The book is 250 pages with index, bibliography, notes, and bw photos. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. In 1900, a complete reconstruction of lincolns tomb was undertaken, and lincolns remains were exhumed, before lincoln was finally placed back in the white marble sarcophagus that the men who tried to steal the body had opened so easily in 1876. Buy a cheap copy of stealing lincolns body book by thomas j. It takes us through the planning and execution of the crime and the outcome of the investigation. This caused the custodian to spend his whole life protecting lincolns body. More specifically, parts of the book go on and on about side topics such as the history of the following topics in the us. He described the attempted theft of president abraham lincolns remains on the eve the 1876 election.
The attempt to steal the body, while important, is only part of the story. 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. 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. If so, what information in the book was new to you.
Grave robber terrence mullen one of the men who tried to steal president abraham lincolns body. Craughwells 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. Stealing lincolns body tv movie 2009 plot summary imdb. After lincolns death on april 15, 1865, a grand funeral procession was arranged to last from april 21st to may 4th, as lincolns body was transported by train from washington to lincolns home in springfield, illinois. The program follows the material well and keeps us engrossed. Lincoln was the united states president during the civil war, which was a very turbulent time in americas history. Did this book alter your opinion of any of the historical figures who appear in it. In 1870 a group of counterfeiters in illinois ran up on. Bleaching out the spots verses 12 the prophetic book of jude. 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. Stealing lincolns body the odd reburials of abraham. 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. It would also fit well with course units connected to the abraham lincoln bicentennial commemorations in 2009. Craughwell is the author of stealing lincolns body harvard university press, 2007.
New york times bestselling author james swanson delivers a riveting account of the chase for abraham lincoln s assassin. What was the one most interesting thing that you learned. The 25 best books about abraham lincoln at least 15,000 books have been written about abraham lincoln, the 16th president of the united states. Prophesying with enoch verse 14 the prophetic book of jude. I found myself referring to the notes on many ocassions just to see where the material had come from. 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. The action begins in october of 1875, as secret service agents raid the fulton, illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter ben boyd. History attempt steal body abraham lincoln abebooks. One of the strangest, most intriguing, and yet almost unknown episodes in american history unfolded in 1876, eleven years after the assassination of abraham lincoln. For more on this story check out the book stealing lincolns body, by thomas j craughwell, or the corresponding documentary.
Lincolns corpse and its grand yet ghoulish odyssey this photograph of abraham lincoln lying in state in new yorks city hall on april, 24, 1865 is the only known photo of lincoln after his death. To understand the audacity of the body stealing plot, you need to understand or be reminded how important lincoln was, and that is what the history channel have tried to convey in the. Over lincolns dead body the bizarre story story teller. Funeral and mourning traditions in the 1870s were nonnegotiable. 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. The book starts out in the 1600s explaining how the united states develops its monetary system along with counterfeiting. The main story is what happened to lincolns body from 1865 to 1901. If the yankees ever did get hold of it, wed be prepared to hand over all our american prisoners in exchange for it. Craughwell is the author of stealing lincolns body harvard. Craughwell has documented this sad story in his wonderful book stealing lincolns body published by belknap press. The dvd offers average picture and audio but lacks any supplements. For an extremely detail account of the movements of lincoln s body, check out stealing lincoln s body by thomas craughwell. In this podcast, brian mchale takes the lead in talking about a not very well known chapter of american history. Feb 08, 2015 for a very long time now, too many americans have found it easier to think about lincolns body that brawn, that bullet than about the bodies of the millions of men, women and children.
Discussion questions for stealing lincolns body by thomas j. In the book lincolns grave robbers what was the name of the gang kennally used in his first plot to steal lincolns body. Lincolns party arrived at the theater at around 9 p. The majority of the american people had very strong feelings, either in favor of northern policies or for the southern cause. Stealing lincolns body would be useful for american history, politics. Springfields attempts to make a tourist attraction and mary lincolns plans collide at once. A band of chicago counterfeiters hatched a plot to steal the presidents body from its tomb outside springfield, illinois, and. December 21, 1865, september 19, 1871, october 9, 1874, april 14, 1887, and september 26, 1901. Lincolns missing bodyguard history smithsonian magazine. Therefore, big jim kinealy, the crews leader, hatched a plot to steal abraham lincolns body. Lincoln s coffin would be placed in a steel cage 10 feet 3. He was the 16th president of the united states and the first. Stealing lincolns body would be useful for american history, politics, american studies and journalism courses. Stealing lincoln s body has 2 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace same low prices, bigger selection, more fun.
Mourning lincoln and lincolns body the new york times. Killing lincoln is a must read historical thriller. 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. Here, in the autumn of 1876, mullen, hughes, and kinelly developed their new plot. No groundskeeper living there or security around the presidents tomb.
Thomas craughwell talked about his book stealing lincolns body, published by belknap press. Table of contents 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. While lincoln scholars have occasionally agonized that. This program contains some sensitive content involving lincolns death and burial which may be shocking to some students. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the entombed body of abraham lincoln and hold it for ransom.
The play, our american cousin, had already started when the president entered his box directly above the right side of the stage. Stealing lincolns body by thomas j craughwell alibris. This book places the grave robbery in historical context. 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. The logan county gang in the book lincolns grave robbers in the 1860s what price did medical colleges usually pay body snatchers per corpse. Published on mar 2, 2019 in 1876 a band of counterfeiters devise a plot to force the governments hand by taking a hostage no one can ignore.
The book explains how the counterfeiters carried out the crime and the reaction of mary todd lincoln. If you wish to learn about the man who led the north during the american civil war and issued the emancipation proclamation in 1862 then you are not going to be restricted by choice. Originally courtesy of the abraham lincoln presidential library. Stealing lincolns body book by thomas j craughwell 2. At times though the informative portions were a little much. 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. He is one of the pinkerton detectives mentioned who guarded lincolns body that night and in fact is the person who physically arrested mullins. Craughwell, 9780674024588, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. 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. Harris joined virtual book signing on may 19, 2007 to discuss lincoln and the attempt to steal. 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. Protecting lincolns body led them to protecting the office of the presidency. Stealing lincolns body by trey nelson trey nelson, jonathan.
In his book lenins embalmers 1999 soviet embalmer ilya zbarsky quotes a north vietnamese general who spoke to him about hos body. Feb, 2017 lincoln s presence liberates one of them, who literally will haunt the president a year before he signs the emancipation proclamation. 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. Thomas craughwell exhumes a fascinating and bizarre lincoln tale that you didnt hear in school. Jun 24, 2007 in 1876, abraham lincoln s body lay within an aboveground white marble sarcophagus in a handsome tomb on the grounds of springfield, ill. Feb 16, 2009 stealing lincoln s body is a documentary from the history channel that delves into the history of a shocking plot to exhume and then steal abraham lincoln s body. The critique takes the form of a pervasive ambivalence on the subject of lincoln s heroism, an ambivalence that appears in the conclusion to the war years quoted earlier. While tyrrell was the undisputed hero of the hour, the secret service perhaps benefited most of all from the failed crime. Soaping out the mouths of the mockers verse 15 september21 the prophetic book of jude. Based on rare archival material, obscure trial manuscripts, and interviews with relatives of the conspirators and the manhunters, chasing lincoln s killer is a fastpaced thriller about the pursuit and capture of john wilkes booth. 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. Chasing lincolns killer is the story of the assassination of abraham lincoln. Robert lincoln is detached but involved making him a.
I have dozens of newspaper articles and book references published on this topic and every one of them repeatedly mentions john mcginn. Robert lincoln is detached but involved making him a question mark for history. Grave robber john hughes one of the men who tried to steal president abraham lincolns body. Dont let this put you off, but it is approximately 35 minutes in before you start getting introduced to the people who were planning to steal lincoln s body.
A band of chicago counterfeiters hatched a plot to steal the presidents body. Craughwell, reveals an historic crime involving the stealing of a deceased president. This is a novel about death that ends beautifully, with hope. 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.
However, those present 23 people total feared that his body might have been stolen in. Stealing lincolns body 9780674030398 by craughwell, thomas j. On september 26, 1901, lincoln s body was exhumed so that it could be reinterred in the newly built crypt. By don radebaugh when fleetwood lindley died in 1963, he would officially go down in history as the last person to have looked upon the face of abraham lincoln, albeit the viewing came. This documentary from the history channel chronicles the bizarre history of president lincolns body which was moved. In 1876, abraham lincolns body lay within an aboveground white marble. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of. However, those present a total of 23 people feared that his body might have been stolen in the intervening years, so. Stealing lincolns body may sound like the subject for some fictional bmovie, it actually gives us a fascinating documentary about actual events. The book, stealing lincoln s body, written by thomas j. Abraham lincoln died on april 15, 1865, of a gunshot wound to the head. Lincolns grave robbers by steve sheinkin scholastic. This rousing story of con men, federal agents, and ordinary springfield citizens underscores that truth really is sometimes stranger than fiction.
Includes program for lincoln society event where author was a guest speaker and signed the book. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang. Craughwell stealing lincoln s body 1st edition 1st printing hardcover new york belknap press 2007 very good in a very good dust jacket. Craughwell, author of saints behaving badly, vividly tells the story of lincolns postdeath movements. Abraham lincoln s coffin has been moved 17 times, mostly due to numerous reconstructions of the lincoln tomb and fears for the safety of the presidents remains. Neuware history of an attempt to steal the body of abraham lincoln, late president of the united states of america, including a history of the lincoln guard of honor, with eight years lincoln memorial services is an unchanged, highquality reprint of the original edition of 1890. Bill oreilly recounts the dramatic events of the spring of 1865 with such exhilarating immediacy that you will feel like you are walking the streets of washington, dc, on the night that john wilkes booth shot abraham lincoln. With jon austin, kent courtney, tom dwyer, matthew gooley. Lincolns trippy visit to sons grave in brilliant bardo. Craughwell overall, this book was very interesting and informative. Apr 17, 2010 lincoln s body was exhumed on september 26, 1901, so that it could be reinterred in the newly built crypt.
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