Buy a cheap copy of stealing lincoln s body book by thomas j. He takes us through the planning and execution of the crime and the outcome of the investigation. Craughwell is the author of stealing lincolns body harvard university press, 2007. History tv movie 16 february 2009 on the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln. Stealing lincolns body book by thomas j craughwell 2. He describes the reactions of mary todd lincoln and robert todd lincoln to the theft. The custodian of the tomb was so shaken by the incident that he willingly dedicated the rest of his life to protecting the presidents corpse. The first time was in 1890, when the custodian of the tomb wrote his own book, and most recently in 1990, with bonnie stahlman speers book, the great abraham lincoln hijack. He is one of the pinkerton detectives mentioned who guarded lincoln s body that night and in fact is the person who physically arrested mullins. Did this book alter your opinion of any of the historical figures who appear in it. The book starts out in the 1600 s explaining how the united states develops its monetary system along with counterfeiting. This documentary from the history channel chronicles the bizarre history of president lincoln s body which was moved, stolen, and disturbed several times following his burial in 1866, until it was finally moved to a steel and concrete reinforced tomb several years later. While tyrrell was the undisputed hero of the hour, the secret service perhaps benefited most of all from the failed crime.
On one level, its about a gang of criminal misfits who tried to steal abraham lincolns body from his tomb in springfield, illinois, in order to set free an imprisoned comrade. The book is 250 pages with index, bibliography, notes, and bw photos. He described the attempted theft of president abraham lincolns remains on the eve the 1876 election. May contain limited notes, underlining or highlighting that does affect the text. Kennally set up a headquarters of sorts in a chicago bar called the hub. Philip hoare, the sunday telegraph stealing lincolns body is a fascinating thriller, and it provides a macabre footnote to american history, but the real strength lies in the way the contextthe dynamic but turbulent society of america in the immediate aftermath of. I am doing this project for school and i am trying to find facts on stealing abraham lincolns body and i just so happened to come across this website. In 1876, abraham lincolns body lay within an aboveground white marble sarcophagus in a handsome tomb on the grounds of springfield, ill. He follows the unlikely tale of what happened to lincolns remains after the attempted robbery, and details the plan devised by the lincoln guard of honor to prevent a similar abominable recurrence. Lincoln s coffin would be placed in a steel cage 10 feet 3. The attempted theft of lincolns body traumatized him such that he spent the rest of his life dedicated to the protection of lincoln s remains.
In a wellresearched and beautifully written book, he takes readers through the intriguing irish underworld of counterfeiting that led to the plot to hold lincolns body for ransom. However, those present a total of 23 people feared that his body might have been stolen in the intervening years, so. Stealing lincolns body was a book that was about a group of men out of chicago that attempted to steal president lincolns body from his grave sight. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Craughwells stealing lincolns body on the web site, bob bender, senior editor of simon and schuster, notes that abraham lincoln has been a bestselling subject, probably since the month after he died.
After the final identification of lincolns body in 1901, the 16 invited witnesses posed outside the tomb for a group portrait. This rousing story of hapless con men, intrepid federal agents, and ordinary springfield citizens who honored their native son by keeping a valuable, burdensome secret for decades offers a riveting glimpse into late nineteenth century america, and underscores that truth really is sometimes stranger. Craughwell s stealing lincoln s body on the web site, bob bender, senior editor of simon and schuster, notes that abraham lincoln has been a bestselling subject, probably since the month after he died. Did these robberies contribute to james kennallys idea a year later. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln and hold it for ransom. Lincolns grave robbers by steve sheinkin scholastic. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the. Oct 24, 2009 the book, stealing lincoln s body, written by thomas j.
Discussion questions for stealing lincolns body by thomas j. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Stealing lincolns body is a fascinating thriller, and it provides a macabre footnote to american history, but the real strength lies in the way the contextthe dynamic but turbulent society of america in the immediate aftermath of the civil waris so skillfully described. Craughwell, reveals an historic crime involving the stealing of a deceased president. I have to fill a lot of things out for my sources for the facts. Stealing lincolns body book king county library system. Thomas craughwell in a summary of his book stealing lincolns body tells of the second more infamous attempt. A true crime thriller the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal abraham lincoln s body. In the 1870s a gang of counterfeiters turned grave robbers in an attempt to free one of their members by holding abraham lincolns body hostage.
Craughwell is the author of stealing lincoln s body harvard university press, 2007. Thomas craughwell talked about his book stealing lincolns body, published by belknap press. While lincoln scholars have occasionally agonized that. He may also have been influenced by a stillborn plot in 1867 to steal and ransom lincoln s body. Craughwell has documented this sad story in his wonderful book stealing lincoln s body published by belknap press. The book explains how the counterfeiters carried out the crime and the reaction of mary todd lincoln. Did these robberies contribute to james kennally s idea a year later. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang. Craughwell returns to this bizarre, and largely forgotten, event with the first book to place the grave robbery in historical context. Stealing lincoln s body history tv movie 16 february 2009 on the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln. If so, what information in the book was new to you.
In fact, kinelly was not the first man to plot to steal lincoln s corpse. Craughwell this rousing story of hapless con men, intrepid federal agents, and ordinary springfield citizens who honored their native son by keeping a valuable, burdensome secret for decades offers a riveting glimpse into late nineteenth century america, and underscores that truth really is sometimes stranger. The book starts out in the 1600s explaining how the united states develops its monetary system along with counterfeiting. I found myself referring to the notes on many ocassions just to see where the material had come from. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of abraham lincoln. Along the way, stealing lincoln s body detours into the story of rampant counterfeiting prior to and through the civil war that nearly bankrupted the u. On september 26, 1901, lincoln s body was exhumed so that it could be reinterred in the newly built crypt. At times though the informative portions were a little much. He is one of the pinkerton detectives mentioned who guarded lincolns body that night and in fact is the person who physically arrested mullins. The attempt to steal lincolns body has been covered before. Thomas j craughwell in a lively and dramatic narrative, thomas j.
Craughwell overall, this book was very interesting and informative. Surprising facts that few people know about how many times lincolns body was moved after his death and how close graverobbers came to stealing his body after his burial. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of. I have to find the contributors, publisher sponsor, and when the site was electronically published but i cant seem to find it. After extensive ceremonies and public viewings, from baltimore through new. In this podcast, brian mchale takes the lead in talking about a not very well known chapter of american history. This documentary from the history channel chronicles the bizarre history of president lincolns body which was moved, stolen, and disturbed several times following his burial in 1866, until it. Stealing lincolns body by trey nelson trey nelson, jonathan. Stealing lincolns body the odd reburials of abraham. The book, stealing lincolns body, written by thomas j. One of the countrys largest counterfeiting gangs ran its operation in illinois. When ben boyd, a master engraver, was thrown in jail, the gangs supply of counterfeit money dwindled.
In 1875, a rash of medical body stealing broke out in montreal, covered extensively by u. In a wellresearched and beautifully written book, he takes readers through the intriguing irish underworld of counterfeiting that led to the plot to hold lincolns body for. Mar 02, 2019 for more on this story check out the book stealing lincolns body, by thomas j craughwell, or the corresponding documentary. Craughwell tells the story of the attempted theft of the 16th presidents remains on the eve the 1876 election in stealing lincolns body.
The custodian of the tomb was so shaken by the incident that he willingly dedicated the rest of his life to protecting the president s corpse. This documentary from the history channel chronicles the bizarre history of president lincolns body which was moved, stolen, and disturbed several times following his burial in 1866, until it was finally moved to a steel and concrete reinforced tomb several years later. Buy stealing lincolns body by thomas j craughwell online at alibris. For more on this story check out the book stealing lincolns body, by thomas j craughwell, or the corresponding documentary. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Philip hoare, the sunday telegraph stealing lincolns body is a fascinating thriller, and it provides a macabre footnote to american history, but the real strength lies in the way the contextthe dynamic but turbulent society of america in the immediate aftermath of the civil waris so skillfully. A true crime thriller the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal abraham lincolns body. A true crime thriller, the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal abraham lincoln s body. On a higher level, its about the vast criminal underworld that circulated around america during the mid to late19th century. Thomas craughwell exhumes a fascinating and bizarre lincoln tale that you didnt hear in school.
The action begins in october of 1875, as secret service agents raid the fulton, illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter ben boyd. What was the one most interesting thing that you learned. Also, see craughwell s article entitled a plot to steal lincoln s body in the july 2, 2007, edition of u. While the field of lincoln studies appears to have been exhaustively mined, thomas craughwell has found a gold nugget in the bizarre story of stealing lincolns body. He follows the unlikely tale of what happened to lincoln s. Thus, it is a bit surprising that two books on the 1876 attempt to steal lincolns body and hold it for ransom have appeared in the last ten years. A percentage of the proceeds from your purchase of this book from will benefit the ashbrook center. More specifically, parts of the book go on and on about side topics such as the history of the following topics in the us. Stealing lincolns body has 2 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. The photograph of the lincoln monument circa 1877 and the photographs of the tomb robbers came from that book. Craughwell has documented this sad story in his wonderful book stealing lincolns body published by belknap press. Over lincolns dead body the bizarre story story teller. Stealing lincoln s body has 2 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace.
Eyeopening book about past history surrounding lincolns body and his memorial in springfield, illinois. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. Nov 04, 2015 in this podcast, brian mchale takes the lead in talking about a not very well known chapter of american history. Originally courtesy of the abraham lincoln presidential library. I have dozens of newspaper articles and book references published on this topic and every one of them repeatedly mentions john mcginn. This rousing story of hapless con men, intrepid federal agents, and ordinary springfield.
Stealing lincolns body by thomas j craughwell alibris. But craughwells book shows there still is a hunger for anything to do with lincoln. Based on the book of the same title by author thomas craughwell, stealing lincolns body offers a unique window into lincolns shocking assassination and its aftermath. Here, in the autumn of 1876, mullen, hughes, and kinelly developed their new plot. Only months after the presidents body was returned to springfield in 1865, a local lawyer his name now forgotten apparently had tried to round up accomplices for such a scheme. A true crime thriller, the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal abraham lincolns body. Another excellent source is the 2007 publication by thomas j. This caused the custodian to spend his whole life protecting lincolns body.
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