As reported in the Chicago Daily News, sister publication of the Chicago Sun-Times:
After his assassination on April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln came home to Illinois where a tomb was built for him in Springfield. For 11 years, Lincoln rested peacefully in Oak Ridge Cemetery, located about two miles outside of Springfield, until one night in 1876.
On Nov. 7, 1876, several thieves attempted to break in and steal Lincoln’s body, according to the U.S. Secret Service. When a gunshot startled the thieves inside the tomb, they ran off and escaped.
Eleven days after the attempted theft, the Chicago Daily News published an update.
Top 10 Fascinating Things Done By Dead Historical Figures
Life is short. We have only a certain number of years to make an impact on the world before Fate snatches us away. But some figures of history have continued to shape the world, even after they leave it behind. Some have made great intellectual achievements, others have journeyed across the oceans, and a few have even eluded attempts at post-mortem kidnapping.
10 Abraham Lincoln foiled the theft of Abraham Lincoln’s body The state of Illinois is famous for being the home of both “Honest Abe” Lincoln, and massively successful organized crime gangs. These two divergent traits converged in 1876, when a group of counterfeiters in Chicago hatched one of the most bizarre ransom schemes of all time. Led by “Big Jim” Kennally, the gang decided to steal the body of Abraham Lincoln (buried in Springfield, Illinois) and use it as a bargaining chip to demand the release of their imprisoned engraver, Benjamin Boyd.