party, the others insisted on him following up the trail. He did so, taking with him the only rifle which the party pos^efcsed. The journey was fruitless, but Packer refreshed himself by a meal of rosebuds. On his return he found Bell cooking something. When he got near Bell rushed at him with an upraised hatchet. Packer made off but fell, and as Bell caught up to him and was about to strike him with the hatchet Packer fired, shooting him through the body. Packer then picked up the hatchet and struck Bell with it, killing him On examination Pucker found that all the men were dead, and that Bell had cut a portion of the leg from one of the bodies, and was engaged cooking it when Packer returned. Packer remained all night at the camp, but next day went to a place close by. His hunger drove him back, and ho, too, took the flesh from the leg 1 of B-'ll and boiled it in a cup. After partaking of the fir->t moal of human llo^h Parker vomited, but his second attempt enabled him to digest tho food. The sumo honible expedient wag resorted to until at last April had net in, and no relief appeared. Then Packer took with him a supply of his unholy food, and made for a place some 40 miles off. This he reached in safety, and was there supplied with proper food. He was ashamed, ho said, to tell his horrible experience, and said his party had got lost. The greatest feeling of horror parsed through tho assembled peoplo in the couit-house as Packer minutely detailed the circumstances of his crime, and as ho was closely questions I by tho counsel and judge ho pomed forth a torrent of vilo abuse at his questioners. He was five hours in the dock, and the revelations woro slid to bo without parallel in the history of tho court,