Gradually, through research of reporters and word of mouth, it became clear that this strangely attired figure, who kept his inner world to himself, was indeed covering a large area of territory in his wanderings; completing a regular circuit in Connecticut that covered the route from north of Danbury toward Waterbury and then following towns along the Connecticut River to Long Island Sound, and then starting west with a large detour round New Haven and Bridgeport as far as Norwalk, where he headed toward New York State by way of New Canaan and Wilton. Thus, it appears that in between this Connecticut circuit he would visit Westchester and Putnam Counties, visiting such towns as Purdy's, Kensico Village, South Salem, Croton Falls, Yorktown, Shrub Oak, Bedford Hills, and Briarcliff.
It appears that occasionally he continued his Long Island Sound route, visiting such towns as Greenwich, Rye, and Mamaroneck in a more southerly entry into the County. One estimate of his full journey was that his route covered approximately 365 miles and took him over a month to do, including about 240 miles through Connecticut and 125 miles through New York. The Leatherman's timetable was set up so that he arrived in a separate locality each day, and his timing was so exact that housewives along his path "could set their clocks by him".
There are several features of the Leatherman's life and appearance that give us a deeper understanding of his identity and personality. These were : his preoccupation with leather, his hermitlike exitence in local caves, his craving for tobacco, and his remarkable appetite.
It is clear that the Leatherman was obsessed with leather.
He would visit harness shops and accept donations of leather scraps which he sewed together himself into his outlandish outfit. His clothing consisted of a leather hat with visor, a pair of trousers which went
well up to his chest, held by suspenders,
a leather greatcoat which extended just
over the knees, and a pair of wooden
soled shoes with leather tops.
