Fair play., 1900-03-17
LINCOLN'S REMAINS REMOVED.
Lincoln Family Placed In
Temporary Vault.

Springfield, ILL.,, March 1.-THE Gas-
kets containing the bOGies OF Presiden:
and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln were safely
transferred, Saturday, from the Lin.
coin National Monument vault to the
temporary vault prepared for them
close by the monument. An hour later
they were firmly immured within two
foot walls of stone, strongly sealed
with mortar. In this repository they
will remain for at least year.
Contractor Culver aud the monu-
ment trustees stole n morch on the
general public. Instead of making the
transfer in the afternoon, the work
was quietly done in the morning. and
not a half hundred people were pres
ent to witness the transfer.
There was just one anxious second
in the whole proceeding. The big
crane which was used TO swing the
50O-pOInd leaden casket of Mr.. Lin
coin into place gave one little slip, and
there was an involuntary gasp from
The onloOkers. bus the danger was all
oven in an instant. There was a feel
ing of apprehension lest an accident
should occur to mar the work. but
the heavy casket was lowered noise
lessly into place upon the bottom of
the temporary vault. The casket con-
tanning the body of Mrs. Lincoln was
safely deposited beside that Of her
husband, and over them two heavy
slabs were laid and sealed.
Later the lighter caskets of the
three sons and the grandson were TAX
en- from the crypts and placed in the
second deck of the vault. Another
pair of ponderous stones were placed
over them. and these, i'm turn, were
sealed with great care. 4 dozen van-
dals working all night with Il clear
field of operations could not remove
the bodies of any one them from this
repository. No chances will be taken.
however, and until mound of debris
and earth is built over the vault u
guard will be on watch every min
ute of the day and night.
There were present to witness the
removal Superintendent of Public In
struction Alfred Bayliss and State
Treasurer F. X. Whittemore, repre-
sentinS the trustees. Gov. Tanner
was prevented by illness from being
present. The old Lincoln MOnumeE!
association. which formerly had Off
cial charge of the monOument. was
represented by Messrs. c. {. Brown
and George y. Black. and the Lincoln
Guard OF Honor. an organization of
citizens voluntarily formed. in 1876. to
keep watch over the remains after the
attempt was made to steal them. WIS
represented by Adjt.-Gen. Jasper n.
Reece, Clinton l.. Conkling. Joseph l..
Lindley and Maj. f. 5. johnson.
The outer wooden cases of the cas-
kets in which President and Mrs. Lin
coin were buried were in worse condi-
tiOn from decay than had been eX-
pecte6. That around the casket of
Mr.. Lincoln was so far disintegrated
that it was necessary to surround it
with a new covering before placing it
in the temporary vault. The box about
much better condition. These facts
have impressed the trustees at once
with the fact that the work of re-
pairing the monument was under
taken none too soon. and with the fur
ther fact that some new arrangement
is desirable for the future care of the
bodies. The trustees will concern
themselves now with this problem and
hope to devise some new plan by
which the ravages of time may be les
scned. Instead of being inferred be-
meath several feet of concrete. exposed
to the coIroding effect of dampness. it
is not improbable the casket of Mr..
Lincoln will be deposited in an under
ground vault. perfectly safe from desc
Grafton and yet exposed TO the view o!
visitors during the time the monm-
ment is open.
None OF the clsketS were opened!
but when the transfer back to the
mOnumt mt is made Il year hence. the
probability is that very few will 5e
permitted to look upon the body of
MIR. Lincoln.