The Mysterious Case of Abraham Lincoln’s Mummy
The story of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is well-known; a tale of leadership, tragedy, heroism, and ultimately, assassination. However, a less explored chapter in Lincoln’s story is the bizarre and somewhat macabre tale surrounding his body after his death. It’s a narrative steeped in intrigue, crime, conspiracy, and mystery.
The Plot to Steal Lincoln’s Body
In 1876, eleven years after Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865, at Ford’s Theatre, and his subsequent death on April 15, a strange plot was afoot. A group of counterfeiters, led by a notorious criminal named Big Jim Kennally, concocted a plan to steal Lincoln’s corpse from its resting place in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois.
Their motive was as American as apple pie; money. Their plan was to ransom the president’s body for $200,000 (over 5 Million USD today) and the release of their best engraver, Benjamin Boyd, who was imprisoned in the Illinois State Penitentiary. On the night of November 7, 1876, the gang, spearheaded by Terrence Mullen and Jack Hughes, attempted the Watergate-esque, comedy invoking, heist. Fortunately a Secret Service operation had infiltrated the gang and thwarted their efforts.
The nerd in me wants to clarify something about the Secret Service. We think of the organization primarily operating as presidential protectors, however, that was a much later addition to their duties. One of their main jurisdictional objectives and original directives is investigating counterfeit money. And therefore it’s obvious to see the connection in this case. End nerdy tangent.
The Moving Coffin
This incident, however, triggered a series of events that would lead to Lincoln’s body being moved multiple times within the monument for security reasons. It was not until September 26, 1901, that a decision was made to lay Lincoln to rest in a more secure and final resting place. The plan was to place his body in a steel cage, buried ten feet under concrete.
The Exhumation and Identification
Amid swirling rumors about the whereabouts of Lincoln’s remains, a decision was made to open the coffin before its final interment. Like conspiracies on social media today, rumors back then caused many to believe in unlikely events and misconstrued facts. To put those rumors to rest, in an event witnessed by 23 individuals, including Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, the coffin was opened.
Those present attested that the body inside was indeed that of Abraham Lincoln. Despite 36 years having passed, identifiable features, including his height, the wart on his face, and the linen wrapping his head, were cited as proof. This exhumation and verification should have put all rumors to rest.
The Mysterious “Lost” Mummy Theory
Yet, as history often tells us, the end of one mystery can be the beginning of another. A conspiracy theory if you will. Despite the eyewitness accounts, speculations persisted. Some theorists proposed that the body in the coffin wasn’t Lincoln’s, fueling the legend of Lincoln’s “lost” mummy. Claims ranged from a body switch during one of the relocations to more elaborate conspiracy theories involving high-ranking officials. All of which are nutty.
History and Myth
To this day, the story of Lincoln’s “lost” mummy remains a captivating chapter in the plethera of historical mysteries, especially when you consider his assassin, John Wilkes Booth, has his own dead body conspiracy/craziness. While there is substantial evidence, including eyewitness accounts and historical documentation, that Lincoln’s body was never truly “lost,” the allure of the unknown continues to fascinate.
The tale of Abraham Lincoln’s posthumous journey, from a failed grave robbery to his final entombment, is a reminder that sometimes history itself can be as strange as fiction. History never disappoints.