Grave Robbers Attempted To Steal Lincoln’s Corpse

President Lincoln returned to Illinois after being assassinated on April 15, 1865, and a tomb was erected in Springfield in his honor. Lincoln lay in peace in Oak Ridge Cemetery, some two miles outside of Springfield, for 11 years, until one evening in 1876. According to the U.S. Secret Service, many burglars attempted to break in on November 7, 1876, and steal Lincoln's body. The burglars within the tomb fled after being startled by a gunshot.

The newspaper said that "two infamous criminals, Jack Hughes and Torrence Mullen, were apprehended yesterday night for attempted robbery, on the night of the 7th of January." Hughes, who was out on bond, was charged with counterfeiting in connection with the infamous Boyd case.”

In order to free the gang's top counterfeiter from jail, they planned to keep the body for a ransom of $200,000. However, Secret Service agents had infiltrated the gang and were waiting to thwart the plan. The remains of Abraham Lincoln were hastily transferred to an unmarked grave before being enclosed in a steel cage and buried under ten feet of concrete.