Alferd Packer's story was made into a movie. Alferd (aka Alfred) Packer was an interesting character whose legend became more interesting as his story was told and retold. Mr. Packer was the only person in American history to be convicted of cannabalism. If you open the link above (in yellow) and read down a bit you will see this exhortation: "It makes a great Christmas gift for family and friends!" in a festive red color.

The state of Colorado archives has a lot of interesting material on Mr. Packer. There is a historical site, the Alferd Packer Massacre Site, in Colorado dedicated to Mr. Packer. It might be a good place to stop by with the kids this summer if you happen to be going through Colorado. There is a song about Mr. Packer as well. The chorus goes this way: "They called him a murderer, a cannibal, a thief; It just doesn't pay to eat anything but Government-inspected beef." The University of Colorado honors Mr. Packer by naming its largest food service facility after him - the Alferd Packer Grill. A monument to bad taste?

When Packer was convicted of cannibalism and was sentenced to hang by Judge Melville B. Gerry. The judge said, "Stand up, yah voracious man-eatin' sonofabitch, and receive your sentence! Thar were only seven Democrats in all of Hinsdale County and you ate five of them!" The Republicans have been recently been supporting efforts to clone poor old Alferd. Packer was eventually freed from jail in 1901 and died in 1907. Of natural causes.