New-York tribune., 1902-02-23

% WOODBURY. her great-grcar
octave pp. 25s Washington: The Neale Pub /
fishing Company.
Knowledge Cf the life Of Nathan Hale has in
recent years been somewhat extended by the
discovery of some Of his letters and ether docu- !
n7ents relating 10 him, and this fact coupled /
with the other that Stuart's life Of the RevoIu- /
tionary hero, written nearly fifty years ago, has /
long been out Of print. makes the appearance of
2 new biography Of the patriot welcome. Pro- /
f4ssor Johnston has been able 10 utilize all the
new found material. and from these and other /
sources Of Information has undertaken to re- |
verse some incorrect Impressions of his prede-
,4sso~ z has written a number Of books reiat- /
ing TO the Revolution and this handsome vol I
1rs shows experienced hand in the treat /
7nent Of the historical aspect OF the subject !
tn. book is enriched with a number Of excellent
-erroGuctors Of the various statues of Hale. /
many of his letters and other documents bear
tnc on his career. portraits and pictures Of
personal relics The letters are printed in full !
tl,r.4 5f them for the first time: as are many
letters from his correspondents. most of which !
are also published for the first time
There are q number of details given Of Hale's !
college lie that Interesting He and his
brother Ereeh entered Yale in 1863 Nathan
being then his fifteenth year He stood
amons The best scholars and most popular men
Of his class. the two belonged to the "Linonia'
literary society and in his junior year Nathan
vas its secretary, later its president. and was
frequently among It's speakers We find him
also taking part IN amateur theatricaIs acting
in The Toy Shop" and The Beaux' Strata
gem and delivering on another occasion an
original eT.oeue. At his commencement exer-
cises la took part in a forensic debate on the
question Whether the education Of daughters
br no. .tloIt any just reason, more neglected
than t-ar Of sons After his graduation he
taught school, 5rst At East Haddam then at
Nsr-Lon5,n. where. as one Of his letters
stat. -a had about thirty scholars. ten Of
whom --e L2tiners and all but six of the rest
are H-a-s In l775 he writes 10 the propri-
erors The school saying that place IS allotted
him .n --s army and asking as a favor that
Wh-.a --ree anything else would have induced
NE ra viii. is 20 be excused from keeping your
seAas. --- longer"
Fa a-wy service is recOunted in detail and
his diary relating 10 his experiences in 1775 and
L.. - reproduced in fun. The story Of his mis-
sion rs d SPY and the incidents Of his capture
an5 .-.. 4 course. occupy a large space some /
r was thrown upon the capture by the
dis a f=vv years ago Of Howe's order
From this it is disclosed that Hale was appre-
hen-.1 ca the night Of September y. 1776. and
Wa executed 'ar Il o'clock in front of The
ar - park the next day. Il has been sup
.---l mae ---..l com Eicl-lg ms 0DStrNtl
tio.= -.l--re. TO Huntington. Long Island. and
Wa taken there. Professor Johnston thinks.
ho" .r rha- the contemporary references and
the liabilities in the case all point New
Ea-a ar it's immediate vicinity as the place of
H ca1ture-the British picket line on the
Ea--am front. near e-hundred-and-tenth OF
EIr5red-auG-Cvelf From the British
or---- book it is possible 10 fix the site OF the
"aG-.lerv park" "a 0Eieh was near the corner Of
Fsrty-Gfth-=r. F and E'irFr-ave. Here. therefore,
Was the spot where Hale was executed. if Pro-
fessor Johnstou's Interpretation Of the doou-
neu-- and the evidence be- correct r has been
a rc.-- much debated and rhe considerations
advanced by the author seem to rive reasonable
certainty THAI he has settled it, His book u.s.
tn r.-. The la-- word that can De- said at pres
enc AS 70 The lie and charaerer and fate Of This
mos admirable and Iova5Ie character IN our
Re --.l.-a-y history.
A glimpse Cf The personality and private lives
az ~ -h= public services. Of some OF the
mo-. distinguished Revolutionary families of
Mas als---e IS afforded in Mrs. WooGiury's
Lr-a book Tha author has founded her story
-.-4I-y ca contemporary documents
al" ric1- authority that she could we'll have
dis -s-- WIKI many of the sentimental imaEin-
.u2s r.-r which she has enbelI.shed parts of
The -.-a-5ra. on the whole. however. the biz
ogrr wen -o-6. and is not without EreLlha
touches Dorothy 4UlGcy's career as the wife
Of .-e of rae foremost men Of the period in
r-I