Stranger Than Fiction: The Robbery of Lincoln’s Tomb

Mugshot of Jack Hughes

Mugshot of Jack Hughes

While several attempts had been made to steal President Abraham Lincoln’s corpse, none were ever successful. The closest anyone ever came to stealing Lincoln’s corpse was in 1876 when a band of outlaws attempted to steal the body and hold it for ransom and to secure the release of a counterfeiter, Ben Boyd. Boyd was a highly skilled master engraver whose engravings had fooled even the experts.

The gang’s leader was “Big Jim” Kinealy who realized that with Boyd out of circulation the supply of counterfeit money would soon dry up. This was a very lucrative enterprise for Kinealy and he was prepared to do whatever he had to do to preserve his way of life, even if it meant stealing Lincoln’s corpse.

The plan was simple, Kinealy’s gang would steal Lincoln’s corpse and hold it for ransom. The government could have it back if it paid $200,000 in gold and freed Ben Boyd.

After a failed initial attempt, Kinealy decide to try again and recruited a local pub owner named Terrance Mullin and a small time criminal named John “Jack” Hughes. They needed a third man to help carry out the plot. Mullins suggested Lewis Swegles, who had patronized his pub many times in recent months, and quickly recruited him into the gang. They were unawre that Swegles secretly worked for the United States Department of the Treasury as an informant.

The plan was set to rob the tomb on November 7, 1876. This would be Election Day. Everyone would be preoccupied with the election and no one would be near the cemetery. Kinealy was confident nothing would go wrong this time.

On the night of November 7, the trap was set. Swegles had been in contact with the Treasury Department and they were well aware of what was about to take place. The outlaws entered the tomb and had lifted the coffin out when federal agents stormed in. The outlaws fled into the night and were caught 10 days later.

Incredibly, at the time there was no law on the books against stealing bodies. Therefore, the best the prosecution could hope for was to get a conviction for the theft of a coffin valued at $75. Mullin and Hughes was found guilty and sentenced to 1 year in Joliet Prison.

Government officials were concerned there may be other attempts to steal Lincoln’s body and began moving it periodically in the course of the next 25 years.

In 1900, construction began on the permanent final resting place of the Lincoln Family. It was designed so that it would be impossible for anyone else to attempt a robbery.

Robert Lincoln arranged to have his father’s coffin placed in a huge cage and then buried 10 feet deep and encased in concrete. On September 26, 1901, the tomb was ready. The coffins were carried up to the newly completed tomb.

Because of the permanency of the tomb, and the chaos that had surrounded the President’s body over the years, there was a discussion among those present as to whether or not the coffin should be opened. Some argued that the remains should be positively identified due to rumors that the body in the box was not Mr. Lincoln.

Lincoln's coffin ready to be moved the last time

Lincoln’s coffin ready to be moved the last time

When the coffin was opened a pungent smell arose. Twenty-three people removed their hats and stepped toward the coffin to see the body.

They discovered Lincoln’s body had been mummified and was immaculately preserved. His hair was thick and course. The wart on his cheek was an obvious characteristic. His face was a bronze color from the gunshot wound that shattered the bones in his face. The color was described as being that of unhealed bruises. His beard was still there although his eyebrows had fallen out. His suit had mildew on it and there were tiny specks of cloth on his chest that were red, white and blue in color. It was later discovered that a small flag had been placed on his chest at the funeral. These tiny pieces of cloth were all that remained of the flag.

Michael Williams is the author of a book entitled “Stranger than Fiction: The Lincoln Curse.” The book is a collection of 50 strange and unusual but true stories. The stories will leave the reader convinced that perhaps Mark Twain was right when he said “truth is stranger than fiction.”

The book is 187 pages in a softbound edition with numerous photos. The book can be purchased from amazon.com for $19.95 plus shipping and handling or you can save shipping cost and save $2 on the purchase price by ordering a signed copy directly from the author. Send $17.95 to P.O. Box 6421 Sevierville, TN. 37864.

The book is available in Kindle on Amazon.com for $3.99. For more information visit the website www.strangerthanfictionnews.com

Source: Michael Williams