Mackaye

MACKAYE, Percy, American dramatis: and poet: b. New York, 16 March 1875. He was graduated from Harvard in 1897 and studied at the University of Leipzig in 1899— 1900. He engaged in European travel in 1898— 1900, residing in Rome, Switzerland, Leipzig and London. He was an instructor in a pri vate school in New York in 1900-04, after which time he joined the Cornish Colony in New Hampshire and devoted his time entirely to dramatic work. He has lectured on the theatre at Harvard, Yale, Columbia and other American universities, and is a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. He is a leading exponent of poetic dramatic art in America and handles both tragedy and comedy with grace and surety of touch. Author of (The Canterbury Pilgrims,' a comedy, pro duced by the Coburn Players in the open air at Harvard, Yale and other universities in 13, and given as a civic pageant in honor of President Taft at Gloucester, Mass., 4 Aug. 1909 (1903); (A Modern Rendering into Prose of Chaucer's Tales) (1904) ; (Fenris the Wolf,' a tragedy (1905) ; a tragedy, produced by Julia Marlowe and E. H. Sothern in America and England in 1906-07 (1906); and Ph on,' a tragedy (1907) ; Scarecrow' (19); Centenary Ode' (1909); 'Mater an American comedy (1908) ; Playhouse and the Play,' essays (1909) ; Garland to Sylvia' (1910); a satirical comedy pro duced and acted by Henrietta Crossman (1910) ; 'The Civic Theatre' (1912) ; and Other Poems' (1912); and the Beast,' a lyric drama (1912) ; A Bird Masque,' produced for President Wilson at Meriden Bird Club Sanctuary, New Hamp shire (1913); 'The Immigrants,' a lyric drama (1915); 'The Evergreen Masque' (1917), etc.

See SCARECROW, TEE, McKEAN, ma-ken', Thomas, American pa triot and jurist, signer of the Declaration of Independence: b. New London, Chester County, Pa.. 19 March 1734; d. Philadelphia, 24 June 1817. He was privately educated at Newcastle, Del.; having settled there, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1755, at once be came register of probate and was soon made assistant attorney for Sussex County. With

Caesar Rodney (q.v.), in 1762, he entered upon a revision of Delaware laws up to 1752, and was chosen in the same year to the Delaware assembly, in which his membership continued till 1779, Elected in 1765 to the Stamp Act Congress, he took a strong position in defense of colonial rights and as judge of the Common Pleas in the same year permitted no stamped paper to be used in his court. About 1771 he began to practise law in Philadelphia, although retaining a Delaware residence, and from Dela ware. in 1774, he was elected to the Continental Congress. in which he served nine years, in cluding the entire period of the Revolution, and took a prominent part in its proceedings, being president of the Congress in 1781, He was not present at the signing of the Declaration of Independence. which he had advocated, but added his signature some years afterward. The Articles of Confederation, which he aided in drafting, were also signed by him. In Penn sylvania, where he had become well known, he was made chairman of the Committee of Safety in 1776, and from 1777 to 1799 was chief justice of the State. He became a strong supporter of Jefferson, and a leader of the Republican party of that day, and was governor of Pennsylvania from 1779 to 1808. With James Wilson he wrote 'Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States' (1790).

McKEAN, Thomas, American philanthro pist: b. Philadelphia, Pa., 23 Nov. 1842; d. there, 16 March 1898. In 1862 he was gradu ated at the University of Pennsylvania and entered upon a successful business career, be coming an officer in many railroad and financial corporations. He acquired a large fortune, which he spent freely in endowing educational and charitable enterprises, his various gifts to the University of Pennsylvania alone amount ing to $300,000.