The evening times., 1900-03-10
MOVING LINCoLN's REMAINS.
The Casket to he Transferred to n
TempOrnry NnuIt.

SPRINGFIELD. Ill. March 10.-The body
of Abraham Lincoln will find a new resting
place today. In the presence Of the trus-
tees of the National Lincoln Monument the
rough box containing the coffin of the mar
tyTed President viii be raised from its en-
easement Of cement and transferred to the
vault which has been prepared for its re-
ception
The removal is made necessary by the
work OF demolition now going on prepara-
tory to the reconstruction OF the monu-
ment. Owing TO its faulty construction
the pile has been crumbling away, and it's
total ruin was feared. The last General
Assembly appropriated 500, coo for the re-
construction of the monument
Since the contract was awarded last
summer a large force of men has been at
work dsmantling the pile. The tall gran
ite shaft has been taken down and most OF
the base has been removed. The bodies of
President Lincoln and those of the five
members of his family who sleep near him
have been left untouched as long as posi-
bic, but il is now necessary to place them
in the temporary vault the contractors
have constructed near the monument
where they will remain until the monu-
ment is rebuilt.
No ceremony will attend the removal
Owing to the Illness OF Governor Tanner
the plan to have him superintend the
transfer is abandoned and his son and pri-
vate secretary. J. Mack Tanner. will act in
his stead Alfred Bayliss. State Superin-
tendent OF Public Instruction. and Floyd
Whittlemore. State Treasurer. comprise
u ha ha f~rrg of ha
monument. and they will witness the re-
moval.
Although the body of the President and
that OF Mrs. Lincoln were buried beneath
six feet OF concrete at the base OF the
obeIisk, a guard kept constant watch
over the spot and visitors at Oak Ridge
Cemetery were not permitted to ap
pToach that part OF the monument. Meas
ures to prevent desecration of the tomb
will not cease when the bodies are
placed in the newly constructed vault.
Two slabs OF cut stone weighing more
than four tons will be lifted in place
over the vault. On top of these barriers
will be piled tons of debris as it is re-
moved from the foundation OF the moau-
meut.
These safeguards against ghoulish
plots are the result of the sensational
and almost successful attempt TO steal
the body OF the President made on the
night of November :, 1876. the eve of the
Presidential election. Jack Hughes and
Ell Mullen notorious Chicago crooks. were
arrested several months later. charged
with the offence. There being no law
against body snatching" in the Illinois
statutes at that time the men were prose
cuted on a charge of attempting TO steal
the casket containing the body. and each
was sentenced to one year in the peniten-
tiary
At that time the body of Lincoln rest
ed in a marble sarcophagus in a vault
at the rear OF the monument. II was
decided that a more secure place shoIld
be prepared. An organization known as
the Lincoln Guard of Honor was formed
in Springfield. In the night the members
Of this secret band visited the tomb. dug
deep vault under the base of the shaft
and inferred therein the body OF the mar
tyred President. where it has since re-
mained undisturbed.