The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-11-28
LINCOLN'S GRAVE.
HOW THE PLOT TO ROB IT
ORIGINAL Ed.
And How she Detectives BaffIed It
History OF the Affair.

We published last week an account
OF the measures taken by detectives
from Chicago to capture certain parties
who had plotted to rob the grave OF
President Lincoln. and Of their failure
to arrest the perpetrators Of the crime.
The full story of the plot and of the
manner in which il became known to
the police authorities, is thus detailed
in the Chicago Times Of Saturday the
10th.
Some few weeks since operative p.
ID. Tyrrell, a well-known and esteemed
officer Of this service, had brought un.
der his control man named William
Swigle. Swigle was known by the fra
ternity and the bad men as "the prince
of ropers." He was introduced to Tyr
ell by O. w. Deane. an attorney of this
city, who recommended him as a man
fitted in every way for the business OF
the department., and anxious to be en-
ployed, and stated in addition that he
had knowledge OF certian counterfeit
ers and their operations that would
make him valuable. Operative Tyrell
took him into the service, and within a
very short time he gave proof of his
metal by causing the arrest of Jack
Hughes, n notorious counterfeiter and
thief, who was taken before Commits
sioner Phil. A. Hoyne, who admitted
him to bail in the sum of $4,000. The
of the arrest and exam
ination were fully published in the
Times. Hughes found little difficulty
in furnishing the bail. and was soon at
large again. Swigle had not appeared
in the transaction, and was not sus-
pected of any share in il. He and
Hughes were well acquainted, even
friendly, and were directly in commu-
nication. Swigle improved his oppor-
tunities so well that their friendship
ripened into almost an intimacy, and
Hughes became warmly attached 10
him. They began TO run together, and
to know each Others acquaintances.
Among other gentlemen introduced 10
Swigle by Hughes was one Terrence
Mullen, an adamantiue citizen with n
silky exterior. who
KEPT A SALOON on WEST MADISON STREET
known as "The Hub The three TINS
brought together drifted into an init
macy, and Hughes and Mullen, who
had schemes afoot, we're continually
them to Swigle for his
opinion. One day, now about three
weeks since, they asked him how he
would like TO engage in a scheme to
steal the remains OF a person in n GER
tain cemetery in Wisconsin, and hold
them for ransom They represented
that the family Of the deceased and
their friends were immensely wealthy,
and would pay thousands of dollars TO
have il returned. Swigle professed an
interest in the project, criticised some
portions of it and approved others, and
agreed to take il into careful consider
alton. They asked him to go about
and find out what the penalty would be
in case they undertook to carry il out
and were caught. He returned after q
while with information that the penal
ty in Wisconsin would be so very Sc
we're thst the reward they hoped for
would be too small 10 pay for risk that
must be run. Then they turned upon
him with laugh. They had been
GIVING HIM A sTIFF,
that was all. They wanted to find
whether he would stand by them in O
dangerous piece OF work without let.
ting him know what that work was.
They we're satisfied with him now.
They had n job OF that kind which
would make them all rich il they could
only succeed with il. Then for the first
time they unfolded to him their scheme
to rob the grave of Lincoln. They
told him they wanted to steal the re-
mains from the sarcophagus, and bury
them in some secure and lonely place
to be revealed only upon payment of a
large sum of money. They believed
they
COULD REALIZE 800, 900 by IT.
Swigle, though taken aback by the
euormity OF the proposition, approved
il, but asked for time TO see lawyer
and find out what the penalty would
be in Illinois for such an offense. He
wanted a little time, he told them, "a
consider whether he had better go into
so hazardous an undertaking at all
With that he left them.
Mullen and Hughes, fearful of losing
Swigle's aid, or for some other reason,
went without consulting him to the
wife Of Ben Boyd. the celebrated coun.
terfeiter, aud asked her assistance il
the matter. Boyd was last winter sent
to Joliet for long term, and Mrs,
Boyd was known TO have some money.
Boyd and Hughes had once been con.
nected in the business OF counterfeit
ing, and mad been very useful to each
other. Not only Hughes himself, but
all the "crooked" men in the north de-
sired Boyds enlargement, aud il wa.
proposed to make this job accomplish
II. Mrs. Boyd was told that IL she
would contribute something toward the
necessary expense they would make the
release OF her husband part OF the con.
ditions upon which they would give NJ
the remains. The woman was toe
shrewd for them. She declined to al
low her husbands name to be mixed
with the matter at all, and refused Il
advance cent. IL has been stated il
telegrams and otherwise, since attempt
was made, that Boyd's release was I,
be a condition, as above limited; but i
that be true, ii was upon their own re-
sponsibility they intended doing IL
aud for the need they had OF Boyd.
SwiRle Immediately posted off to th'
Office of Mr.. Dean, whom he had rep
resented to his friends as his regula
attorney, and to him and Detectiy'
Tyrell unfolded the plot. These gen
tlemen, accustomed as they are TO oh
serve the bold and wicked side of life
we're dumfounded at the enormity O
the offcnse contemplated. They rapid
ly consulted and agreed that IL woul'
be best TO communicate with Rober
Lincoln. They did so. and Mr.. Lin
coin at once called in Leonard SUett
The matter was thoroughly canvassei
by these gentlemen, who advises
Swigle to go on, 90 continue in the cou
tidence Of the confederates, learn an,
enter into their plans, and communi
cate them to operative Tyrell in seaso
tn prevent their consummation. MI
Lincoln was at first for breaking n
the design altogether, but the qusstio
arose, how il could be broken up; an
he could not answer il. Since the out
rage was to he essayed, in he fellwith IN
detectives. but insisted that the thieve
should not be allowed 10 handle th
casket containing his fathers remain,
Swigle returned to his friend,
Hughes and Mullen, and reported thr
he believed the plan feasible. IL nc
easy. aud well conceived; that his Law
yer had assured him that the penalt,
at the utmost, would be only year
Jail aud slight fine; but that he ha
no idea they would be caught. Hughs
and Mullen. pleased To hear this kin