ATTEMPTED STEALING OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S REMAINS.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 29, 27 January 1877, Page 3

ATTEMPTED STEALING OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S REMAINS.

A letter, dated Springfield, Hi., Nov. j 10, says : J The latter devolpn>ent.s m regard to ! the attempted desecration of the tomb I of Lincoln and the stealing of his re- ! mains, show that it was the consummation of a most determined and deep-laid conspiracy, m which no novices m the criminal art were engaged. The community were at first so horrified by the discovery of the midnight attempt that they hastily jumped to a conclusion i that something -of either political or sectional significance attached to the crime, but it. is now definitely known that the sole motive or object was the , obtaining of a great ransom for restitution of the remains. ' The Lincoln Monu- j ment Association, composed of leading citizens of the State, have raised a large amount of money and erected a splendid monument, which with its fine | surroundings is the point of interest to all visitors here, and it was conjectured by the would-be robbers that the Association, :the citizens of Springfield, and the people of Illinois, as of l the TJnion, would pay an immense sum to recover the body of the President they loved so well. It was to be another Charlie Ross outrage, with much larger possibilities inthe way of rewards. . The conspirators are known; to the' detedtives, who will have no difficulty, it is thought, m capturingthem when the proof is m -a satisfactory shape. The fact is that Captain •P. D. Tyrrell, of the* United States Secret Service, to whom the working up of the case had been confided by Robert Lincoln and immediate Eersonal.friends of the. late President, ad traced out the. entire plot beforehand.! He knew the hour the attempt was to be made, and the night previous he-came from Chicago to Springfield m the same car with the conspirators, shadowing 'them constantly up to the evening of the outrage. Ex-chief Elmer Washburn was called m to aid m the capturq,..which, would have been com-plete,-with .conclusive, evidence while all were m. the crypt, but for an unfortunatey accident.- As the detectives emerged from their hiding-place, 100 ft. from the vault entrance, one of "them, m examining his pistol, accidentally discharged "it. ."'The: robbers .-immrediately fled and disappeared m the wood, which is but a few rods distant. The names of, the parties engaged are all withheld by the.officers, who say they can be had when wanted, but they are alleged to. be among the ' shrewdest managers of gigantic crimes on this side of the water. The first inkling of the affair was known m June last, the details having been overheard in^ajhouse m a northern city, and-werei-soon reported to parties interested here. Since that time Robert Lincoln and the Hon. Leonard Swett, of. Chicago, have constantly been on the .alert, and'by means of several fortuitous circumstances were able to prevent what .. certainly would have been a most horrible sacrilege. The monument is now rclos.ely; guarded. ; .