Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography, & More The Plot to Steal the Body of Abraham Lincoln
9 snips
Mar 5, 2026 A bold 1876 scheme to kidnap Abraham Lincoln's corpse for ransom. The strange botched grave robbery, secret informants, and a staged ambush. Repeated secret reburials, a concealed steel-and-concrete internment, and why officials hid the whole affair for decades.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Lincoln's Funeral Train And National Mourning
- Abraham Lincoln's body became a national symbol after his assassination, sparking unprecedented public mourning across cities.
- A 1,700-mile funeral train stopped in major cities where roughly 1 million people viewed the body and millions witnessed the procession.
Early Lincoln Tomb Security Was Minimal
- The Lincoln Tomb was completed in 1874 and initially allowed visitors close access to the coffin inside a marble sarcophagus.
- Tomb security was minimal, making the remains surprisingly vulnerable in the decades after interment.
Counterfeiters Plotted To Ransom Lincoln's Corpse
- A counterfeiting gang led by James "Big Jim" Kennelly planned to steal Lincoln's corpse to ransom master engraver Benjamin Boyd.
- Boyd's 1875 arrest for counterfeiting triggered the plot to demand his release and $200,000.