Sam Anderson

They basically arrested him, benevolently, and got him into a carriage. According to one of the fishers, he went with no reluctance and seemed to understand why, though the conversation was carried on by signs, mostly. The old Leatherman was driven to the Hartford Hospital. Maybe the doctors there could save his life, or at least ease his suffering. But he refused to stay.

They basically arrested him, benevolently, and got him into a carriage. According to one of the fishers, he went with no reluctance and seemed to understand why, though the conversation was carried on by signs, mostly. The old Leatherman was driven to the Hartford Hospital. Maybe the doctors there could save his life, or at least ease his suffering. But he refused to stay.

Soon after he was dropped off, the old leather man walked out. He went right back to his loop. A week later, in very bad shape, he showed up for dinner at the Barnard House in North Haven, 30 miles from Hartford. He was muddy and wet. They managed to coax him inside, next to the fire. They offered him an apple, but he just pointed to his lip and shook his head.

Soon after he was dropped off, the old leather man walked out. He went right back to his loop. A week later, in very bad shape, he showed up for dinner at the Barnard House in North Haven, 30 miles from Hartford. He was muddy and wet. They managed to coax him inside, next to the fire. They offered him an apple, but he just pointed to his lip and shook his head.

Instead, he drank six large bowls of coffee-soaked food, bread, cake, pie. He was told to sit and warm himself as long as he liked, the Hartford Times reported later. He simply pointed up the road and, with an expressive gesture, indicated that he must go. That was in December. In mid-March, the old Leatherman was seen heading in the direction of Ossining.

Instead, he drank six large bowls of coffee-soaked food, bread, cake, pie. He was told to sit and warm himself as long as he liked, the Hartford Times reported later. He simply pointed up the road and, with an expressive gesture, indicated that he must go. That was in December. In mid-March, the old Leatherman was seen heading in the direction of Ossining.

He was so weak by this point that he had to sit and rest every couple hundred feet. Eventually, he disappeared into the woods, in the direction of one of his caves. Some days later, on March 24th, a carpenter took his wife to see something interesting, a rock shelter on a local farm. Inside, face down, they found the old Leatherman. His coat was off. He was only wearing one boot.

He was so weak by this point that he had to sit and rest every couple hundred feet. Eventually, he disappeared into the woods, in the direction of one of his caves. Some days later, on March 24th, a carpenter took his wife to see something interesting, a rock shelter on a local farm. Inside, face down, they found the old Leatherman. His coat was off. He was only wearing one boot.

They thought at first he was sleeping. He was dead. In Ossining, the old Leatherman's body was put into a pine box and buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetery outside town. His famous suit, meanwhile, went on to live a life of its own. It was made to sit upright in a chair and displayed in the window of a cigar shop downtown. Crowds came to stand in the street and stare.

They thought at first he was sleeping. He was dead. In Ossining, the old Leatherman's body was put into a pine box and buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetery outside town. His famous suit, meanwhile, went on to live a life of its own. It was made to sit upright in a chair and displayed in the window of a cigar shop downtown. Crowds came to stand in the street and stare.

Eventually, it traveled to New York City, where it was displayed in at least two different museums. Around his loop, in the days after his death, people searched the old Leatherman's caves and dug holes in the woods, inspired by rumors of buried treasure. No one reported finding any.

Eventually, it traveled to New York City, where it was displayed in at least two different museums. Around his loop, in the days after his death, people searched the old Leatherman's caves and dug holes in the woods, inspired by rumors of buried treasure. No one reported finding any.

The old Leatherman left behind a leather backpack, a leather pouch, one leather glove, some homemade pipes, a few simple tools, and according to the coroner, two books made of brown paper and full of figures and hieroglyphics, which could not be deciphered. No one knows what these were, journals or maps, and they don't seem to have survived.

The old Leatherman left behind a leather backpack, a leather pouch, one leather glove, some homemade pipes, a few simple tools, and according to the coroner, two books made of brown paper and full of figures and hieroglyphics, which could not be deciphered. No one knows what these were, journals or maps, and they don't seem to have survived.

His suit, people think, was most likely destroyed in a fire on Coney Island. When the old Leatherman died, the answers to his mystery died with him. The world moved on. Years later, someone stuck a metal pipe in the grass to mark what they thought was the spot of his grave. In the 1950s, that pipe was replaced with a formal headstone, identifying him falsely as Jules Bourglet.

His suit, people think, was most likely destroyed in a fire on Coney Island. When the old Leatherman died, the answers to his mystery died with him. The world moved on. Years later, someone stuck a metal pipe in the grass to mark what they thought was the spot of his grave. In the 1950s, that pipe was replaced with a formal headstone, identifying him falsely as Jules Bourglet.

At the ceremony, a young American girl dressed in period costume stood next to a French flag. In 2011, the old Leatherman was finally given a proper memorial, the stone with the plaque where I started my loop. During this process, the gravesite was moved deeper into the cemetery, away from the road, which gave archaeologists one more crack at the mystery.

At the ceremony, a young American girl dressed in period costume stood next to a French flag. In 2011, the old Leatherman was finally given a proper memorial, the stone with the plaque where I started my loop. During this process, the gravesite was moved deeper into the cemetery, away from the road, which gave archaeologists one more crack at the mystery.

The plan was to exhume the old Leatherman's body and perform DNA analysis, a plan that went on despite community protests, including a website called Leave the Leatherman Alone. In the end, the protest wasn't necessary, because the archaeologists found the perfect thing. The old leather man was gone. It's possible that he and his coffin had already decomposed.

The plan was to exhume the old Leatherman's body and perform DNA analysis, a plan that went on despite community protests, including a website called Leave the Leatherman Alone. In the end, the protest wasn't necessary, because the archaeologists found the perfect thing. The old leather man was gone. It's possible that he and his coffin had already decomposed.