The Washington critic., 1889-01-07
THE OLD LEATHER MAN.
He Carries a Little Bag, and Never Says
Anything but "Wer.rrum."


Anything but "wer.r.rum."
For twenty years or more the cold
Leather Man" has traversed over this
State until he has become known in every
town, and in many homes his name has
become household word, writes New
Haven correspondent. Mothers have
frightened their unruly children into
obedience by telling them that the "Old
Leather Man" would get them. Nothing
is known of the early history of the old
fellow. When he began his pilgrimage
| about Connecticut people were afraid of
him. Women living in the country, if
they CHANGED to see him coming, locked
the outside doors of their homes, and,
screened by curtains, would peep out
and watch him pass along the roads.
| After year or two they got used to
him, and fear gave place to curiosity.
During all the years of his wandcrines
about the State he has never been known
| to utter word or sentence which could
| be understood by his hearers. His name
was given him years ago. The peculiar
garments of leather which he wears to-
day are the same as those worn by him
when he appeared twenty years ago.
| They have become worn from time
until at present there is little left of
the original leather.
From documents which he lost some
years ago. but were found by others, it
is believed by some people that his
name is Jules Bourglay, Frenchman of
noble blood, who, distracted by an I'M
successful love affair, fled to this country
and has roamed about demented ever
since. Others say he is Of negro descent,
as is shown by his swarthy complexion
and black hair, and one of gang of rob-
bers who once infested that part of the
State about Tariffville This gang flour
ished nearly forty years ago, having its
headquarters at the Lighthouse, an old
log cabin which stood on mill in the
town of Taritfville.
For miles around the lights could be
seen shining out of the cracks and crew
ices in the walls of the old log cabin.
Hence its name. Finally, after a spe-
cially bold robbery committed by the
robbers, the civil authorities raided the
Lighthouse" but one of the robbers
escaped. For days he was hunted
through the woods and mountains, but
was not captured. The following sum-
mer the "Old Leath er Man" appeared,
and people believed that he was the
escaped robber.
This "Old Leather Man never begs,
never appears to want anything, and
simply wanders around, taking no notice
of anything or any body. Kind hearted
women and children feed him and some
times give him money. He comes and
goes, sometimes disappearing altogether
from the populated parts of the State,
and is not seen again for several months.
At other times he travels along the turn
pixies and goes through the towns and
cities. He always sleeps out of doors,
having regular stopping places along his
routes. In winter he puts up in cave
near Tariifville. Another of his favorite
resorts is near Higganum on the Con
necticut River.
There, under an oyerhanging ledge
of rock, which forms Il sort of cave, he
passes much Of his time. The only audi
BILE sound he has ever been heard Ia
make is "Wer-r-rum," and this is his
reply to every question. After the March
blizzard he was found with his hands
and feet frozen and almost dead. Physi.
clans who recently saw him say that he
cannot live more than year. lie has a
cancer on his lip which is slowly eating
away his face. His age may be any
where from so to 20 years. Some day
he will be found dead, but the mystery
surrounding his life will never be re-
vealed unless the little bag which he car,
ries contains the evidence of his identity