On this episode of Our American Stories, most people know how Abraham Lincoln died. The assassination in 1865, carried out by John Wilkes Booth, is one of the most well-known moments in American history. What people don’t usually hear is what happened after he died. A group of counterfeiters in Chicago came up with a plan to steal Abraham Lincoln’s body from his tomb and hold it for ransom. Their goal was to trade Lincoln’s coffin for money and the release of a master engraver who could keep their operation alive.

Louis Picone, author of The President Is Dead!, shares the forgotten tale of one of the most harebrained schemes in American history, one that almost succeeded.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)