The Leatherman's remains are being dug up for research!
djohnson6070
Posts: 14
Hi All - I'm a history teacher and PJ fan, and for years I've used the song "Leatherman" as a hook for my students in a lesson I teach about the "Old Leatherman." I grew up in, and now teach in one of the towns he walked through, and we use his story to teach about everything from prejudice to recycling. Recently, a team of forensic scientists and researchers has gotten the court's permission to exhume the body of this intensely private man, and test his remains to reveal the closely guarded secrets he took to his grave. So far, based on polls taken in two daily daily newsapapers here, public opinion is overwhelmingly in favor (between 75-90%) of leaving him alone to rest in peace, but the researchers have their permission, and plan on starting in the Spring regardless. Having researched this man's life, and walked in his footsteps, I am wholeheartedly opposed to this.
About a month ago I set up a website called http://leavetheleathermanalone.com/ to inform, educate, and raise awareness on the issue. In an article today, (http://tinyurl.com/364g4n7) two of the leaders of the research team both commented that they hadn't heard much public opposition. If you read the article, the results of the poll on the right show otherwise (right now 77% - 23%). I'm not telling any fans here to agree with me, I just wanted to put this out there to the community to get your feedback. The more I read about the Leatherman and his life, the more the lyrics "to whom I may be related" have always resonated with me, so I guess that's part of the reason I am taking this so personally. I say map his footsteps, not his DNA!
Hope it was OK to post this here, I didn't really know where else it would fit.
Thanks,
Don
About a month ago I set up a website called http://leavetheleathermanalone.com/ to inform, educate, and raise awareness on the issue. In an article today, (http://tinyurl.com/364g4n7) two of the leaders of the research team both commented that they hadn't heard much public opposition. If you read the article, the results of the poll on the right show otherwise (right now 77% - 23%). I'm not telling any fans here to agree with me, I just wanted to put this out there to the community to get your feedback. The more I read about the Leatherman and his life, the more the lyrics "to whom I may be related" have always resonated with me, so I guess that's part of the reason I am taking this so personally. I say map his footsteps, not his DNA!
Hope it was OK to post this here, I didn't really know where else it would fit.
Thanks,
Don
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
"and test his remains to reveal the closely guarded secrets he took to his grave."
I would need a little more clarification of the above statement to give my opinion. Im not sure why they'd want to dig up his remains? I thought they only did that for criminality purposes (or to find treasure) PS: I never read the book.
Thanks for sharing this, I found really interesting. I don't think they should dig him up, it's disrespectful, he obviously wanted a very quiet life and wanted to keep to himself so they should let him R.I.P.
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"Dan W DeLuca says:
December 9, 2010 at 4:18 pm
The goal is not to determine his identity. The Old Leather Man will always remain as he lived a mystery.
The OLM’s grave is the most visited grave in the cemetery, there is a danger that someone may be killed viewing his grave. The goal is to keep the public safe and to show respect for the OLM his grave will be relocated to a safer resting place within the cemetery. He will be treated with up most respect and a proper gravestone installed."
http://leavetheleathermanalone.com/leat ... cumentary/
http://www.myrecordjournal.com/state/ar ... 002e0.html
There is a public safety issue involved regarding the gravesite being too close to a road that may need to be expanded in the future based on a law dating to 1703. Because of this, the owners of the cemetery wanted to move the gravesite. The researchers came in and said, since you're moving him anyway, all we would need was a molar, some scrapings off his femur, and his skull, and we could find out all kinds of things that he wouldn't tell us while he was alive. They got a judge to agree to both moving the grave and doing the research. There have also been statements made that "The History Channel" is involved in documenting it.
As unbelievable as this all sounds, it is all documented on my website. I have obtained copies of the court documents they filed to get permission through FOI, and I have been having a respectful discourse with Dan Deluca, author of the book (which is amazing), who is one of the team's leaders. We both want to know more about the Leatherman, but I think the research should be done above ground.
-Don
"Dan W DeLuca says:
December 9, 2010 at 4:18 pm
The goal is not to determine his identity. The Old Leather Man will always remain as he lived a mystery.
The OLM’s grave is the most visited grave in the cemetery, there is a danger that someone may be killed viewing his grave. The goal is to keep the public safe and to show respect for the OLM his grave will be relocated to a safer resting place within the cemetery. He will be treated with up most respect and a proper gravestone installed."
Hi - I do not know what to believe in regards to Dan's statement. Regarding safety, I can't speak from first hand knowledge, but I have spoke to others who have been there who say common sense should keep you safe.
Yesterday, I sent Dan and the team these questions (From Q & A on my site)
"It has been stated by Dan Deluca, a member of the team, on several occasions that “The goal is not to determine his identity. The Leatherman will always remain as he lived - a mystery”, yet in Dr. Bellantoni’s affidavit, he states “DNA will assist in the determination of the Leatherman’s ancestry and could be used to compare with potential contemporary relatives for future family identification...” Please clarify, as these two statements from two members of the team contradict each other. "
Haven't heard back yet on that one. (Sent 24 hours ago)
Regarding public safety (From Q&A) I asked this question: (no answers yet either 24 hrs)
Was moving the Leatherman’s grave considered the best of many solutions to address public safety issues? If so, what were the criteria used to qualify and rank the other options? What were some of the other solutions which were discounted?
Is the Leatherman’s gravesite in Sparta cemetery still listed on self-guided historical tours of Ossining NY?
Are school groups still allowed to visit the cemetery, and the Leatherman’s grave?
(no answers yet either 24 hrs)
In today's article, they did go further and say someone had been hit by a car there, and it was because of increased traffic to the gravesite due to the popularity of Dan's book. I would never stand in the way of increasing public safety, but I would also never sue anyone because my coffee didn't have a warning label on it saying it was hot. Also, the testing doesn't have to be done, just because the grave has to be moved.
-Don
Wonder where Ed sits on this
I'm interested in real story about him. I don't see what harm taking a few samples would do. It's cool that people are standing up for him but its really not affecting anyone at all
Historical Society President Norm MacDonald
so that's what Norm has been up to!
You could care less or couldn't care less?
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ME TOO!
I guess the issue for me comes down to the right of every individual to live free, die and rest in peace. The guy left behind only his footprints, and a legacy of doing no harm and keeping to himself. The people of his time respected his being, so why can't we? I want to know his story too, but I think extracting teeth, removing his skull, and taking other "anatomical gifts" goes too far.
Anyways, I thought they could just take core samples without having to dig up the whole grave. Cool website!!
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You guys should look it up.
I think that's the same documentary Don Johnson has on his website.
So basically from what I gathered, they want his DNA to find out if he was from France, and his ancestry, and if he was autistic or not. That doesn't justify the action in my opinion. I say DON'T exhume his body. (That they might have to move the grave sight because of expanding highways is not a good enough reason.)
This is why you have a choice to check off the organ donor options on the back of your drivers license, so they can't take your organs unless you authorize it. A dead body still has rights.
The only way something like that should be allowed is if he is suspected of a crime against another.
He touched many people in his lifetime and in his passing, this could change all that...for the worse. It opens the door to judging the man and his choices. Let the legend live on, be respectful. He has no family to stand up for him and say no! that's why they think they can do this. It's just wrong. Move the body if necessary for a new road and that is all.
Public safety is a whole other issue.
It's like a bunch of little kids that grew up to be scientists but never really matured. We wanna know all your secrets, and since you wouldn't tell us, now we have the means and will find them out on our own. Lame.
Don, have you contacted the people that have made the Road Between Heaven and Hell documentary? I understand it's a bit outdated, but they seem very passionate and knowledgeable. Let the man rest in peace. Thanks for sharing.
On the other hand, I'm all for Pearl Jam exhuming Leatherman II
For whatever reasons, some people, just seem to feel a connection to the Leatherman. I show his video to my students, and when they get to the part where after his death, and actor outside a museum put on his suit and ran around saying "Im hungry, I want to eat your your children", you can hear a collective "aawwww" When we discuss it afterwards, that is the one part that really gets to them. Pretty powerful stuff for Middle Schoolers.
The historical record shows that during his life, and in the years since his passing, there were many who felt a need to protect his way of life, and legacy. Five months before his death, as cancer was visibly eating away his lower lip and the side of his face, some urged that the state take him and bring him inside to a hospital. Below is a response, that ended up eventually becoming the consensus point of view on how he should be treated:
From an article, titled:
"HIS HOPELESS DISEASE--THE PROPRIETY OF NON-INTERFERENCE
"The man finds his only enjoyment in his absolutely free life...If he were shut up in what people would generally would call comfort there is little doubt he would fret and pine...to take him before he desired would be more cruelty. And if he prefers to trudge on to the last and then lie down and die by himself as he has lived, who should interfere?" Hartford Courant, Thursday, October 11, 1888 (Dan Deluca's book is full of these articles)
I believe we, as his contemporaries did, should also follow the "Propriety of Non-Interference"
Link to video: http://leavetheleathermanalone.com/leatherman-videos-2/leatherman-documentary/
Now that would be a cool "side effect" of all this
as for disturbing his resting place i think some things should be left alone . there's enough room in the USA move the road a bit :thumbup:
http://www.myrecordjournal.com/#poll
In the article, it is stated by members of the team that they have not heard much opposition.
http://www.myrecordjournal.com/state/article_b14f5790-17b4-11e0-8342-001cc4c002e0.html
In the comments below the article, StephenG is someone who has visited the gravesite recently and taken some pictures which are here:
http://s197.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/gelfling6/Ossining%2018-Dec-2010/?albumview=slideshow
Speaking of passion, what is it about the Leatherman that gets you so “amped up”?
It’s like Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam wrote in his song, “Leatherman”. “I heard about a man to whom I may be related – Leatherman.” Eddie Vedder has stated that he wrote the song right after visiting one of the Leatherman’s caves with a friend. Through the years, Ol’ Leathery’s story just has just resonated with certain individuals on a very deep level. As odd as it sounds, I feel a sort of “kinship” with him too, and I think it’s OK to be quirky and different without having to explain yourself. That’s why I feel like I must object to digging him up and doing testing on his remains. Another insight into how my worldview may be affecting me here is this story: I have three maple trees lining my driveway which are probably two to three hundred years old. An arborist came over one day to give me some advice on pruning them, and when he saw them, he just stood under the biggest one, and looked me in the eye and said, “These trees have been through more than you can ever imagine to still be standing here like this, three in a row. You are their steward now.” I really want to know how old they really are, but I would never cut them down just to count the rings. Still another is this song I heard once with the chorus, “There’s a ringing in my ear and I think it’s the call of the wild”. So, now that I’ve shared those three insights, there are at least two others I am aware of that I will not share, ever. So I’m going on record to request that no one ever dig me up, grab a molar and try to figure out what they were!
If you are interested, the entire interview is is at http://www.damnedct.com/interview-with-don-johnson/
-Don
http://fairfieldweekly.com/news/fairfield-county-fair/digging-up-the-leatherman-032109
Bake some bread he's leatherman.
Shame he's dead. I saw his bed,
It's all that's left of leatherman.
He doesn't care - he's dead
as I wouldn't care if someone did that to me after I died.
Knowledge doesn't destroy mystery
Once you die you are as good as dirt - it might as well be a soil sample-
that's just my opinion
I read the book - and I love the story
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