Morning journal and courier., 1889-03-26

of Heather man," but others report that the Connecticut leather man did occasionally get away into New York State. The Cons necticut leather man has been in pitiable cancer on his lower lip, which had eaten away greater part of the lip and made hole clean through the jaw into the throat.
 He was arrested and confined in the Hart ford hospital December last. having been
 brought there from. Middletown in
 Humane society's agents. All efforts to induce him to remain in the hospital were, however, fruitless, and he left in an hour with his leathern provision bag. The officers at the hospital had no power to compel him to remain. On the following Sunday, Dec. nard in North Haven. It was cold, wet, dreary day, and the old man was dripping with rain and bedraggled with mud. No one recollected of his ever having rapped at
 door before. His cancer-eaten lip presented
 pitiable sight The family fed him bounti- fully. He seemed nearly famished, but could eat only softened food. His old leathern tained only old bootlegs and short
 handled axe. He had cloth bag also, which seemed full. When eating he had 8 piece of leather which he put over his sore lip to keep the food from it. His clothes were work of art and SA pieces of leather sewn together with thongs like belt lacinR. His trousers were of the same material His coat was very heavy and long, and had numerous pockets on the inside, hs could be seen by the leather stitches on the outside His boots had wooden soles, two or three inches thick. His hat was entirely made of leather. It was made like soldiers cap with visor all scanned up the same as his clothes. He had woolen shirt on. His forhead, when he took off his cap to shake l it, was high and white; his hair, dark brown, fine and curly, although matted, and dark blue. He had @ wandering, inno- cent, and at the same time intelligent I look. He seemed grateful and furtively | watched every move if afraid of some thing. He had piece of coarse cloth on which he wiped his lip. When given piece ] of soft linen and told to take it, he intently examined it, looked ouriously at 8 small hole | and shook his head He was offered tobao- co, pipe and matches, all of which he de- | clined with 8 shake of the head. When he | was warm and had eaten enough, he got up | to go. He was told to sit and warm himself | as long as he liked. He simply pointed up \ the road, and with an expressive gesture in- ! dicated that he must go.
 The old fellow had been failing rapidly l since his exposure in the blizzard.
 l The story of his life was long a mystery, ' but was finally unravelled. It was ascer- | tained from papers found upon him that he ' was Jules Bourgay, and of French percentage, I born in France about sixty-fve years ago. ! His father was a wood dealer and gave him libaral education. Young Bourglsy be- ! came acquainted with a beautiful and ac- ! complished daughter of @ wealthy leather ! merchant named Laron. They fell in love with each other and became engaged before ! the parents were aware of the attachment. Mir. Laron was greatly incensed when he learned of the affair, but young Bourglay ar \ gued his case in so able and manly manner as to soften the rich mans heart, and he | finally decided to make an offer to Jules. | This was to take him into the leather busi- | ness for year, and if he proved himself en- \ ergetic and possessed of good business quail | ties, he was to have as 8 reward the hand of ! the daughter in marriage. On the other hand, if he proved unworthy of confidence, he must give up his suit and go away from Paris.
 Jules accepted, of course, and was soon in \ the office of his prospective father-in-law as
 a confidential man and agent. This was in 1857, the year when leather fell 40 per cent. Bourglay had no inkling of this unforeseen danger, and thinking he saw an opportunity l to contribute toward filling his employers coffers he speculated largely with 8 commodity that was eventually to drag crash finally came. Thousands of men in the ! leather trade were either ruined or thrown ! out of work, and as poor Jules reeled away from the office with the curses of his impov. ! erished employer ringing in his ears his mind l became turned. He was found two days la ter wandering about the streets ln a half crazed condition, calling on his loved one \ with endearing names and cursing the i'll luck that had thwarted his hopes of bright future. His father took him home, and he l was tenderly nursed, but to no purpose. He l became a raving maniac. For two years hs ! rn1 in E1O,r, fhar ! he finally escaped to this country, where al
 trace of him was lost for years. His relatives ! finally obtained information of his where. l abouts, and wrote to the New York author1
 ties, giving his past history, and directing
 them to spare no expense in finding out hii
 condition, both mentally and physically. He
 was discovered travelling through Litchfield l county, this State, as plumber, noted fol | eccentric behavior, and clad entirely in sole
 leather. He never took anythink but fooc
 or tobacco for his work, and he always slep in barns He was very reticent about his
 past history, and would only give his name
 When asked if he wished to return to France
 he quickly replied, 'No, mo-" with shuddel
 of fear. His relatives were informed tha he was harmless and abhored the society oi
 men or the idea of returning to France
 Since then nothing has been heard from l them, and he has been wandering about the l country in his heavy suit of leather, doing
 penance, as is supposed, for his disastrous
 failure in early life. He forsook the plumb.
 ing business years ago.
 A very excellent oil painting representing | the old leather man seated in his cabin iu
 the woods, WAS painted by c. c. Benham
 the artist so we'll known in New Haven bu,
 now of New York. It was a good likeness
 and was exhibited for some time at Cutters
 art store in this city. The old leather man when he first began his wanderings was
 summed and feared, but gradually his harm less character and romantic history became
 known and for many years he had been
 everywhere kindly received in his journey l ings, but all attempts to draw him into con-
 versation as to his life and sntecedents failed