One local newspaper quoted Judge Gerry as saying, "Stand up yah voracious man-eatin' sonofabitch and receive yir sintince. When yah came to Hinsdale County, there was siven dimmycrats. But you, yah et five of 'em, goddam yah. I sintince yah t' be hanged by th' neck ontil yer dead, dead, dead, as a warnin' ag'in reducin' th' Dimmycratic populayshun of this county. Packer, you Republican cannibal, I would sintince ya ta hell but the statutes forbid it." Judge Gerry was actually quite literate and his court-recorded comments were far different from the above, but you can get the sentiments of the time from the quote... Gerry did sentence Packer to be hanged on May 19, 1883, "until you are dead, dead, dead, and may God have mercy upon your soul."