The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-15

StIcct, WuSIt X was CHECKED Dy tue OOt1eRe
Green. He was taken at once before Lord
Howe. who was using the Bee kmau mansion,
near turtle bay for his headquarters. The pres
ent site Is Fifty-first street and First avenue.
Here lives James Beekman in luxury; but q
strong advocate of the revolutionary cause,
he gave up his elegant home when LORD
Howe occupied New York, and took his
family back into the country. Here the
British officers received and entertained
their guests; here Andre danced the night
before he went up the Hudson to barter
with Benedict Arnold, and here Hale,
pinioned and guarded, was taken before Lord
Howe. 1t is believed that Gen. Howe re-
tired to green house just back of the man
sion, and listened there to the charges against
the young revolutionary captain, and was
shown the plans and data found In Hale's
shoes. Hale denied nothing He admitted
that he was a captain in WasbiDgton's
army, said that he had been q spy and had
been successful in his search for information;
regretted that be was by his capture unable
TO serve his country, and then fearlessly
awaited his sentence. He did not even de-
nand a court-martial. In few minutes he
heard his sentence: William Cunningham
provost marshal of the royal army in New
York, is directed to receive into his custody
the body of Nathan Hale, a captain IN the
rebel army, convicted as a spy, and TO see
him hanged by the neck until dead, to-mor-
row morning at day break
Hale was at once taken in charge by the
brutal Cunningham who was aiterward
hanged after confessing that he had been
accessory in several hundred murders. and
who was responsible for the awful, suffering
of federal prisoners in the old suger-house
prison, still staining in Rose street 1t is
believed that Cunningham took Hale to the
Provost, prison that stood where is now
the hall of records. Beyond this. toward
Broadway, and bordering on Cham BE- rs
street a ward which alien epryad
as place for public executions. Hale is
believed to have been confined in cell the
little window of which looked out upon the
park and Centre street. Cunningham asked
Hale, as he put him into his cell, for his
name, age, size, ard rank and then read the
death warrant to him. As he was leaving,
Hale asked that his arms might be unpin-
toned aud that he might have writing ma
terials and light. Cunningham refused
this with an oath. Then Hale asked that
he might have bible. This, too, was de-
MED him. Subsequently young officer of
arms were freed, and light. pen, ink, and
paper, and bible were given to him. Part
of the night he passed in writing-one let
ter to his mother another to his sister and a
third to his sweetheart. When Cunning
ham reached Hale's cell in the morning be
found the federal captain and spy ready. 1t
was just at dsybreak Hale handed the
provost marshal the letters he had written,
and asked. as dying favor, that they be
Eept until they could be delivered. Cum
ningham red them insolently in Hale s
presence, and then tore them up. When
asked afterward why he did this, he said
t lat he did not want the rebels to know
that they had a man who could die with
such firmness. Then he ordered Hale to
make ready for the scaffold. His arms were
piDIoned, coarse white gown trimmed
with black was placed over his body, and d
i. L. l.
coffin was carried by attendants in front OF
him, guard of soldiers was around him
and the negro executioner Richmond
brought up the rear with the ladder an0
moose. Thus attended, Hale walked to the
gallows 1t is probable that he walked from
the prison to the cemetery, on the site of 8
part of which the new court house stands
Then. while Capt. Hale was standing on the
rounds of the ladder, with the moose about
his neck, Cunningham addressed him, and
scoffingly asked him to speak out his dyine
speech and confession. Ii is said that Hale
just glanced, with touch of contempt on
| his features, at Cunningham, and then turn
ing to the others he said quietly, but with
an impres;iveness that silenced the jlbes oil
those who were there to joke, and melted
some to tears: only regret that / have but
one life to loose for my country" "Swins
the rebel off," shouted the maddened Gun
| ningham In half an hour the body of the
martyr was buried, probably in grave be
meath the gallows. The site was unmarked
and when the revelutinary army re-enteree
New York there was no one who could tel
! where Hale was sleeping. But the story o
his heroic death and his memorable word
under the gallows, speedily became known
throughout the army. 1t inspired the mel
like a victory, aud in after years, until
comparatively recep. time, Hale's onl,
monument has beer the remembrance o
him as the Martyr Spy of the Revolution
and of his dying words. Hale was Just o
! age when he died He was a naive o
Coventry, Conn, and born in 1855. Edu
Gated at Yale College, was a teacher in New
! London, with the ultimate purpose OF enter
| ing the ministry, when the news came from
| Boston of the battle of Lexington. He wa
one of the first to enlist, a few hours afte
| this news was received, and he encourage
others to enlist. LET us march immed
atty" he is on record as saying, ''and neve
lay down our arms until we obtain on
| independence The next morning tn
New London Company were on the road t
Boston. Some years ago an effort was mad
to induce congress to make an appropriation
for a monument to Hale's memory. 1t wa
unsuccessful. Then the women of hi
native town, Coventry, with the aid of
small sum granted by the State of Connect
cut, collected money enough to erect mont
ment. 1t is simple granite shaft, 40 fee
high. 1t bears his name and the dates an,
places of birth and death, and his dyin
words. 81 only regret that / have but on
life to loose for my country"