St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-12-01
ST. ,5uhnsburp Galedunian.
st. bloomsbury. VT, Friday, Dec. /. 1876
The Attempt to steal the Martyred Presidents
Remains, and the Arrest of the Robbers.

The Attempt to steal the Martyred Presidents
Remains, and the Arrest of the Robbers.
A correspondent. Writing from Chi
cago, SAYS:
The arrest of two of the participants
in the recent attempted dissertation OF
the tomb of Abraham Lincoln, has
brought to light the history of Il scheme
UNPARALLELED III the history ot crime.
The parties arrested are Jack Mullins,
alias Tclence, and one Jack Hughes, Il
notorious countcrteiter, who has fol
lowed the business successfully for the
past ten Iras OF more. They expected,
in the first place, 10 secure from the
Monument Association, if not from the
Government. Il large sum ot money. ana
obtain, in the second place, the pardon
of the notorious Ben Boyd, NOW serving
out a sentence OF ten years III the Jolltt
Prison. The den kept 10y Mullins and
one Cornelius. his partner, III tins city,
is known as the club, and generally
believed to he the resort of counter
feiters and other desperate characters
This place Detective lNIrcll oi the
United States Secret Service had under
surveillance. and in order to ascertain
who made the club" :; resort he called
to his assistance "a roper 10y the name
of Svcplcs. For some time Mullins and
Hughes fought shy of Sweglcs. but
finally admitted him Ia confidence after
being assured 10y Il detective of the
Central Station that the youth WAS one
of the creates; horse thieves i'll the
country. lIa> ing obtained this aS>ul-
anc,, they commenced sounding Swc-
giles. and finally intru>tcd him With
THE PLOT.
Having FULLY tested SweglcS. a> they
believed. aud dismissed all suspicious
OF his tcaltA. they eventually untoldcd
their plan To carry off the IrhIaImS OF
Mr.. Lincoln from Springfield, ana there
by not only secure the pardon OF Boyd
from Joliet. but also obtain from the
Federal or State Government some
5000. 900 or more ior Il return OF the
relics. While apparently lending him.
self To- the plans of the c"n>piratorS.
SvcglcS WAS in consultation with Il
friendly lawyer. Mr.. Dcanc. through
whom the plot WAS communicated IL
Robert Lincoln. Nh. SWEET, Colonel
Stuart. and the Chief OF the Secret Sci
vice at Washington. SWc%lc> WAS iii
rectrd to 90 on with the com>piIatoi :
would Ice taken to prevent the con>IIm-
nation of the ticndi>h plot and >rcur,
the PERSONS of the tomb Violaters. Al
ter many secret conferences the con
spiratorS finally fixed upon election
night for the
DESIGNATION OF THE TOME.
Although Il person had been sen
down one week in advance /" recon
nuiirc. the principals in the scheme" de
sired the assistance of Il fourth man
SwcglcS cunniuulN managed to HAY,
this matter left to himself. He >clrctc,
IL man named BroNm. but the latte
would have nothing to do with th,
business until assured that SWc"lc> W.
actin. under proper adv Ice. Having -
cured the necessary tools, AMI Arrange,
Il plan whereby negotiations might h'
opened tuI II return OF Tia" remain:
" hen Il reward should hc forthcoming
the party left this city on Monday eve
ming, via the 81. Louis tI.tiu. Ihruugl
an understanding with SWcgic>, Brow u
having first shown himself to Mullins
and Hughes. left the train at Hurlin@
ton Crossing and proceeded no farther
Having reached Springfield, duiiug ia,
course of the day Hughes and Swrgir'
paid 4 ISL to the cemetery and took
look al the tomb. Having returned t.
Mullins and explained how the body
was confined, he prodnc-d Il lengthy
bag explaining that in ease the c;.>kc
proved to heavy to carry away. they
would burst it open. douhlc the bod,
up and carry it away i'll til" bag. De
terti>r TNrrell had kept the W"ud-h,
dc>poilers constantly III view and hrl'
daily conferences with Swcglc> and Mr.
Deane Having seen the cou>piratnr
of for the scene of their depreciation
hr. accompanied 10y Elmer Washhurn,
and II couple of Pinkcrton'S men. FOL
lowed on and took the necessary step
to battle and secure the hu CLANS. II
the dusk of the evening the otlircI
drove out To Oak Ridge. Having >cII
the carriage back. they pr"rc"dcd Il
Memorial Hall on foot, and were al
mittcd ny Mir. Power, vino has charg
of the place. Having secured adnI>
sion. preparations were made tor the
RECEPTION OF THE BURGLARS.
The door of the c.tacnmh cuutaInin
the Sarcophagu> faces south. and tina
of the hall IN the contrary direction
ing something more than 100 feet. |
WAS deemed best tu remain indoors an
give the robbers no sign at their pies
ence. y sentry WAS posted III the IahN
rInth IN the rraI, with uidcr> to rcpol
any noise hc might hear in the toni
About o'clock the light of Il .hull
eye" WAS flashed int" the hall and
voice exclaimed. "All Is right" hi
remark Was made by Swcglc>. am
served to innoumcc to The officers tin,
the party were there tn begin worn
Hughes also came to the door, and Wa
recognized by the officers standing bac
i'll the dark. After satisfy ing them
selves that all w:IS right within the hal
the burglars proceeded to the toni
and after much difficulty succeeded i
ettecting IN entrance. Operations wcr
begun at once 10y prl ing oil the uppc
lid of the SiIrcophagu> and then startiu
the under one with an axe and chI>c
In the meantime. the sentinel on dut
in the labyrinth hearing Il gratin
sound succeeded 10y several dull sound,
us of blows, walked silently toward
where the officers were and Whispered
The detectives, however. did not hc3l
him, and waited for Il signal to b
given by Sweglcs. The signal WA
given at last, and all passed out quiet
ly. Each man had IL cooked revolve
in his hand, prepared to shoot dow
the first person Offering resistance. \
the party We're turning towards the Ell
trance of the tomb the hammer of Il re-
volvcr accldently fell. exploited Il cap
and gave the alarm. The burglar
were off at once, and when the officer
reached the vault no one WAS then,
The detectives made Il careful scare