The San Francisco call., 1909-02-07
The Attempt to Steal the Body
of Lincoln

IN accordance with the request OF
several of the marshals and aids OF
divisions in the great funeral OF Abra-
ham Lincoln in New York and else
where. the nucleus o. the National Lin
coin grand guard OF honor was formed
by me in October, 1875. at Gotd Hill.
Nevada by representatives of Illinois
California and Nevada and by appoint
ment some others met at Springfield,
Illinois. on April 14tn and 18th, 1875,
and we assembled at Lincoln's tomb
While there l called attention to the
Insecurity of the body in the sarcopha-
gus. which rested upon low trestl-s,
with only an iron grated door TO act
as A barrier to keep people out, while
evil disposed persons could easily
break the faStenings and steal the
body to obtain the reward which they
were certain would be offered for It's
return My fears for its security were
treated lightly by the custodian and
others for who would dare to try 10
steal the body of LncOln?" they ex-
claimed. I answered tfSat it would be
very easy by we'll concerted plan, 70
seize the person OF the custodian and
take his keys from him, fasten him IN
at one end Of the monument, Whlte
they could unlock the iron grated
door knock off the top OF the sarcopha
gus. open the coffin and get away with
the. body: or they could break the door
down 10 gain their purpose
Ny fears III this respect did not
prove groundIess for in the night OF
November I, 1876. the lock was broken.
the sarcophagus was broken open. the
cedar coffin slid part way out. and in
few moments more the body or Lincoln
would have been gone; but the mis-
creants becoming alarmed. fled after
an exchange of shots with those on
rrax-iOTISIT in
formed that the acJempt would be
made that night of the presidential
election | had returned TO Gold HILL
Nevada the SEPTEMBER before
A convict who had served out his term
of five years in the state prison at
joliet H.. for passing counterfeit
money. but then residing in St Louis.
one James +. kinealy, with his gang,
was the first plotter. but too much
whisky gave some of them away. and
that plan failed. The second came
nearer being success. but IL also
failed. The two conspirstors and op-
orators were Jack Hughes and Terence
Mullins the latter keeping drinking
saloon i'm which Kinealy was part
ner at 294 West Madison street. Chi
cago where the plan was concocted-
and to which place they fed. and where
they were captured November II. 1875.
Next day they were taken in irons 10
Springfield, where they were tried In
the circuit court and on June ?, 1877.
sentenced to serve one year each at
the state prison at Joliet They both
served out their time there; but Null
Ifns. being connected with extensive
land frauds in New Mexico in after
years. was tried, convicted and SEN
fenced to serve three years in the
penitentiary at Santa Fe. He was re-
leased June so. 1898.
To prevent a repetition of this out
rageous attempt to steal the body or
Lincoln the custodians. with secret as
sistance. removed the coffin from the
sarcophagus and carried it around and
through the Memorial hall and placed II
in the interior in secret place. and
afterward removed it. with that OF
LincoIn's wife. who was buried by his
side on the north side near the base
of the obelisk.
In April. 1885, taking some earth
from the grave of his lifelong friend
the gallant Colonel Edward d. Baker,
who fell at Balls Bluff and was buried
at Laurel hill cemetery, San Francisco
land whose funeral and interment ]
attended), and with two carloads OF
flowers from the ladies of Oakland
which were conveyed gratis by Wells
Fargo & Co., 1 paid another visit tc
Springfield and TO Lincoln'S tomb on
the twentieth anniversary of his death
Placing some of the earth from Bak-
er's grave well saturated with altar oi
roses upon the sarcophagus, the re-
mainder I placed on his secret grave
inside OF the monument the night be-
fore. and the custodian gathered ur
nearly 10 pounds OF the sacred eartl
that covered the remains of Lincoln
that was afterward used in the plant
ing of Lincoln liberty trees, and con
secrating the graves of union soldier:
and sailors on Decoration day at many
places on the Pacific coast
The next day it Tained heayiI,