Nathan Gone, Feet Secure
Thieves Take 3-Foot Statue Of National Revolutionary War Hero From Moorings At Hale Homestead
April 11, 2007
By STEPHANIE SUMMERS, Courant Staff Writer
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=storydetail vAlign=top>COVENTRY -- As a spy, Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale was hanged by the British. As a statue, he's been cut off at the ankles ... and stolen from his historic family homestead.
Thieves removed the 3-foot bronze sculpture of Hale, leaving behind only his shoes and the statue base, sometime between March 29 and April 4, Antiquarian and Landmarks Society officials said Tuesday.
The statue was the work of eminent New England sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, whose pieces also adorn the Library of Congress, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Yale, Harvard, the Connecticut state Capitol and myriad other sites.
"What a shame," said Sheryl Hack, executive director of the society, which owns the Hale Homestead and eight other house museums. "Is it a prank? Is it serious? It certainly is disrespectful."
Ben Wilson, the society's building conservator, discovered the theft April 4 when he walked from the house, where he stays overnight for part of each week.
"If you don't look for it, you wouldn't necessarily see it," he said Tuesday, because the brown and green figure is nestled in leaves and plants near a stone wall in the crux of the L-shaped house. Hale grew up in the older part of the house, which adjoins the main structure built the year he was hanged in 1776.
At first Wilson thought it might be a prank akin to stealing a garden gnome, but then realized the thieves had to really want the 100-pound sculpture to go to so much trouble. "Nathan Hale is a beloved Connecticut figure, so possibly it was a Hale fanatic," he said partly in jest, adding that Coventry citizens have a deep affection for the Hale heritage.
The society just wants the statue of the national and state hero, best known for saying at his hanging, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country," to be brought back to the homestead. If that happens, no questions will be asked. There will be no hanging, no amputation at the ankles, no prosecution, they say.
The society has a twin of the statue from the same Pratt cast in storage but would not use it to replace the stolen one, Wilson said, adding that he did not know its value.
"The significant thing is that it was stolen and it's Nathan Hale. It would be like stealing a piece of the Statehouse," he said.
Coventry Police Chief Mark Palmer speculated it could have been removed by tying a rope to it and pulling it with a vehicle. Police have notified other jurisdictions and plan to check with metal dealers, although Palmer said he doubted legitimate enterprises would consider buying such a piece.
Palmer said anyone with information should call the anonymous police tips line at 860-742-2400 or the main number, 860-742-7331.
Hack, who worked at the Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire before coming to the antiquarian society more than a year ago, said a 1790s granite watering trough was stolen from that historic site but was returned after a strong public plea was made.
"We'd like to hear a hue and cry that it's not only important to us but to the residents of the state - that it's really important to bring Nathan back."
Contact Stephanie Summers at ssummers@courant.com.
Interact with The Courant:
> Email Reader Rep. Karen Hunter with comments.
> Visit Karen's daily Blog.
> View today's corrections.
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> Search our archives from 1764-1949 and 1992-2006.
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Stolen Statue
(Courtesy of The Antiquarian & Landmarks Society) <!-- Apr 10, 2007 -->
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April 11, 2007
By STEPHANIE SUMMERS, Courant Staff Writer
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=storydetail vAlign=top>COVENTRY -- As a spy, Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale was hanged by the British. As a statue, he's been cut off at the ankles ... and stolen from his historic family homestead.
Thieves removed the 3-foot bronze sculpture of Hale, leaving behind only his shoes and the statue base, sometime between March 29 and April 4, Antiquarian and Landmarks Society officials said Tuesday.
The statue was the work of eminent New England sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, whose pieces also adorn the Library of Congress, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Yale, Harvard, the Connecticut state Capitol and myriad other sites.
"What a shame," said Sheryl Hack, executive director of the society, which owns the Hale Homestead and eight other house museums. "Is it a prank? Is it serious? It certainly is disrespectful."
Ben Wilson, the society's building conservator, discovered the theft April 4 when he walked from the house, where he stays overnight for part of each week.
"If you don't look for it, you wouldn't necessarily see it," he said Tuesday, because the brown and green figure is nestled in leaves and plants near a stone wall in the crux of the L-shaped house. Hale grew up in the older part of the house, which adjoins the main structure built the year he was hanged in 1776.
At first Wilson thought it might be a prank akin to stealing a garden gnome, but then realized the thieves had to really want the 100-pound sculpture to go to so much trouble. "Nathan Hale is a beloved Connecticut figure, so possibly it was a Hale fanatic," he said partly in jest, adding that Coventry citizens have a deep affection for the Hale heritage.
The society just wants the statue of the national and state hero, best known for saying at his hanging, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country," to be brought back to the homestead. If that happens, no questions will be asked. There will be no hanging, no amputation at the ankles, no prosecution, they say.
The society has a twin of the statue from the same Pratt cast in storage but would not use it to replace the stolen one, Wilson said, adding that he did not know its value.
"The significant thing is that it was stolen and it's Nathan Hale. It would be like stealing a piece of the Statehouse," he said.
Coventry Police Chief Mark Palmer speculated it could have been removed by tying a rope to it and pulling it with a vehicle. Police have notified other jurisdictions and plan to check with metal dealers, although Palmer said he doubted legitimate enterprises would consider buying such a piece.
Palmer said anyone with information should call the anonymous police tips line at 860-742-2400 or the main number, 860-742-7331.
Hack, who worked at the Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire before coming to the antiquarian society more than a year ago, said a 1790s granite watering trough was stolen from that historic site but was returned after a strong public plea was made.
"We'd like to hear a hue and cry that it's not only important to us but to the residents of the state - that it's really important to bring Nathan back."
Contact Stephanie Summers at ssummers@courant.com.
Interact with The Courant:
> Email Reader Rep. Karen Hunter with comments.
> Visit Karen's daily Blog.
> View today's corrections.
> Contact a reporter.
> Subscribe to The Courant.
> Buy Courant photos.
> Request reprints/permissions.
> Search our archives from 1764-1949 and 1992-2006.
<!--
To comment on this story, or to request a correction click here to send a message to Karen Hunter, The Courant's reader representative. Click here to read Karen's daily Weblog. To view today's corrections Click here.
Subscribe to the Hartford Courant today and receive up to 50% off!
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Stolen Statue
(Courtesy of The Antiquarian & Landmarks Society) <!-- Apr 10, 2007 -->
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