The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-11-27
MIR. LINCOLN's TOMB.
This Dnstnrdiy Attempt TO Despoii It--Tho
Itobbers Interrupted by Accident.

Itobbers Interrupted by Accident.
A letter from Springfield, ILL.,, gives
the following details Of the attempt to
steal tho remains Of cx.President Lin.
coin An attempt vas made to perpe-
trate ono OF the most infamous outrages
which the mind Of man can conceive OF
that OF stealing the bones and ashes
of Abraham Lincoln. Unfortunately
the perpetrators escaped, leaving, how
ever, the evidence OF their crime be.
hind them. Somehow or other-no one
knows exactly how. O. Power, the
custodian Of the Lincoln monument, be-
came impressed with the idea that there
were designs upon the romans. and hc
communicated his suspicious to Leonard
Swetk and Robert Lincoln. They could
hardly believe that any ono could con-
ceive such a thing. However, they con.
cluded to adopt precautions, oven should
there be nothing in tho feeling. Ac-
cordingly, Mr.. SWEET wrote Col. Stewart
requesting him to station guard at the
monument. This was done, but no one
came to disturb the corpse. Detective
Tyrrell, OF tho United States secret ser
vica, was requested by SWEET and Lin
coin to SEQ Mr.. Power, and to look
around town for suspicious characters.
He arrived and commenced vigorous
shadowing of several OF the small hotels,
but saw 10 emo whom ho recognized.
Mr., Power came into town In hurry
and hunted up Tyrrell and informed him
that two very hard looking cases had
been out to tho cemetery looking
around, and he felt assured that they
were thero for no good purpose. One
registered as from Racine, the other
from Kenosha, Wis. Their names are
suppressed, since they havc had nothing
to do with what occurred Inter. An
effort will, Of course, be made to find
out who they are. Mr.. Power, not
being used todetective work, could give
but meager descriptions Of them. The
result OF the interview with Tyrrell is
unknown, but hc must have concluded
that electionnight was IN excellentonein
which to rob the tomb.
An evening train brought from Chicn-
go OK. Chief Of tho Secret Service Elmer
Washburn, who, it seems, Ind been re.
Quested by Messrs. SWEET and Lincoln
to como here and aid Tyrrell. About
hali.past six Waahburn, Tyrrell, and
three other men went out to Oakwood
aud concealed themselves in Memorial
Hall, inside the monument, to await de-
velopments. One man was posted in the
labyrinth in the rear, so called because
OF tho walls running in different direc.
tions and making numerous passage
ways, these walls supporting the terrace.
Hiu object was to hear the noise made in
the vault, il any were made. After pa.
tieutly whiting for nearly three hours,
aud when about tired out from standing
still, tho utmost silence being impera.
tive, lie heard grating noise. which
lasted perhaps FIVE minutes. Then, in
c little while, came several successive
thuds, rs il some one was hammering.
The timo having arrived for action,
Washburn md his men slipped out OF
tho door, with cooked revolvers in their
hands, determined to shoot to kill il any
resistance was made, Just us they were
turning tho corner to tho loft one OF the
men accidentally exploded his revolver.
The noise was very loud, 30 still were
the surroundings, and though there wore
but about 100 feet to go over, when tho
officers got to the door Of the vault tho
men were gone. They must have had
some ono watching to give them the
signal OF danger or else had come out
side for breath Of fresh mir and heard
the swapping Of the cap and ran into
tho 1ods which surrounded the monu-
ment. It is but n short distance, and
man coull get within shelter and be M
observable in q quarter OF minute.
The men at once scattered, and went in
tho direction the thieves had gone, and,
while dodging behind the trees, two OF
then, exchanged shots, each mistakirg
the other for one OF the fugitivcs. After
shooting ut each other they cried :
"Wash, "WHsh, Indicative OF friend
in such an emergency, and then they
found out their mistake. The bullets
whizzed close to both, and it was mi
raculous that they escaped injury.
No trnce OF the thieves being dis.
covered, the party returned to tho cata-
comb. The body is inclosed III Il lead
casket. This is surrounded by cedar
case, and tho receptacle Of these is u
marble sarcophagus. The latter had n
double lid, tho upper ono not being as
large Us tho other. Both had been pried
off with chisel or nm ax, and somewhat
Clipped in the operation. The under
lid was hid crosswise on the cas-
ket the headpiecc on the floor, mud the
upper lid standing against tho wall.
The caskGt itself was pnlled out aboat IL
foot from tho body OF tho sarcophagus,
and small piece had boon taken OF on
the floor, where M ax with the edge full
OF marble dust, Hn ordinary chisel, and
Il 7 air OF nippers werc. Tho other tools
had evidently been taken away since the
lock on the iron grated door had been
sawed of. It should be stated that the
Rarcophagus was in the catacomb and
not in the crypt, being thus placed in
order that visitors might see 1t. Tho
damage done is comparatively little.
Only one motive eau be attributed to
these despoilers Of the grave, aud that
is the hope OF n reward for the rcstora-
tion OF tho remains. II they Ind sue
cected in carrying them OF, it certainly
could not have been their intention to
take away the caskst, for it must weigh
from Ave hundred to six hundred
pounds, ind half q dozen mon could not
have carried it to the fence for transfer
to wagon in the road. It is more than
likely that they intended to cut open
tho cas kct, and gather mp the bones and
dust and carry them away.
A Fatal LOye.