Lincoln's grave robbers

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!The action begins in October of 1875, as Secret Service agents raid the Fulton, Illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter Ben Boyd. Soon after Boyd is hauled off to prison, members of his counterfeiting ring gather in the back room of a smoky Chicago saloon to discuss how to spring their ringleader. Their plan: grab Lincoln's body from its Springfield tomb, stash it in the sand dunes near Lake Michigan, and demand, as a ransom, the release of Ben Boyd --and $200,000 in cash. From here, the action alternates between the conspirators, the Secret Service agents on their trail, and the undercover agent moving back and forth between the two groups. Along the way readers get glimpses into the inner workings of counterfeiting, grave robbing, detective work, and the early days of the Secret Service. The plot moves toward a wild climax as robbers and lawmen converge at Lincoln's tomb on election night: November 7, 1876.

• Cast of Characters p. vi
• Prologue: Midnight Escape p. 1
• Chapter 1 The Operative p. 8
• Chapter 2 The Pull p. 18
• Chapter 3 Coney Men vs. the Secret Service p. 25
• Chapter 4 Big Jim p. 33
• Chapter 5 First Try p. 45
• Chapter 6 Boodle Game p. 66
• Chapter 7 Prince of Ropers p. 75
• Chapter 8 The Trap p. 86
• Chapter 9 Last Details p. 98
• Chapter 10 Overnight Train p. 106
• Chapter 11 Election Day p. 112
• Chapter 12 Night at the Monument p. 122
• Chapter 13 Devilish Work p. 133
• Chapter 14 Search Begins p. 146
• Chapter 15 Back to the Hub p. 156
• Chapter 16 Gathering Evidence p. 166
• Chapter 17 Compromise Verdict p. 176
• Epilogue: Final Resting Place? p. 182
• Body Snatcher Bonus Section p. 199
• Glossary of Phrases p. 208
• Source Notes p. 209
• Index p. 212
• Acknowledgments p. 214

At ten o'clock that night, Whitley was sitting at the desk in his hotel room, writing up a report. There was a gentle knock on the door. "Come in," said the chief. The door opened. A voice sang out, "Good evening, Colonel!" Whitley turned to his guest. "McCartney!" he shouted, drawing his revolver. "How are you here?" "Put up your shootin'-iron, Colonel," McCartney said. "I merely called to pay my respects. I am going back, of course." And McCartney really did walk back to prison. Smiling all the way. Herman Whitley never did figure out how McCartney got out of jail that night. However he did it, the stunt illustrated a serious challenge facing the U.S. government in the 1870s. The Secret Service was absolutely determined to catch counterfeiters and keep them behind bars. But coney men were just as eager to get free-and they were good at it, too. Excerpted from Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.