The sun., 1918-12-02
THE LINCOLN TOMB PLOT.
Memories Revived by the Death OF
Elmer Washbnrn.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN--Sir: The
recent death OF Elmer Washburn, former
chief of police of Chicago. caused
newspaper revival OF the story Of the
attempt TO steal the body OF Abraham
Lincoln from the Lincoln tomb in Oak
Ridge Cemetery. Springfield, III. The
story, as revived. was Inaccurate in nl-
most every detail. IT CARVED q Chi
cage date line and should have been
accurate. The attempt was not made
In the fail OF 1879. but on the night Of
the Presidential election November Z,
1875. Readers will readily understand
why that night was chosen.
The plotters wore Chicago and st.
Louis criminals, two Of them being mo-
torious counterfeiters. Their plan was
not TO take the body to Canada, but
to bury the casket containing the body
In tho Kankakee swamp and hold IL for
ransom. One OF tie gang confessed the
plot several lays before the night fixed
for executing il. Robert T. Lincoln, son
Of the Eunncipator, and yet living, was
notified. Plans we're laid TO capture the
gang while at work in the tomb. Armed
men. mostly citizens of Springfleld. hid
in the tomb early in the day chosen for
the attempted robbery. The gang canie
into the cemetery In spring wagon
after dark and not suspectlng trap.
Without much trouble they entered the
tomb. Lincoln's body was in n heavy
metallic casket that rested in a marble
sarcophagus in the centre Of the tomb.
Tho robbers opened tho sarcophagus
and had pulled the casket out about
eighteen inches when one Of the citizens
lying In wait to capture them made
noise that frightened the gang and they
ran from the tomb with the citizens In
pursuit There was "a running fight. but
the robbers escaped. Later two Of them
were caught and imprisoned for short
terms. For six months after that the
casSet, with Lincolns remains. lay COW
cred with boards in a corridor OF the
tomb. between what is now the memo
rial room OF the tomb and the loom
containing the sarcophaeus. II was
guarded day ana night. Then the
casltet, with that containing the remains
of Mrs Lincoln. was buried In six feet
OF cement Immediately under tho spot
from which the robbers had attempted
to steal It.
Before the reburial. however, an I'M
dertaker. in the presence OF a COMMIT
tee Of Springfield citizens, removed the
metal plate of the casket over the face
of Lincoln, and eleven years after his
death 1t was revealed that no apparent
change had taken place. The remains
appeared as natural as they were on
the day of their interment In April 1865.
This is the story told me by Major
r. S. Johnson. custodian OF the Lincoln
tomb at Springfield. civil Wat veteran.
intimate friend OF the Lincoln family,
one OF the men who attempted TO cap
ture the robbers. and one OF tho Lincoln
guard OF honor from the night OF No
vemher {. 1879, when the attempt was
made to steal the body. until it was again
inferred. surrounded on every side by
six feet OF cement Major Johnson was
also a member of the committee that
viewed Lincoln's remains after they had
been In the tomb eleven years. lie was
n schoolmate OF Robert T. Lincoln, only
survivor of the vnartyred Presidents
family. DAVID c. BAKER.
NEw York November 30