On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln and hold it for ransom. Stealing lincolns body begins with his death on april 15, 1865 and follows the saga of his body. The author of the book stealing lincolns body is thomas j. A band of chicago counterfeiters hatched a plot to steal the presidents body from its tomb outside springfield, illinois, and. Craughwell returns to this bizarre, and largely forgotten, event with the first book to place the grave robbery in historical context. By don radebaugh when fleetwood lindley died in 1963, he would officially go down in history as the last person to have looked upon the face of abraham lincoln, albeit the viewing came. An imprint of harvard university press 2008 isbn 10. The executive producer there lives in westportanother connecticut. Stealing lincolns body by thomas j craughwell abebooks. However, those present a total of 23 people feared that his body might have been stolen in the intervening years, so. On the night of the 1876 presidential election, a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln and hold it for ransom.
He and his companions planned to be stealing lincoln s body while the rest of the city was celebrating the holiday. Book overview on the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln and hold it for ransom. The photograph of the lincoln monument circa 1877 and the photographs of the tomb robbers came from that book. Craughwells stealing lincolns body on the web site, bob bender, senior editor of simon and schuster, notes that abraham lincoln has been a bestselling subject, probably since the month after he died. In 1875, a rash of medical body stealing broke out in montreal, covered extensively by u.
The story was too good to keep and the woman passed it along to several other people, including the citys chief of police, abner wilkinson, although no record exists how these two knew one another. It is not surprising that kinelly should have hit upon body snatching. Buy stealing lincoln s body by thomas j craughwell online at alibris. John carroll power, the custodian of the lincoln tomb, in his 1890 account of the attempt to steal lincolns body, wrote of an 1830 effort to steal george. Craughwells stealing lincolns body participants come to realize the magnitude of. Originally courtesy of the abraham lincoln presidential library. Kennally set up a headquarters of sorts in a chicago bar called the hub. A band of chicago counterfeiters hatched a plot to steal the presidents body from. Craughwells stealing lincolns body participants come to realize the magnitude of the crime and its impact on mary and robert lincoln. Ive seen other documentaries on this site that suggest lin.
One of the reasons for the visit was stories grayson had told me about attempts to steal lincoln s body from his tomb in springfield. In a wellresearched and beautifully written book, he takes readers through the intriguing irish underworld of counterfeiting that led to the plot to. Harris joined virtual book signing on may 19, 2007 to discuss lincoln and the attempt to steal. Craughwell wrote a popular book on stealing lincoln. Harris joined virtual book signing on may 19, 2007 to discuss lincoln and the attempt to steal lincoln s body. On a afternoon of the presidential election in 1876, a mob of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln and hold it for ransom. On april 19, a funeral service was held and then the coffin, attended by large crowds, was transported in a procession. Stealing lincolns body by thomas j craughwell alibris. The 1876 episode is certainly worthy of study, but im not sure there was enough there there for a book, or at least not one quite this long. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of.
What was the one most interesting thing that you learned. Feb 16, 2009 on the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln. Discussion questions for stealing lincolns body by thomas j. Craughwell details a littleknown plot to steal the 16th presidents remains from his tomb in springfield, ill. Craughwell returns to this bizarre, and largely forgotten, event with the first book to place the grave robbery in. On the night of the 1876 presidential election, a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln. Craughwells book was turned into a history channel production in 2012. The attempt to steal lincoln s body has been covered before. A percentage of the proceeds from your purchase of this book from will benefit the ashbrook center. The first time was in 1890, when the custodian of the tomb wrote his own book, and most recently in 1990, with bonnie stahlman speers book, the great abraham lincoln hijack. While abraham lincoln rests peacefully in his tomb in springfield that was not always the case. It seems he did not go home to illinois to rest in peace. On the night of the 1876 presidential election, a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln and.
Lincoln s coffin would be placed in a steel cage 10 feet 3. After participants discuss the book, the following saturday a trip will be taken to abraham lincolns home and tomb, where craughwells book comes to life. Craughwell saints behaving badly provides an intriguing glimpse at a macabre but interesting footnote to the story of. From skeptic to prop het while the field of lincoln studies appears to have been exhaustively mined, thomas craughwell has found a gold nugget in the bizarre story of stealing lincolns body. The custodian of the tomb was so horrified by the incident that he willingly dedicated the rest of his life to protecting the president s corpse. From skeptic to prophet while the field of lincoln studies appears to have been exhaustively mined, thomas craughwell has found a gold nugget in the bizarre story of stealing lincolns body. In 1876, abraham lincolns body lay within an aboveground white marble sarcophagus in a handsome tomb on the grounds of springfield, ill. On the night of the 1876 presidential election, a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the. In 1876 a band of counterfeiters devise a plot to force the governments hand by taking a hostage no one can ignore.
Did these robberies contribute to james kennallys idea a year later. The story was too good to keep and the woman passed it along to several other people, including the citys chief of police, abner wilkinson, although no. Another excellent source is the 2007 publication by thomas j. Craughwell, 9780674030398, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. He may also have been influenced by a stillborn plot in 1867 to steal and ransom lincoln s body. He described the attempted theft of president abraham lincoln s remains on the eve the 1876 election. Stealing lincolns body the odd reburials of abraham. But craughwells book shows there still is a hunger for anything to do with lincoln.
Buy a cheap copy of stealing lincolns body book by thomas j. On september 26, 1901, lincoln s body was exhumed so that it could be reinterred in the newly built crypt. I have dozens of newspaper articles and book references published on this topic. Stealing lincoln s body thomas craughwell one of the reasons for the visit was stories grayson had told me about attempts to steal lincoln s body from his tomb in springfield. Thomas craughwell talked about his book stealing lincoln s body, published by belknap press. So the day before we were to visit the tomb i got this book and speedread it. Dec 30, 2017 from the book stealing lincolns body by thomas j. Did this book alter your opinion of any of the historical figures who appear in it. After the assassination of abraham lincoln by john wilkes booth, lincoln s body was carried by an honor guard to the white house on saturday april 15, 1865. Thomas craughwell talked about his book stealing lincolns body, published by belknap press. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the entombed body of abraham lincoln and hold it for ransom. The custodian of the tomb was so shaken by the incident that he willingly dedicated the rest of his life to. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln.
Stealing lincolns body harvard university press blog. A replica of the train that carried president abraham lincoln s body across the u. Stealing lincolns body book by thomas j craughwell 2. Oct 14, 2019 thomas craughwell in a summary of his book stealing lincolns body tells of the second more infamous attempt. Craughwell returns to this bizarre, and largely forgotten, event with the first book to place the grave robbery in historical. Stealing lincoln s body has 2 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace same low prices, bigger selection, more fun. This course blends book club and a historical trip to immerse all participants in truly grasping the shocking story of how counterfeiters from chicago devised a plan to steal lincolns body. New book details plot to steal abraham lincolns body fox news.
Craughwell discusses the odd plot to steal lincolns body. This rousing story of con men, federal agents, and ordinary springfield citizens underscores that truth really is sometimes stranger than fiction. Summoning the raw spirit of crime novels and horror stories, as well as the forensic detail of a coroners inquest, thomas j. He lay in state in the east room of the white house which was open to the public on tuesday, april 18. If so, what information in the book was new to you.
Jun 24, 2007 craughwell is the author of stealing lincoln s body harvard university press, 2007. For an extremely detail account of the movements of lincoln s body, check out stealing lincoln s body by thomas craughwell. An account of the fascinating and bizarre plan by counterfeiters to steal abraham lincoln s body and hold it for ransom until another counterfeiter was released from prison. Nwi and the plot to steal lincolns body lake county news. The custodian of the tomb was so shaken by the incident that he willingly dedicated the rest of his life to protecting the presidents corpse. In a wellresearched and beautifully written book, he takes readers through the intriguing irish underworld of counterfeiting that led to the plot to hold lincolns. New book details plot to steal abraham lincolns body. Steal lincolns body and get rich quick by erik brown. He is also the author of several books on catholic history, like saints behaving badly and the wisdom of the popes, and books about american popular culture, including urban legends. Apr, 2007 books stealing lincolns body the odd reburials of abraham lincoln. Stealing lincoln s body thomas craughwell had a great trip to springfield, illinois last month, where the boys and i hit all the lincoln sites. For much more information see the great abraham lincoln hijack by bonnie stahlman speer.
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