Stealing Lincoln’s Body What? Why? How?
Origins of the Secret Service Originally worked as “treasury” agents Dealt with counterfeiters They became president’s security under the Cleveland administration
Doesn’t Cleveland Rock?
Oak Ridge Cemetery 1876: Lincoln’s body was there Springfield, Illinois Rural, 2 miles outside of town No groundskeeper living there or security around the president’s tomb
Don’t Even Think About It
The Tomb Sarcophagus was above ground Coffin lid sealed with plaster of Paris National Lincoln Monument Association took care of the tomb No need for big security
Tomb Today
The Body Snatchers Irish counterfeiter Benjamin Boyd was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Crime Boss Big Jim Kennally wanted Boyd released
The Crime Boss
The Body Snatchers 2 Terrence Mullen, saloonkeeper Jack Hughes, counterfeiter Recruited by Big Jim to free Boyd from prison Hughes counterfeited Nickles
Big Spender
The Plot Steal the body of Abraham Lincoln Hold it for a ransom of 200,000 dollars Pardon and freedom for Benjamin Boyd
Comedy At Its Best
The Ringer Mullen and Hughes admittedly had no body snatching expertise (Really? Who would other than an undertaker) Ask for help from Lewis Swelges Swelges: undercover secret service
I Can Help!
The Informant Swegles got every detail of the plan Reported to Patrick Tyrrell Tyrrell, his boss, head of the Chicago division of the secret service.
The Crime Stopper Boss
The Night in Question Tyrrell and agents waited inside the tomb Swegles went with Mullen and Hughes Tyrrell and agents took off their boots and did not speak
This They Were
Stoogefied Hughes and Mullen, career criminals, could not pick a lock They needed to use a file Could not lift 500 pound coffin made of cedar and lead
What Do We Do?
Escape A detectives gun went off outside the tomb accidentally Hughes and Mullen ran back to the bar in Chicago where the plot was hatched. They were arrested days later
Arrested They Are
What To Do? John Carroll Power, tomb custodian decided to hide Lincoln He and 5 friends buried him in the tombs basement Did this so no one could steal him
Honor Code
Obligation Power, a railroad ticket agent, a hotelkeeper, and a bank clerk buried Lincoln All swore never to reveal the location of his body
Can You Keep It?
Final Rest Robert Lincoln ordered his father reburied in the tomb In 1901, Lincoln was placed in a sarcophagus inside a steel cage 10 feet into the ground under tons of concrete
Good Luck Theives!
The Book