The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-02
nzn OLD LEATHER. MAN DEAD.
Gerry of a Remarkable Wanderer and
Hermit.
From the Neto York Sun.

CORY of a Remarkable Wanderer ana
Hermit.
From, the Neto York Sun.
The dead body of a man clad wholly IN
,.atber and living upon bed of withered
,'vos in the dimIy-lighted corner OF
I'll Int. the head resting on log and the
Lbs drawn up, was the sight That met the
Of Henry Miller and his wife in the
If Mount Pleasant on Sunday morn
II was the form of 1.-THE leather man, ;"
sa life has for nearly thirty years been
TilIer and his wife were out for a
-. r1,ng walk, and they concluded to
~ the leather mans cave On en-
ing the hut built partly on the side OF a
u tbey thought the man was asleep, but
md Glance convinced them that he was
dead .,,..4os ,o
.,a large head and brow. There was a
'1+-iz2Ied beard upon the face, but what was
Shelly notable we're the ravages OF can
oo, hepinning at the left corner of the
,nonth and extending back under the left
car The body was removed subsequently
20 White q Dorsey's undertaking rooms in
tIiobland avenue, Sing Sing, where they
reIa viewed Yesterday by many curious
isitors. The remains lay in plain wooden
nov Near by was the leather suit which
cave the hermit his name. 1t was made of
ia boot tops, fastened together with strong
leather cords. The coat alone weighed 20
pounds and the weight OF the entire suit,
incmding the hat and boots, must be more
than 60 pounds 1t is thought that this
same suit had served as the dead mans
anDarel for nearly thirty years. Sum
Ters and winters he wore it, and no
one ever saw him In any other kind OF
Yesterday morning Drs. Joel D. Madden
and Charles S. Collins held an autopsy,
and decided that the cause of death was
blood poisoning, resulting from cancer.
II was evidently impossible for him to take
any except liquid food, and his body was
considerably emaciated. His face and his
neck were swollen, and the doctors thought
that he must have been dead three or four
days.
At the inquest held by Coroner Sutton,
George Dell testified that the leather man
had lived in the hut on his (DelFs) farm
since 1860. He once had conversation
with him in French. He never begged and
never drank How he obtained a hveli-
hood, Mr.. Dell said, was a mystery. He
was last seen alive about two weeks
Two books. each made of a few leaves
of brown paper written all over with
figures, were found. There was no word
of writing in either book. Mr.. Dell
thought Jne man coulu ueiIner reao nor
write.
The leather man used to travel extern
sively through New York and Connecticut,
and was often away from Mount Pleasant
for months or even years at a time. There
are rumors of leather bag in which he
used to carry his effects, but no such bag
has been found No one ever saw him
with any considerable amount of money,
aud if he ever possessed it, it is probable
that he buried his treasure. Nothing Of
value was found in his hut. He was feet
inches tall, and he weighed about 40
pounds HIS expression bordered almost
upon tierceness.
New HAVEN, March 25.-The death of
the "Old Leather Man" interests many per-
sons in this state. His real name was Jules
Bourgeay. Recently he was apprehended
at the instance of the Connecticut society
and taken to a hospital in Hartford for
humane reasons. 1t was seen then that he
could live but short time. The old fellow
had been failing rapidly since his exposure in
the blizzard of last March, but his wander
ing, restless spirit had not been curbed.
Two nights after his incarceration he es-
capped from the hospital and resumed the
lonely circuitous tour of wandering in Con-
necticut and Eastern New York which he
had followed for thirty-five years by night
and by day.
This is the storystold about him: Crazy
Jules was of French parentage and was
born in Lyons. His father was a wood
dealer, who gave him liberal education.
Young Bourgeay became acquainted with
the beautiful and accomplished daughter
of a wealthy leather merchant named
Laron, They fell in love with each other,
and became engaged before the parents
we're aware Of the attachment. Mr.. Laron
was greatly incensed when he learned of
the affair, but he finally decided
to take the young man into the
leather business for a year, and if he proved
himself energetic and possessed Of good
business qualities he was to have as a
reward the hand Of the daughter in mar
rage On the other hand, if he proved I'M
worthy of confidence, he must give up his
suit and 90 away from the city, never to
return. There came panic in leather that
year, and whether it was the young mans
fault or not, Mr.. Laron lost money, and he
decided that Jules must go. The mind of
the latter became turned. He was found
two days later wandering about the streets
in half-crazed condition, calling on his
loved one and cursing the i'll luck that
thwarted his hopes. His father took him
home and he WAS tenderly nursed, but to
no purpose. He became a raving maniac.
For two years he was confined in mad
house. From there he finally escaped to
this country, where all trace of him was
lost for years.
Ills relatives nnally OBTAINED 1nfOrmatlOn
OF his whereabouts and wrote to the New
York authorities, giving his past history,
and directing them to spare no expense IN
finding out his condition, both mental and
physical. He was discovered travelling
through Litchfleld county, this state, as a
plumber, noted for eccentric behavior, and
clad entirely in leather. He never took any
thing but food or tobacco for his work, and
he always slept in barns. Afterward he
patronized caves as he discovered them.
be had a of chain Of caves in to two
states. He sought by every means in his
power to avoid the society of men. He was
very retcent about his past history, and
would only give his name. When asked if
he wished to return to France, he quickly
replied, mo, no" with shudder. Moth
ing could he more pitable than to see this
poor, miserable, broken-hearted creature
travelling through the country. His rounds
were so regularly made that the country
people came to expect. About midway
between Herwinton and Bristol is a deep
gulch or notch in the mountains in which
Is quite large cave known as Tories
Den" This was always a favorite haunt
OF the leather man, but under no circum-
stances was he ever known to stay there if
any one intruded on his solitude.
There is house in a small settlement
called East Church. in the town of Ply
xsyhov L.. l. t. 81 al