The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-09-17
A REMARKABLE TRAMP
THE iNsxpucAsLE LEATHER MAN."
A Curious Fellow Who Has Perambulated
Western Connecticut for Twen.
ty-EIve Years-A Yankee
Puzzle.
bridgeport Conn. Cor. n. ! star.l


Every few weeks the press OF the State
announces the sudden appearance and dis
appearance in some out of-the.way locali-
ty of 'The Leather Man." For the past
quarter of a century this uncouth, repul-
sive and wholly inexplicable person has
doomed up In certain localities to puzzlc
the good people Of those sections. Whole
is and where he came from no one knows.
He will not, II he can, speak to any one,
and studiously avoids meeting any Of his
species In the early part of this month
Mrs. John R Comstock, Of Wilton, In this
county, wrote letter to the STANDARD Of
this city, announcing that this uncouth
and unkempt "What Is itW would appear
at her house about August Is. She based
this assertion not upon any word received
from him, but upon the fact that hts visits
to her house, where be has always been
fed, were made at regularly recurring
intervals. A record Of these visits she has
kept until she Is satisfied Of this fact. Sure
enough, in accordance with her predic.
tions, he did appear in Wilton on the very
date specified.
I Among the other places in this State,
which this queer specimen visits with
equally unvarying regularity is the resi-
dence of a Mr.. Hall, at the Naugatuck
Railroad Junction, above Stratford. This
point Is four miles above this city, and Is
twenty-six miles by rail from Wilton.
The time taken by the itinerant from
Naugatuck Junction TO Mrs. Comstock's
Is four days. What route he traverses is
not known. II must be circuitous one,
however, for he always come into Wilton
from the Northeast, along the line Of the
Danbury & Norwalk Railroad. In this
way he avoids the large cities, Bridge
port and Norwalk, and keeps in the farm
ing districts. After leaving Wilton he
goes TO q cave near the South Nsrwalk
Reservoir, about mile west of Mrs. Com
stocks, and then on toward New Canaan.
He also has q cave near Waterbury, in
New Haven County, and another at o
point between Bristol and Southington, in
Hartford County, nekr Compounce Pond.
The fact that he willingly visits the lat
ter place leads those living near there TO
believe that he has q charm against at
tacks from snakes, or else that he is rat
tlesnake proof, for the cave at Com
pounce Pond abounds with rattlers,
which are so numerous as TO prevent its
being visited by the most adventur-
Gus of the parties who daily visit that
quaint and beautiful spot. Accounts pub
lishod during the past twenty years
show that the leather man hal
regularly visited Waterbury, Middle
bury, Woodbury., Watertown, Southbury
Wolcott, Bristol, Oxford, Naugatuck
Bethlehem, Morris, Gosben, Litchield,
Torrington, Winchester, Newton, Canaan,
and other places in the northern and west
ern portions OF the State, with occasiona
visits to Rye, Mount Kisco and other places
n Westchester County, in New York State
These visits years ago used TO be made at In
tervals Of three our four months each. H
would occasionally be heard from in tn
eastern parts OF New London County
Visits to these last.named sections hav
been abandoned of late years. In fact, tn
old tramp seems TO have curtailed the dis
lrict visited, combining his journeyings t
portions Of Fairfield and New Haven Coun
ties, as nearly as can be ascertained
Within this territory his now familiar sui
Of leather, his leather haversack, woodei
shoes and the long, stout staff he alway
used In walking are familiar objects QUO
in five or six weeks. There is probably n
one in the State who has been able to oh
tain from him any word in conversation
except the word "eat," which he uses an
accompanies with motion Of the hand tC
ward the mouth when he calls at farm
house for food. One Of the most note
philologists spoke to him In half-doze
different languages when he was once abl
TO capture him in the town Of Bristol. II
could not reply but by a gutteral sound
which meant nothing, and which was NOR
animal than human In its character. Cur
osity has Of late been aroused, and an {
fort is to be made to solve the mystery Q
his identity.