The Haunted Path of the Old Walking Leatherman
The enigmatic figure known as the old walking Leatherman continues to captivate and perplex people to this day. In the 1850s, a vagabond clad entirely in leather emerged in Connecticut, beginning a remarkable journey that lasted for three decades. The man’s true name remains elusive, but his presence was marked by a consistent 34-day cycle. Every 34 days, he would reappear, walking through Connecticut and New York in a clockwise rotation spanning 365 miles. Despite his nomadic lifestyle, the Leatherman exuded an aura of humility, peace, and unwavering independence. He seldom interacted with others, with only a few accounts mentioning him speaking broken English and some French.
The Leatherman led an austere existence, abstaining from seeking assistance or companionship. He walked alone, worked alone, and never sought shelter indoors. Instead, he braved the elements, enduring rain, wind, snow, and sun. At night, he sought refuge in caves and hollows, consistently returning to the same locations during each rotation. There, he tended to gardens and stored food for the winter months. The Leatherman’s solitary life came to an end when he was discovered deceased in one of his caves in Briarcliff Manor, New York, in 1899. He had succumbed to mouth cancer after a prolonged addiction to tobacco. Among his few possessions, a French prayer book was found. His burial took place in the Sparta Cemetery in Scarborough, New York, arranged by an Englishman named Sampson Fisher-King Bennetts, who claimed to have known the Leatherman in their home country. However, subsequent research has disproven the name on his gravestone, Jules Bourglay from Lyon, France, suggesting a possible case of mistaken identity or intentional misdirection.
Reports suggest that the spirit of the old walking Leatherman lingers in the caves he once called home, particularly the cave located in Black Rock State Park along Connecticut’s Mattatuck Trail. Visitors have recounted experiencing a sudden drop in temperature, witnessing the apparition of the Leatherman, and hearing disembodied footsteps. Rumors have circulated about hidden treasure or money secreted away in the caves. Adventurous treasure hunters have ventured into these caverns in search of the rumored riches but have come away empty-handed. Instead, they often describe an uncanny sensation of the Leatherman’s spirit acting as a guardian, protecting the cave and its supposed treasure stash. One treasure hunter shared a chilling account of their torch being extinguished by an eerie cold breeze, followed by the appearance of the Leatherman’s apparition, gesturing for them to leave. Other witnesses have claimed to see the ghostly figure of the Leatherman still walking his accustomed 34-day route.
The true identity of the old walking Leatherman remains shrouded in mystery, leaving behind a legacy of intrigue and fascination that continues to captivate the imagination of those drawn to his enigmatic story.
Sources:
– “The Mysterious Leatherman” – Connecticut History, https://connecticuthistory.org/the-mysterious-leatherman/
– “The Old Leather Man of Connecticut: A Retrospect” – Connecticut Explored, https://www.ctexplored.org/the-old-leather-man-of-connecticut-a-retrospect/
– “The Leatherman: Connecticut’s 19th Century Mystery Man” – New England Today, https://newengland.com/today/living/new-england-history/leatherman-connecticut-mystery-man/
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