"Mysteries at the Museum" White House Follies: Special

1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:05,220 A boozy bribe that began a president's career... 2 00:00:05,220 --> 00:00:06,620 WEATHERFORD: George Washington was determined 3 00:00:06,630 --> 00:00:10,430 that if this was what it took, he was going to do it. 4 00:00:10,430 --> 00:00:13,800 ...a nationwide hunt for a missing presidential pet... 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,300 KALLGREN: The one time he agreed to allow his cow 6 00:00:17,300 --> 00:00:19,100 to be taken out of Washington, 7 00:00:19,100 --> 00:00:22,140 she turns up missing. 8 00:00:22,140 --> 00:00:24,710 ...and a first lady puts her life on the line 9 00:00:24,710 --> 00:00:26,540 to save the White House. 10 00:00:26,550 --> 00:00:28,480 GHIORSI HART: I don't think she's thinking 11 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:29,680 of her own personal safety. 12 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,150 She's thinking of the United States. 13 00:00:33,150 --> 00:00:35,390 These are the mysteries at the museum. 14 00:00:35,390 --> 00:00:41,390 ¶¶ 15 00:00:41,390 --> 00:00:45,160 Boston, Massachusetts, is known for its historic port, 16 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:46,860 Boston Harbor. 17 00:00:46,870 --> 00:00:50,670 In 1716, the first American lighthouse was built here 18 00:00:50,670 --> 00:00:54,170 to guide ships to shore. 19 00:00:54,170 --> 00:00:56,340 But at the mouth of this waterway 20 00:00:56,340 --> 00:00:58,840 is a more modern structure -- 21 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,080 the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. 22 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,420 ¶¶ 23 00:01:05,420 --> 00:01:09,820 Its sprawling exhibition space includes such artifacts 24 00:01:09,820 --> 00:01:12,760 as the Fitzgerald family bible, 25 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:17,530 a Christian Dior gown worn by First Lady Jackie Kennedy, 26 00:01:17,530 --> 00:01:20,700 and a reconstruction of the Oval Office as it looked 27 00:01:20,700 --> 00:01:24,670 when JFK was in the White House. 28 00:01:24,670 --> 00:01:27,440 But amidst these prized presidential treasures 29 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:28,640 is one artifact 30 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,480 with a far more primitive appearance. 31 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:33,380 BREDHOFF: It's 7 inches in diameter. 32 00:01:33,380 --> 00:01:35,380 It has a circular wooden base 33 00:01:35,380 --> 00:01:40,520 with a brown, fibrous surface and words carved into it. 34 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,750 WILDMAN: This object is linked to a captivating chapter 35 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,560 of President John F. Kennedy's biography, 36 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:51,560 one that tells a tale of heroism on the high seas. 37 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,230 BREDHOFF: It was a harrowing ordeal that really had a huge impact 38 00:01:54,230 --> 00:01:57,900 on the life of President Kennedy and the history of our country. 39 00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:00,470 WILDMAN: What incredible story of survival 40 00:02:00,470 --> 00:02:02,340 does this object relate? 41 00:02:02,340 --> 00:02:05,580 ¶¶ 42 00:02:05,580 --> 00:02:07,510 It's 1943. 43 00:02:07,510 --> 00:02:11,780 World War II is raging in the South Pacific. 44 00:02:11,780 --> 00:02:13,720 In the fight against the Japanese, 45 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,120 the United States deploys a fleet 46 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,020 of specially designed patrol boats to chase down the enemy. 47 00:02:20,030 --> 00:02:22,590 BREDHOFF: They were designed to harass these large convoys 48 00:02:22,590 --> 00:02:24,790 of Japanese ships. 49 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,160 WILDMAN: Commanding PT109 and its 12-man crew 50 00:02:28,170 --> 00:02:30,670 is a 26-year-old Harvard graduate, 51 00:02:30,670 --> 00:02:32,640 Lieutenant John F. Kennedy. 52 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:36,570 BREDHOFF: JFK was a person who really loved action. 53 00:02:36,580 --> 00:02:40,010 And since he spent so much of his life on the sea 54 00:02:40,010 --> 00:02:41,780 and was a strong swimmer and sailor, 55 00:02:41,780 --> 00:02:43,810 he joined the Navy. 56 00:02:43,820 --> 00:02:46,880 WILDMAN: JFK's mission is to intercept enemy ships 57 00:02:46,890 --> 00:02:48,850 near the Solomon Islands, 58 00:02:48,850 --> 00:02:51,960 an archipelago northeast of Australia. 59 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,160 But with Japanese forces lurking at every turn, 60 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,890 he has to be on constant alert. 61 00:02:57,900 --> 00:02:59,800 BREDHOFF: It was a very dangerous mission. 62 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,470 There was a sense of dread of what could happen. 63 00:03:03,470 --> 00:03:08,240 WILDMAN: Then, one night, his worst fears are realized. 64 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,210 At around 2:00 a.m. on August 2nd, 65 00:03:12,210 --> 00:03:14,950 Kennedy spots something off in the distance. 66 00:03:14,950 --> 00:03:17,750 ¶¶ 67 00:03:17,750 --> 00:03:20,780 BREDHOFF: All of a sudden, JFK could sense a ship 68 00:03:20,790 --> 00:03:24,320 kind of looming out of the darkness. 69 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,620 WILDMAN: A Japanese destroyer is bearing down on them. 70 00:03:27,630 --> 00:03:29,190 But it's too late. 71 00:03:29,190 --> 00:03:32,230 Before Kennedy can get his boat's engines up to speed, 72 00:03:32,230 --> 00:03:35,200 the destroyer rams PT109. 73 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:42,270 ¶¶ 74 00:03:42,270 --> 00:03:44,070 Kennedy is thrown into the water. 75 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,580 ¶¶ 76 00:03:48,580 --> 00:03:53,680 And when he surfaces, he is shocked by what he sees. 77 00:03:53,690 --> 00:03:57,290 His vessel has been destroyed. 78 00:03:57,290 --> 00:04:00,760 Two seamen are dead, and one is severely injured. 79 00:04:02,290 --> 00:04:04,530 BREDHOFF: Kennedy and his crew were out in the open. 80 00:04:04,530 --> 00:04:05,430 They're very vulnerable. 81 00:04:05,430 --> 00:04:07,630 There were sharks in the water, 82 00:04:07,630 --> 00:04:10,800 and the Japanese were all around them. 83 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,700 WILDMAN: To stand any chance, Kennedy must get his men 84 00:04:13,710 --> 00:04:16,040 to dry land as soon as possible. 85 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:20,980 So he leads the way, pulling an injured crewmate along with him. 86 00:04:20,980 --> 00:04:26,050 He was a very strong swimmer and towed the man on his back. 87 00:04:26,050 --> 00:04:30,120 WILDMAN: Over the next 4 hours, the men swim the 3 1/2 miles 88 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,790 to the nearest island. 89 00:04:32,790 --> 00:04:34,760 When they finally make it to shore, 90 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,360 the wounded sailors collapse in exhaustion. 91 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,930 ¶¶ 92 00:04:40,930 --> 00:04:43,500 But even though they've reached solid ground, 93 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:46,200 their troubles are not behind them. 94 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,740 They are stranded on an island with little food or water 95 00:04:49,740 --> 00:04:53,640 in a region that's crawling with Japanese ships. 96 00:04:53,650 --> 00:04:55,880 But Kennedy refuses to give up. 97 00:04:57,880 --> 00:04:59,780 And so he gets back into the water, 98 00:04:59,790 --> 00:05:02,490 swimming and exploring the entire archipelago. 99 00:05:02,490 --> 00:05:06,490 He was determined to find a way out. 100 00:05:06,490 --> 00:05:08,390 WILDMAN: Finally, he reaches a beach 101 00:05:08,390 --> 00:05:11,060 where he encounters two islanders. 102 00:05:11,060 --> 00:05:14,400 It's then that Kennedy does something extraordinary. 103 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,870 He grabs the closest thing at hand, a coconut, 104 00:05:17,870 --> 00:05:20,540 and carves a message into the husk. 105 00:05:20,540 --> 00:05:23,370 The message spells out his crew's location 106 00:05:23,380 --> 00:05:24,840 and their condition. 107 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:27,810 Then he gives it to the natives and instructs them to deliver it 108 00:05:27,810 --> 00:05:29,110 to an Allied base 109 00:05:29,110 --> 00:05:32,650 on the island of Rendova, 40 miles away. 110 00:05:32,650 --> 00:05:35,450 BREDHOFF: He was determined to use whatever resources 111 00:05:35,450 --> 00:05:39,090 he came upon to get out. 112 00:05:39,090 --> 00:05:42,590 WILDMAN: Kennedy and his men wait. 113 00:05:42,590 --> 00:05:44,830 Finally, after nearly two days, 114 00:05:44,830 --> 00:05:47,060 they see something on the horizon, 115 00:05:47,070 --> 00:05:49,300 an American rescue boat. 116 00:05:49,300 --> 00:05:51,230 The coconut worked. 117 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,970 The fact that this coconut came to play 118 00:05:54,970 --> 00:05:56,240 such an important role 119 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:58,480 in the rescue of these American sailors 120 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,410 was just completely unforeseeable. 121 00:06:01,410 --> 00:06:03,010 But it's true. 122 00:06:03,010 --> 00:06:05,850 WILDMAN: The lieutenant and his men are safely transported 123 00:06:05,850 --> 00:06:07,620 to the Allied base. 124 00:06:07,620 --> 00:06:10,320 ¶¶ 125 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,260 When Kennedy runs for president in 1960, 126 00:06:13,260 --> 00:06:15,090 the heroic survival story 127 00:06:15,090 --> 00:06:17,390 becomes a crucial element of his campaign. 128 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,300 This episode made JFK a war hero in the public eye. 129 00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:23,570 WILDMAN: Eventually, the coconut itself 130 00:06:23,570 --> 00:06:25,700 is returned to President Kennedy. 131 00:06:25,700 --> 00:06:28,540 He has a piece of the husk encased in plastic 132 00:06:28,540 --> 00:06:31,410 and uses it as a paperweight in the Oval Office. 133 00:06:31,410 --> 00:06:34,240 ¶¶ 134 00:06:34,250 --> 00:06:36,080 Today, it sits on display 135 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:40,220 at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, 136 00:06:40,220 --> 00:06:42,590 where it tells the story of a brave hero 137 00:06:42,590 --> 00:06:45,260 who valiantly led his men to safety. 138 00:06:45,260 --> 00:06:50,530 ¶¶ 139 00:06:50,530 --> 00:06:54,630 Williamsburg, Virginia, has a rich colonial past. 140 00:06:54,630 --> 00:06:58,130 The city is home to more than 500 historic buildings, 141 00:06:58,140 --> 00:07:01,440 many of which have been restored to their former glory 142 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,640 and are staffed with actors in full colonial garb. 143 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:08,310 But no institution embodies this city's history 144 00:07:08,310 --> 00:07:09,710 more than The Capitol. 145 00:07:09,710 --> 00:07:13,050 ¶¶ 146 00:07:13,050 --> 00:07:16,650 First constructed in 1705 as the seat of government 147 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:18,190 for the colony of Virginia, 148 00:07:18,190 --> 00:07:21,160 it's been reborn as a museum celebrating 149 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,360 the fiery role of politics in the years 150 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,530 before the American Revolution. 151 00:07:26,530 --> 00:07:29,100 Inside, visitors can find reproductions 152 00:07:29,100 --> 00:07:32,070 of the colony's first coat of arms, 153 00:07:32,070 --> 00:07:34,070 a meeting chamber where the Founding Fathers 154 00:07:34,070 --> 00:07:38,340 planned American independence and a courtroom 155 00:07:38,340 --> 00:07:39,910 that was once part of the first 156 00:07:39,910 --> 00:07:42,110 independent judiciary on the continent. 157 00:07:42,110 --> 00:07:45,350 ¶¶ 158 00:07:45,350 --> 00:07:49,520 But among these egalitarian exhibits is one artifact 159 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,160 that appears more suited for a monarchy. 160 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:57,960 The artifact is about 8 1/2 feet tall by 3 1/2 feet wide, 161 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,230 sits on top of a pedestal 162 00:08:00,230 --> 00:08:02,900 and has a green velvet seat. 163 00:08:02,900 --> 00:08:05,300 It looks like this chair would be occupied 164 00:08:05,300 --> 00:08:09,640 by a king or a queen. 165 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,080 WILDMAN: Although this throne looks fit for a royal, 166 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,480 few realize that it's linked 167 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,210 to the father of the world's greatest republic. 168 00:08:17,220 --> 00:08:20,720 WEATHERFORD: This artifact is a reminder of a little-known election 169 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,920 that changed the course of American history. 170 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:29,130 ¶¶ 171 00:08:29,130 --> 00:08:32,960 WILDMAN: It's 1755 in Williamsburg, Virginia. 172 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,530 23-year-old Virginia native George Washington 173 00:08:36,530 --> 00:08:38,970 has just returned from a military campaign, 174 00:08:38,970 --> 00:08:42,970 fighting the French for control of the Ohio River Valley. 175 00:08:42,970 --> 00:08:45,880 WEATHERFORD: George Washington had personally commanded 176 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,180 hundreds of soldiers in the local militia, 177 00:08:48,180 --> 00:08:50,210 and they had helped keep back the French 178 00:08:50,220 --> 00:08:52,650 and keep them out of the Virginia colony. 179 00:08:52,650 --> 00:08:54,350 WILDMAN: But now, having fought 180 00:08:54,350 --> 00:08:56,350 for his fellow Virginians on the battlefield, 181 00:08:56,350 --> 00:08:58,350 he's determined to serve them 182 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,590 in a very different realm, politics. 183 00:09:02,590 --> 00:09:06,200 He's running for a seat in the Virginia colonial legislature, 184 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,130 also known as the House of Burgesses. 185 00:09:09,130 --> 00:09:11,030 The governing body is responsible 186 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,370 for writing local laws and setting taxes. 187 00:09:14,370 --> 00:09:16,340 In order to take a seat in the House, 188 00:09:16,340 --> 00:09:19,280 Washington must be voted in by Virginia locals 189 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:21,340 as part of a democratic election. 190 00:09:21,350 --> 00:09:24,050 WEATHERFORD: The House of Burgesses members 191 00:09:24,050 --> 00:09:25,520 were the only officials 192 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:28,850 elected by a democratic process in the entire colony. 193 00:09:28,850 --> 00:09:33,320 Being a Burgess was a position that held great respect. 194 00:09:33,330 --> 00:09:37,130 WILDMAN: But standing in his way are two wealthy landowners -- 195 00:09:37,130 --> 00:09:40,830 Thomas Swearingen and Hugh West. 196 00:09:40,830 --> 00:09:44,400 Unlike Washington, neither are celebrated war heroes. 197 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,400 Washington hopes his military track record will be enough 198 00:09:47,410 --> 00:09:49,740 to sway the vote in his favor. 199 00:09:49,740 --> 00:09:52,240 WEATHERFORD: George Washington was a war hero, 200 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,450 so he felt that his reputation at this point 201 00:09:55,450 --> 00:09:58,280 should really qualify him for the House of Burgesses. 202 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,550 ¶¶ 203 00:10:00,550 --> 00:10:03,120 WILDMAN: On December 10, 1755, 204 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,660 the day of the election arrives. 205 00:10:06,660 --> 00:10:10,660 The custom is for each voter to take the stage at City Hall 206 00:10:10,660 --> 00:10:15,000 and publicly announce their pick while the sheriff keeps tally. 207 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,070 As the votes are called out, Washington is shocked 208 00:10:18,070 --> 00:10:20,940 to hear his name barely mentioned. 209 00:10:20,940 --> 00:10:24,970 Out of 600 possible votes, he only receives 40. 210 00:10:24,980 --> 00:10:28,440 ¶¶ 211 00:10:28,450 --> 00:10:31,510 This was really tremendously embarrassing. 212 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,150 He had made such a poor showing at this election. 213 00:10:34,150 --> 00:10:37,790 This was a pretty crushing disappointment. 214 00:10:37,790 --> 00:10:39,860 WILDMAN: With his sterling reputation 215 00:10:39,860 --> 00:10:41,360 and spotless military record, 216 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:45,360 Washington can't understand why he garnered so few votes. 217 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,270 So he decides to investigate. 218 00:10:49,270 --> 00:10:51,670 And what he uncovers is shocking. 219 00:10:51,670 --> 00:10:54,340 It seems his wealthy rivals used a dirty trick 220 00:10:54,340 --> 00:10:55,610 they learned from the British 221 00:10:55,610 --> 00:10:57,840 to turn the electorate against him. 222 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,540 This discovery could change everything 223 00:11:00,550 --> 00:11:01,910 for the future president. 224 00:11:01,910 --> 00:11:04,850 WILDMAN: So what was the intoxicating issue 225 00:11:04,850 --> 00:11:08,050 that cost George Washington his first election? 226 00:11:08,050 --> 00:11:10,750 ¶¶ 227 00:11:14,990 --> 00:11:18,290 It's 1755 in colonial Virginia. 228 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:21,660 23-year-old veteran soldier George Washington 229 00:11:21,670 --> 00:11:23,830 has just lost his very first election 230 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:25,870 to two lesser-known candidates. 231 00:11:25,870 --> 00:11:29,540 The aspiring politician is baffled. 232 00:11:29,540 --> 00:11:31,410 But there's an intoxicating secret 233 00:11:31,410 --> 00:11:35,110 behind this unexpected loss. 234 00:11:35,110 --> 00:11:38,210 Washington examines the aftermath of the election 235 00:11:38,220 --> 00:11:40,020 and realizes what happened. 236 00:11:40,020 --> 00:11:44,590 The winner had been buying votes with free drinks. 237 00:11:44,590 --> 00:11:46,390 WEATHERFORD: The election had actually come down 238 00:11:46,390 --> 00:11:49,830 to one fantastic factor -- booze. 239 00:11:49,830 --> 00:11:52,430 ¶¶ 240 00:11:52,430 --> 00:11:54,430 WILDMAN: It turns out that while Washington had been 241 00:11:54,430 --> 00:11:57,130 trying to make his case to voters, 242 00:11:57,140 --> 00:11:59,800 the other candidates were simply handing out 243 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,270 free beer and liquor. 244 00:12:02,270 --> 00:12:04,770 WEATHERFORD: Washington's opponents didn't have 245 00:12:04,780 --> 00:12:07,680 the reputation that Washington had. 246 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:12,480 What they did have was a lot of whiskey at their disposal. 247 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:17,720 Washington had not fallen short on qualifications or character. 248 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,920 He had failed on drink service. 249 00:12:20,930 --> 00:12:23,390 WILDMAN: But Washington believes he is the best person 250 00:12:23,390 --> 00:12:26,160 to represent the people of Virginia. 251 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,330 And he refuses to give up. 252 00:12:29,330 --> 00:12:33,300 In 1758, he runs in the next election for a seat 253 00:12:33,300 --> 00:12:35,000 in the House of Burgesses. 254 00:12:35,010 --> 00:12:38,940 But, this time, he doesn't show up empty-handed. 255 00:12:38,940 --> 00:12:41,610 After seeing how the other candidates earned their votes 256 00:12:41,610 --> 00:12:43,210 in the previous election, 257 00:12:43,210 --> 00:12:45,150 he refuses to be outdone. 258 00:12:45,150 --> 00:12:47,050 WEATHERFORD: Washington had decided 259 00:12:47,050 --> 00:12:49,490 that the entire campaign budget would go towards 260 00:12:49,490 --> 00:12:53,060 purchasing 144 gallons of beer and liquor. 261 00:12:55,190 --> 00:12:57,730 WILDMAN: He goes through the crowd and provides each voter 262 00:12:57,730 --> 00:13:01,160 with glass after glass of free booze. 263 00:13:01,170 --> 00:13:03,700 WEATHERFORD: He and his campaign manager were going 264 00:13:03,700 --> 00:13:06,170 from group to group to group of potential voters, 265 00:13:06,170 --> 00:13:09,210 hoping that they could keep everybody's cups filled enough 266 00:13:09,210 --> 00:13:12,810 and keep the lively atmosphere going. 267 00:13:12,810 --> 00:13:17,150 This drunken party atmosphere was really not 268 00:13:17,150 --> 00:13:19,250 George Washington's style. 269 00:13:19,250 --> 00:13:22,750 But he was determined that if this was what it took, 270 00:13:22,750 --> 00:13:24,650 he was going to do it. 271 00:13:24,660 --> 00:13:25,920 For Washington. 272 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:27,620 WILDMAN: Finally, the votes are counted. 273 00:13:27,630 --> 00:13:29,790 For Washington. 274 00:13:29,790 --> 00:13:32,390 WILDMAN: And George Washington is declared the winner. 275 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,460 ¶¶ 276 00:13:35,470 --> 00:13:37,300 WEATHERFORD: He would've felt very proud 277 00:13:37,300 --> 00:13:39,000 that he had finally accomplished this 278 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,570 and really ready to get to work. 279 00:13:41,570 --> 00:13:44,010 He was somebody that really genuinely wanted 280 00:13:44,010 --> 00:13:45,770 to serve the people in the colony, 281 00:13:45,780 --> 00:13:47,710 so here was his chance. 282 00:13:47,710 --> 00:13:49,280 WILDMAN: After winning the election. 283 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,720 Washington becomes a prominent leader in the colonies. 284 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,280 And when the Revolutionary War breaks out, 285 00:13:55,290 --> 00:13:58,220 he takes command of the Continental Army 286 00:13:58,220 --> 00:14:01,960 and becomes the first President of the United States. 287 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:03,790 In the aftermath of the Revolution, 288 00:14:03,790 --> 00:14:05,390 many states banned the practice 289 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,630 of drinking near polling locations. 290 00:14:07,630 --> 00:14:10,570 ¶¶ 291 00:14:10,570 --> 00:14:14,070 Today, the Speaker's chair from the House of Burgesses 292 00:14:14,070 --> 00:14:16,770 continues to stand in the original chamber 293 00:14:16,770 --> 00:14:18,270 where George Washington served 294 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:21,080 at the Capitol Building in Williamsburg, Virginia. 295 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,310 It's a reminder of the boozy victory 296 00:14:23,310 --> 00:14:25,680 that launched Washington's political career 297 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:28,680 and ultimately made him the father of our country. 298 00:14:28,690 --> 00:14:35,160 ¶¶ 299 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,960 Greensboro, North Carolina. 300 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,960 The city was once famous for the textile mills 301 00:14:40,970 --> 00:14:43,470 that dotted the landscape. 302 00:14:43,470 --> 00:14:47,340 And remnants from its time as the denim capital of America 303 00:14:47,340 --> 00:14:50,670 are on display at the Greensboro Historical Museum. 304 00:14:52,810 --> 00:14:57,710 But set apart from exhibits devoted to blue jeans 305 00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:58,980 is an item crafted 306 00:14:58,980 --> 00:15:01,780 from a far more delicate fabric. 307 00:15:01,790 --> 00:15:05,390 GHIORSI HART: This artifact is about 60 inches long, 308 00:15:05,390 --> 00:15:07,520 made from red silk velvet. 309 00:15:07,530 --> 00:15:09,730 Depending on what angle you look at it, 310 00:15:09,730 --> 00:15:12,190 you'll get a different feel for colors ranging 311 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,330 from golden down to a deeper red. 312 00:15:15,330 --> 00:15:19,200 WILDMAN: This elegant fabric was rescued by a heroic first lady 313 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,470 in a brave bid to save the nation's pride. 314 00:15:22,470 --> 00:15:25,940 GHIORSI HART: She fought to save the symbol of American sovereignty 315 00:15:25,940 --> 00:15:27,980 when it was about to be destroyed. 316 00:15:27,980 --> 00:15:32,950 ¶¶ 317 00:15:32,950 --> 00:15:34,750 WILDMAN: August, 1814. 318 00:15:34,750 --> 00:15:39,720 The War of 1812 has been raging for 2 bloody years. 319 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,630 British forces have attacked America up 320 00:15:42,630 --> 00:15:44,790 and down the Eastern Seaboard, 321 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:48,430 but now the most chilling news of all has reached Washington. 322 00:15:48,430 --> 00:15:53,440 4,000 British soldiers have made landfall in Maryland 323 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:55,640 and are closing in on the capital. 324 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:59,540 The very existence of the United States of America 325 00:15:59,540 --> 00:16:02,850 is hanging in the balance. 326 00:16:02,850 --> 00:16:04,250 WILDMAN: On August 22nd, 327 00:16:04,250 --> 00:16:06,920 President James Madison leaves the White House 328 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,180 and joins the front lines in Maryland. 329 00:16:09,190 --> 00:16:13,320 For the president to go out into the battlefield shows 330 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,390 that there's an urgency here. 331 00:16:15,390 --> 00:16:18,930 WILDMAN: Madison's beloved wife, Dolly, is left behind 332 00:16:18,930 --> 00:16:20,700 in the executive mansion. 333 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:23,430 The first lady knows that if her husband fails 334 00:16:23,430 --> 00:16:25,930 to stop the British advance, 335 00:16:25,940 --> 00:16:27,170 the White House, 336 00:16:27,170 --> 00:16:29,710 the very symbol of American independence, 337 00:16:29,710 --> 00:16:31,570 will be vulnerable to attack. 338 00:16:31,580 --> 00:16:34,540 ¶¶ 339 00:16:34,550 --> 00:16:36,580 As a show of faith in her husband, 340 00:16:36,580 --> 00:16:39,980 Mrs. Madison refuses to leave. 341 00:16:39,980 --> 00:16:42,280 Dolly was very much a woman 342 00:16:42,290 --> 00:16:45,350 who was aware of public relations. 343 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,360 She knew that if she were to leave, 344 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,990 that the rest of the city's citizens 345 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,700 would feel that all hope was lost. 346 00:16:53,700 --> 00:16:57,430 ¶¶ 347 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,100 WILDMAN: Yet, on the afternoon of August 23rd, 348 00:17:00,100 --> 00:17:03,140 she receives an urgent dispatch. 349 00:17:03,140 --> 00:17:04,640 According to the president, 350 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:07,010 the British are overwhelming the Americans 351 00:17:07,010 --> 00:17:09,780 and will soon advance on the city. 352 00:17:09,780 --> 00:17:12,880 He tells her she must flee. 353 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,120 GHIORSI HART: Within two hours, 354 00:17:15,120 --> 00:17:18,620 the British are going to be at the White House. 355 00:17:18,620 --> 00:17:21,920 There's nothing that can be done to stop them. 356 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,570 It's August, 1814. 357 00:17:28,570 --> 00:17:32,000 The United States and Great Britain are at war once again, 358 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:33,840 and the British have the upper hand. 359 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:38,840 4,000 redcoats are marching directly on the White House. 360 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,710 One person stands in their way, First Lady Dolly Madison. 361 00:17:42,710 --> 00:17:45,720 ¶¶ 362 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,320 With a boom of cannons growing louder by the minute, 363 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:52,660 the White House staff prepares to evacuate. 364 00:17:52,660 --> 00:17:56,530 Amid the grave danger, the first lady keeps her cool. 365 00:17:56,530 --> 00:17:59,700 I don't think she's thinking of her own personal safety. 366 00:17:59,700 --> 00:18:03,130 She's thinking of the United States. 367 00:18:03,140 --> 00:18:04,430 WILDMAN: Dolly decides 368 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,000 that even if she can't save the White House, 369 00:18:07,010 --> 00:18:10,670 she will preserve as many of its contents as she can. 370 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:12,980 The unshakable first lady gathers 371 00:18:12,980 --> 00:18:14,740 important state documents 372 00:18:14,750 --> 00:18:16,980 as well as silver and other valuables. 373 00:18:16,980 --> 00:18:21,050 Then she directs servants to remove the treasured portrait 374 00:18:21,050 --> 00:18:22,320 of George Washington. 375 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,220 The British defacing Washington was something 376 00:18:26,220 --> 00:18:30,060 that she was not going to let happen. 377 00:18:30,060 --> 00:18:32,600 WILDMAN: And there's one more item 378 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:34,660 she desperately wants to save. 379 00:18:34,670 --> 00:18:37,970 GHIORSI HART: Hanging from the curtain rods were velvet drapes 380 00:18:37,970 --> 00:18:40,670 that she had specially made for the White House 381 00:18:40,670 --> 00:18:45,240 and that she loved, so those curtains are brought down. 382 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,380 WILDMAN: With the treasures secured, 383 00:18:47,380 --> 00:18:50,380 Dolly Madison at last vacates the White House 384 00:18:50,380 --> 00:18:52,780 and heads for safety in Virginia. 385 00:18:54,890 --> 00:18:58,190 It's not a moment too soon. 386 00:18:58,190 --> 00:19:01,160 Within hours, British forces arrive 387 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,990 at the abandoned executive mansion. 388 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,030 They burnt the White House to the ground. 389 00:19:07,030 --> 00:19:09,900 ¶¶ 390 00:19:09,900 --> 00:19:11,770 WILDMAN: In the enemy's wake, 391 00:19:11,770 --> 00:19:14,370 all that is left is a blackened shell. 392 00:19:14,370 --> 00:19:18,780 The nation reels from the destruction 393 00:19:18,780 --> 00:19:21,510 of the symbol of their sovereignty. 394 00:19:21,510 --> 00:19:24,550 Yet its citizens refuse to wallow in defeat. 395 00:19:24,550 --> 00:19:28,450 GHIORSI HART: The British thought that, by burning the capital, 396 00:19:28,450 --> 00:19:31,890 that Americans would be completely demoralized. 397 00:19:31,890 --> 00:19:35,360 In fact, what happened was the opposite. 398 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:39,430 WILDMAN: The assault on Washington galvanizes Americans 399 00:19:39,430 --> 00:19:42,630 against the British as never before. 400 00:19:42,630 --> 00:19:45,700 Less than three weeks after the White House is burned, 401 00:19:45,700 --> 00:19:49,570 the U.S. military wins its most decisive victory, 402 00:19:49,570 --> 00:19:53,040 the battle for Lake Champlain. 403 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:56,980 By December of 1814, the war is over, 404 00:19:56,980 --> 00:19:58,720 and the Americans have won. 405 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,920 ¶¶ 406 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:05,820 The White House is rebuilt. 407 00:20:05,820 --> 00:20:08,390 And thanks to the heroism of Dolly Madison, 408 00:20:08,390 --> 00:20:11,060 the items she salvaged are restored 409 00:20:11,060 --> 00:20:15,370 to their rightful places with one exception -- 410 00:20:15,370 --> 00:20:18,500 Dolly's beloved red velvet curtains. 411 00:20:18,500 --> 00:20:23,670 Legend has it that these drapes were used to create 412 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,480 a beautiful gown that she wore. 413 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,450 WILDMAN: The delicate dress is now on display 414 00:20:29,450 --> 00:20:32,550 at the Greensboro Historical Museum. 415 00:20:32,550 --> 00:20:36,320 It recalls the heroic first lady who risked her life 416 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:37,720 to save some of the nation's 417 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,920 most important treasures at its darkest hour. 418 00:20:40,930 --> 00:20:45,260 ¶¶ 419 00:20:45,260 --> 00:20:48,700 Marinette, Wisconsin. 420 00:20:48,700 --> 00:20:51,030 During the late 19th century, 421 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:53,800 this lumber town sent freshly cut pine 422 00:20:53,810 --> 00:20:57,940 down the nearby Menominee River to Chicago and points beyond. 423 00:20:59,580 --> 00:21:02,910 And, today, the legacy of the timber trade is on display 424 00:21:02,910 --> 00:21:07,020 at the Marinette County Historical Museum. 425 00:21:07,020 --> 00:21:09,220 It showcases an array of dioramas 426 00:21:09,220 --> 00:21:12,820 depicting the lumber industry as well as tools and equipment 427 00:21:12,820 --> 00:21:15,430 from the area's logging camps. 428 00:21:15,430 --> 00:21:17,360 Yet there's one object here that speaks 429 00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:19,230 to a historic incident 430 00:21:19,230 --> 00:21:22,430 felt far beyond the Midwest. 431 00:21:22,430 --> 00:21:28,710 The artifact is about 24 inches tall, cylindrical in shape, 432 00:21:28,710 --> 00:21:30,770 a little worse for wear, 433 00:21:30,780 --> 00:21:33,510 and it's got a round cover. 434 00:21:33,510 --> 00:21:36,580 WILDMAN: This container represents a frantic search 435 00:21:36,580 --> 00:21:40,020 that stretched from Wisconsin to the White House. 436 00:21:40,020 --> 00:21:42,820 This was easily one of the most bizarre disappearances 437 00:21:42,820 --> 00:21:45,790 that ever occurred to a presidential pet. 438 00:21:45,790 --> 00:21:49,090 WILDMAN: How is this milk can related to the strange story 439 00:21:49,090 --> 00:21:50,760 of an Oval Office cow? 440 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:54,260 ¶¶ 441 00:21:54,270 --> 00:21:56,900 1909, Washington, D.C. 442 00:21:56,900 --> 00:22:00,240 William Howard Taft has just been inaugurated 443 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,240 as the 27th president of the United States. 444 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,040 The 52-year-old Republican has a reputation 445 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:09,350 as a deft administrator with a judicious mind. 446 00:22:09,350 --> 00:22:14,280 But he's also known for another notable characteristic. 447 00:22:14,290 --> 00:22:19,360 KALLGREN: William Howard Taft topped the scales at over 350 pounds. 448 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:21,820 He was a very large man. 449 00:22:21,830 --> 00:22:25,760 WILDMAN: Taft has a voracious appetite for milk, butter and cheese, 450 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,230 so much so that the White House kitchen 451 00:22:28,230 --> 00:22:30,100 never seems to have enough. 452 00:22:30,100 --> 00:22:32,470 And rather than skim on his cream, 453 00:22:32,470 --> 00:22:35,000 the president makes an executive decision. 454 00:22:35,010 --> 00:22:38,640 Taft felt the family needed to have a cow of their own. 455 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:42,410 WILDMAN: When word of the president's request gets out, 456 00:22:42,410 --> 00:22:43,910 a Wisconsin senator named 457 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,480 Isaac Stephenson answers the call. 458 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,990 Stephenson had a very prominent dairy farm 459 00:22:49,990 --> 00:22:53,790 and offered one of his cows to the Taft family. 460 00:22:53,790 --> 00:22:57,190 WILDMAN: Stephenson's prized cows 461 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,130 are known for setting milk cans like this one 462 00:23:00,130 --> 00:23:02,830 at the Marinette County Historical Museum 463 00:23:02,830 --> 00:23:04,570 overflowing with the smoothest, 464 00:23:04,570 --> 00:23:07,840 richest milk in the dairy state. 465 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:11,210 And the cow he sends to Washington is no exception. 466 00:23:11,210 --> 00:23:13,180 Her name is Pauline Wayne. 467 00:23:13,180 --> 00:23:16,450 She's immediately put out to pasture in the lawn 468 00:23:16,450 --> 00:23:17,750 surrounding the White House. 469 00:23:17,750 --> 00:23:20,380 WILDMAN: 4-year-old Pauline produces 470 00:23:20,390 --> 00:23:23,190 an astonishing 8 gallons of milk a day, 471 00:23:23,190 --> 00:23:26,960 25% more than the average cow, 472 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,660 and more than enough to satisfy even President Taft. 473 00:23:33,030 --> 00:23:35,900 The first family is quite taken with its new pet. 474 00:23:35,900 --> 00:23:38,430 And they're not the only ones. 475 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:42,270 KALLGREN: Pauline Wayne becomes a bit of a media darling at the time 476 00:23:42,270 --> 00:23:45,510 and immediately works her way into the hearts 477 00:23:45,510 --> 00:23:50,710 and minds of the residents in Washington, D.C. 478 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:52,420 WILDMAN: Pauline is so popular 479 00:23:52,420 --> 00:23:55,050 that the White House soon receives requests for her 480 00:23:55,050 --> 00:23:57,490 to appear at events across the country. 481 00:23:57,490 --> 00:24:00,590 Yet Taft declines them all. 482 00:24:00,590 --> 00:24:03,090 By all accounts, he liked to keep Pauline safe 483 00:24:03,090 --> 00:24:06,760 and sound close to the White House. 484 00:24:06,770 --> 00:24:09,270 WILDMAN: But in the fall of 1911, 485 00:24:09,270 --> 00:24:11,800 the president makes a rare exception. 486 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:15,910 The organizers of a Wisconsin dairy expo ask for Pauline 487 00:24:15,910 --> 00:24:19,280 to take part in a special showcase. 488 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,350 And, as a favor to her former owner, Senator Stephenson, 489 00:24:22,350 --> 00:24:25,050 Taft agrees to lend the cow out. 490 00:24:25,050 --> 00:24:27,750 KALLGREN: This was a big deal because this would have been 491 00:24:27,750 --> 00:24:29,820 the first and only time that she was exhibited 492 00:24:29,820 --> 00:24:34,520 outside of Washington, D.C., during Taft's presidency. 493 00:24:34,530 --> 00:24:37,630 WILDMAN: On September 28th, Pauline Wayne is loaded 494 00:24:37,630 --> 00:24:39,400 onto a private cattle car 495 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:43,700 attached to a train bound for Wisconsin. 496 00:24:43,700 --> 00:24:46,940 But when it arrives in Milwaukee a few days later, 497 00:24:46,940 --> 00:24:49,640 the cattle car is nowhere to be found, 498 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:51,770 and neither is its valuable passenger. 499 00:24:51,780 --> 00:24:54,980 No sign of Pauline Wayne. 500 00:24:54,980 --> 00:24:57,110 WILDMAN: When the news is wired to Washington, 501 00:24:57,120 --> 00:24:59,680 President Taft is incredulous. 502 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:03,820 The one time that he agreed to allow his family's cow 503 00:25:03,820 --> 00:25:06,220 to be taken out of Washington, D.C., 504 00:25:06,220 --> 00:25:08,460 she turns up missing. 505 00:25:08,460 --> 00:25:12,500 WILDMAN: For two days, railroad employees comb the country 506 00:25:12,500 --> 00:25:15,870 in search of Pauline Wayne. 507 00:25:15,870 --> 00:25:18,670 Finally, Taft gets a lead on her location. 508 00:25:18,670 --> 00:25:23,340 KALLGREN: Somehow, she's ended up on the slaughter line 509 00:25:23,340 --> 00:25:25,840 down at the Union Stock Yards in Chicago, 510 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:30,280 the center of beef production in the United States. 511 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:32,420 WILDMAN: With thousands of cows processed 512 00:25:32,420 --> 00:25:34,250 through the stock yards every day, 513 00:25:34,250 --> 00:25:38,050 saving Pauline will be like finding a needle in a haystack. 514 00:25:38,060 --> 00:25:41,560 Is the country's favorite cow headed for the butcher's block? 515 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:48,460 It's 1911. 516 00:25:48,470 --> 00:25:51,270 The nation is in crisis. 517 00:25:51,270 --> 00:25:54,640 A dairy cow belonging to President William Howard Taft 518 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:56,510 has gone missing. 519 00:25:56,510 --> 00:26:00,140 So what has happened to the chief executive bovine? 520 00:26:00,140 --> 00:26:02,750 ¶¶ 521 00:26:02,750 --> 00:26:06,680 The White House immediately contacts the stock yard. 522 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,790 Finally, after a frantic search, Pauline Wayne is found. 523 00:26:10,790 --> 00:26:15,160 She's safe and sound, much to the relief of, frankly, 524 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:16,390 everyone involved. 525 00:26:16,390 --> 00:26:19,700 WILDMAN: But the question remains, 526 00:26:19,700 --> 00:26:24,400 how was Pauline Wayne lost in the first place? 527 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:26,170 It seems that her private car 528 00:26:26,170 --> 00:26:28,440 was mistakenly hitched to a train loaded 529 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,940 with beef cattle bound for Illinois. 530 00:26:32,940 --> 00:26:35,210 Despite the mix-up, the White House cow 531 00:26:35,210 --> 00:26:37,910 makes her scheduled appearance in Wisconsin. 532 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,650 Pauline is the center of attraction by all accounts. 533 00:26:41,650 --> 00:26:45,620 She was a very popular exhibit. 534 00:26:45,620 --> 00:26:46,760 WILDMAN: After the expo, 535 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,090 Pauline Wayne is returned to Washington, 536 00:26:49,090 --> 00:26:51,060 where she remains for the duration 537 00:26:51,060 --> 00:26:54,830 of William Howard Taft's presidency. 538 00:26:54,830 --> 00:26:56,430 And, today, this milk can 539 00:26:56,430 --> 00:26:59,800 at the Marinette County Historical Museum in Wisconsin 540 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,470 recalls the 1,500-pound pet 541 00:27:02,470 --> 00:27:04,970 who narrowly escaped the chopping block. 542 00:27:04,980 --> 00:27:07,580 ¶¶ 543 00:27:07,580 --> 00:27:12,450 Springfield, Illinois, once home to one of the country's 544 00:27:12,450 --> 00:27:16,020 most celebrated presidents, Abraham Lincoln, 545 00:27:16,020 --> 00:27:18,350 whose legacy is preserved here 546 00:27:18,360 --> 00:27:23,260 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. 547 00:27:23,260 --> 00:27:25,930 Its collection features treasured artifacts 548 00:27:25,930 --> 00:27:28,730 like an original copy of the Gettysburg Address 549 00:27:28,730 --> 00:27:32,370 and Mary Lincoln's White House china. 550 00:27:32,370 --> 00:27:35,970 But among this trove of 19th-century mementos 551 00:27:35,970 --> 00:27:37,670 is one rusty object 552 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:41,210 that stands out from its pristine surroundings. 553 00:27:41,210 --> 00:27:46,720 It is about 15 or 16 inches long with a wooden handle. 554 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:49,280 It's the sort of thing that a fair number 555 00:27:49,290 --> 00:27:50,950 of mechanics and workmen 556 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,820 would have owned in the old days. 557 00:27:54,830 --> 00:27:59,290 WILDMAN: But workmen did not wield this seemingly ordinary tool. 558 00:27:59,300 --> 00:28:02,630 Instead, it was used by a band of ruthless criminals 559 00:28:02,630 --> 00:28:06,030 that preyed upon the Lincoln legacy. 560 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:09,840 So what role did this rusty tool play in a daring plot 561 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:13,740 that shocked the nation? 562 00:28:13,740 --> 00:28:17,110 1876, Chicago, Illinois. 563 00:28:17,110 --> 00:28:19,650 11 years after the close of the Civil War, 564 00:28:19,650 --> 00:28:22,750 counterfeiting is big business. 565 00:28:22,750 --> 00:28:25,950 The first national paper currency introduced to fund 566 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:29,630 the war is much easier to produce than coins. 567 00:28:29,630 --> 00:28:33,730 And criminals are seizing upon the opportunity. 568 00:28:33,730 --> 00:28:37,130 Counterfeiting was a pretty easy way to make a lot of money 569 00:28:37,130 --> 00:28:40,800 if you had a good engraver and if you had a good network 570 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:44,140 of people passing the fakes. 571 00:28:45,510 --> 00:28:48,440 WILDMAN: One notorious Chicago counterfeiting gang 572 00:28:48,450 --> 00:28:51,850 is run by Irish mobster Big Jim Kennally. 573 00:28:51,850 --> 00:28:55,780 But this band of outlaws has fallen on hard times. 574 00:28:55,790 --> 00:29:00,460 The gang had a really good engraver named Ben Boyd, 575 00:29:00,460 --> 00:29:02,620 and Ben Boyd was caught. 576 00:29:02,630 --> 00:29:06,090 He was put in prison, and that really put a crimp 577 00:29:06,100 --> 00:29:09,460 on the gang's operations. 578 00:29:09,470 --> 00:29:12,370 WILDMAN: Without the services of Boyd, the gang must embark 579 00:29:12,370 --> 00:29:15,300 on a new criminal enterprise. 580 00:29:15,310 --> 00:29:18,570 And after a night of drinking at a bar called The Hub, 581 00:29:18,580 --> 00:29:24,050 they decide to try their hands at grave robbing. 582 00:29:24,050 --> 00:29:26,520 In the 1800s, graves of the wealthy 583 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,020 are sometimes targeted by robbers. 584 00:29:29,020 --> 00:29:32,520 And the stolen bodies are held for ransom. 585 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:35,490 But Kennally's crew is looking for a heist 586 00:29:35,490 --> 00:29:38,660 that will truly resurrect their fortunes. 587 00:29:38,660 --> 00:29:41,360 And that's when they decided that Abraham Lincoln 588 00:29:41,370 --> 00:29:46,900 was probably the most valuable buried person in Illinois. 589 00:29:48,340 --> 00:29:51,010 WILDMAN: Assassinated just 11 years earlier, 590 00:29:51,010 --> 00:29:53,340 the president's body rests in a monument 591 00:29:53,340 --> 00:29:57,650 just hours away in Springfield, Illinois. 592 00:29:57,650 --> 00:30:00,180 Kennally hopes that stealing the president's body 593 00:30:00,180 --> 00:30:02,020 will not only bring him riches 594 00:30:02,020 --> 00:30:06,090 but also free his engraver, Ben Boyd. 595 00:30:06,090 --> 00:30:09,020 The mobster plans to demand Boyd's release 596 00:30:09,030 --> 00:30:11,960 and $200,000 in gold in exchange 597 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,500 for Lincoln's remains. 598 00:30:14,500 --> 00:30:16,630 But there's a problem. 599 00:30:16,630 --> 00:30:19,640 No one in Kennally's crew has ever carried out 600 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:21,340 a grave robbery. 601 00:30:21,340 --> 00:30:25,510 Then, one night at The Hub, their luck changes. 602 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:30,610 The gang met this guy named Lewis Swegles, 603 00:30:30,610 --> 00:30:35,020 who said that he had experience with tomb robbing. 604 00:30:35,020 --> 00:30:38,250 WILDMAN: Swegles lays out the plan. 605 00:30:38,260 --> 00:30:40,620 Three men will break into the tomb 606 00:30:40,620 --> 00:30:43,490 while a wagon driver keeps watch. 607 00:30:43,490 --> 00:30:45,860 Then, under the cover of darkness, 608 00:30:45,860 --> 00:30:47,300 they'll load Lincoln's body 609 00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:52,000 onto the vehicle and quietly slip away. 610 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:56,200 Finally, the big night arrives. 611 00:30:56,210 --> 00:30:58,570 When the robbers descend upon the monument, 612 00:30:58,580 --> 00:31:00,880 only a padlock and an iron door 613 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:04,150 separate them from the president's crypt. 614 00:31:04,150 --> 00:31:07,520 With a modest set of tools, they get to work. 615 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:11,050 But the task is not as easy as it appears. 616 00:31:11,060 --> 00:31:16,390 The burglars started by trying to cut open the padlock 617 00:31:16,390 --> 00:31:18,990 with a hacksaw blade. 618 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:23,400 It was much too small for the job, and it broke. 619 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:25,900 They had to find something bigger and stronger 620 00:31:25,900 --> 00:31:27,470 to finish the job. 621 00:31:27,470 --> 00:31:29,240 WILDMAN: The thieves turned to this chisel, 622 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,080 now housed at the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 623 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,110 and wedge it into the weakened padlock 624 00:31:35,110 --> 00:31:37,150 and snap it open. 625 00:31:37,150 --> 00:31:40,020 Once inside the vault, the trio discovers 626 00:31:40,020 --> 00:31:44,350 a large marble sarcophagus encasing the main coffin. 627 00:31:44,350 --> 00:31:48,420 They take that chisel, and they wedge off the top 628 00:31:48,430 --> 00:31:50,390 of the marble sarcophagus. 629 00:31:50,390 --> 00:31:52,830 WILDMAN: With the cover partially open, 630 00:31:52,830 --> 00:31:55,360 the bandits gaze down upon their prize -- 631 00:31:55,370 --> 00:31:59,700 the coffin of Abraham Lincoln. 632 00:31:59,700 --> 00:32:02,740 Will these brazen criminals pull off one of the most 633 00:32:02,740 --> 00:32:05,310 daring heists in our nation's history? 634 00:32:09,050 --> 00:32:11,750 It's November, 1876. 635 00:32:11,750 --> 00:32:13,850 A band of Chicago criminals 636 00:32:13,850 --> 00:32:16,950 has broken into the tomb of Abraham Lincoln. 637 00:32:16,950 --> 00:32:19,620 They plan to steal the dead president's corpse 638 00:32:19,620 --> 00:32:21,720 and hold it for ransom. 639 00:32:21,730 --> 00:32:26,260 So will they succeed in this grave endeavor? 640 00:32:28,500 --> 00:32:31,000 As the bandits attempt to lift the coffin, 641 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:35,400 they encounter their greatest challenge yet. 642 00:32:35,410 --> 00:32:38,670 They realize, "This thing weighs a ton." 643 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,580 So they send Swegles out to go get the guy with the wagon, 644 00:32:42,580 --> 00:32:46,350 tell him to come inside and lend a fourth hand. 645 00:32:46,350 --> 00:32:50,850 WILDMAN: Swegles disappears into the dark to find the driver. 646 00:32:50,850 --> 00:32:55,560 And, suddenly, the night silence is pierced by a gunshot. 647 00:32:56,960 --> 00:32:59,190 CORNELIUS: They don't know what's happened to Swegles, 648 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:03,270 but they're not going to wait around and find out. 649 00:33:03,270 --> 00:33:06,470 WILDMAN: They immediately drop their tools and flee the scene, 650 00:33:06,470 --> 00:33:09,270 making their way back to Chicago. 651 00:33:09,270 --> 00:33:11,410 Unsure of the fate of their accomplice, 652 00:33:11,410 --> 00:33:15,410 the thieves regroup at their hangout, The Hub. 653 00:33:15,410 --> 00:33:19,820 There, they are shocked by the face that greets them. 654 00:33:19,820 --> 00:33:21,450 Lewis Swegles is there. 655 00:33:21,450 --> 00:33:23,990 So he wasn't shot. 656 00:33:23,990 --> 00:33:26,760 He wasn't captured by the police. 657 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:27,660 He's there. 658 00:33:27,660 --> 00:33:29,890 They think they're scot-free. 659 00:33:29,890 --> 00:33:34,660 WILDMAN: But their relief is short-lived. 660 00:33:34,670 --> 00:33:40,370 Suddenly, the police come in and arrest everyone in the place 661 00:33:40,370 --> 00:33:42,270 except Lewis Swegles. 662 00:33:42,270 --> 00:33:44,770 WILDMAN: What the gangsters suddenly realize 663 00:33:44,780 --> 00:33:49,210 is that their trusted cohort is not who he said he was. 664 00:33:49,210 --> 00:33:54,120 Lewis Swegles was working with the Secret Service all along. 665 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:57,620 They've been tricked. 666 00:33:57,620 --> 00:34:00,420 WILDMAN: In fact, the police were at the monument 667 00:34:00,420 --> 00:34:02,920 the night of the attempted robbery. 668 00:34:02,930 --> 00:34:06,830 But the plan fell apart when an officer's gun 669 00:34:06,830 --> 00:34:10,870 accidently went off right after Swegles exited the tomb, 670 00:34:10,870 --> 00:34:13,870 allowing the robbers to escape. 671 00:34:13,870 --> 00:34:16,370 Based on the strength of Swegles' testimony 672 00:34:16,370 --> 00:34:18,570 and the tools found at the scene, 673 00:34:18,580 --> 00:34:20,880 the would-be grave robbers are convicted 674 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:24,210 and eventually sentenced to 10 years in prison. 675 00:34:26,650 --> 00:34:28,980 In the wake of the scandal, Lincoln's body 676 00:34:28,990 --> 00:34:30,420 is encased in concrete 677 00:34:30,420 --> 00:34:33,960 and placed 10 feet underground. 678 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:36,590 Today, this chisel is on display 679 00:34:36,590 --> 00:34:40,430 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, 680 00:34:40,430 --> 00:34:43,200 reminding us of a band of daring outlaws 681 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:46,030 who tried to steal an American treasure 682 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:48,540 and the informer who foiled their plot. 683 00:34:48,540 --> 00:34:53,510 ¶¶ 684 00:34:53,510 --> 00:34:55,580 Staunton, Virginia. 685 00:34:55,580 --> 00:34:58,310 Among this town's many historic mansions 686 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:00,880 is the childhood home of the 28th president 687 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:04,820 of the United States, Woodrow Wilson. 688 00:35:04,820 --> 00:35:07,360 And set on its grounds is an institution 689 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:09,590 that celebrates his life and legacy -- 690 00:35:09,590 --> 00:35:12,530 the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library. 691 00:35:12,530 --> 00:35:16,500 ¶¶ 692 00:35:16,500 --> 00:35:21,400 On display is Wilson's 1919 Pierce-Arrow automobile, 693 00:35:21,410 --> 00:35:24,710 a desk he used while a student at Princeton University 694 00:35:24,710 --> 00:35:27,980 and even his Oval Office telephone. 695 00:35:29,980 --> 00:35:32,180 But there's one item here that looks like 696 00:35:32,180 --> 00:35:34,050 it belongs not in the White House 697 00:35:34,050 --> 00:35:36,480 but in a doctor's office. 698 00:35:36,490 --> 00:35:39,720 PHILLIPS: It is about a foot long and 6 inches wide. 699 00:35:39,720 --> 00:35:42,560 It consists of two curved metal pieces coming together 700 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:44,530 in a rubber tube. 701 00:35:44,530 --> 00:35:46,700 And the small metal piece at the end of the object 702 00:35:46,700 --> 00:35:49,060 can be used to amplify a heartbeat. 703 00:35:49,070 --> 00:35:51,330 WILDMAN: This stethoscope is connected 704 00:35:51,340 --> 00:35:54,070 to one of the most elaborate political cover-ups 705 00:35:54,070 --> 00:35:55,370 in American history. 706 00:35:55,370 --> 00:35:57,570 PHILLIPS: This is a story about secrecy, 707 00:35:57,570 --> 00:35:59,370 devoted love and executive power. 708 00:35:59,380 --> 00:36:04,880 ¶¶ 709 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:08,080 WILDMAN: 1919, Washington, D.C. 710 00:36:08,090 --> 00:36:11,090 After successfully leading the nation through World War I, 711 00:36:11,090 --> 00:36:12,520 President Woodrow Wilson 712 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,120 is viewed as a forceful and passionate leader. 713 00:36:15,130 --> 00:36:17,090 PHILLIPS: Wilson had a very large role 714 00:36:17,090 --> 00:36:18,930 at the negotiating table in France. 715 00:36:18,930 --> 00:36:20,360 He was strong and vigorous. 716 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:22,230 WILDMAN: More than anything, Wilson is known 717 00:36:22,230 --> 00:36:24,100 for his high public profile. 718 00:36:24,100 --> 00:36:25,970 He is the first Commander in Chief 719 00:36:25,970 --> 00:36:28,600 to deliver the State of the Union Address in person 720 00:36:28,610 --> 00:36:30,740 to Congress in over 100 years. 721 00:36:30,740 --> 00:36:34,740 He holds twice-weekly press conferences in the White House, 722 00:36:34,750 --> 00:36:36,080 and he regularly attends 723 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:38,210 international conferences around the globe. 724 00:36:38,220 --> 00:36:41,420 Woodrow Wilson had been a very hands-on president. 725 00:36:41,420 --> 00:36:45,820 And he had a large role to play in the future of the world. 726 00:36:45,820 --> 00:36:49,660 WILDMAN: But on October 2nd, something strange happens. 727 00:36:49,660 --> 00:36:54,530 President Wilson suddenly disappears from the public eye. 728 00:36:54,530 --> 00:36:57,200 Without warning, members of the press are banned 729 00:36:57,200 --> 00:36:59,270 from entering the White House. 730 00:36:59,270 --> 00:37:01,700 Even the vice president, Thomas Marshall, 731 00:37:01,710 --> 00:37:07,380 finds his requests to speak with Wilson flatly denied. 732 00:37:07,380 --> 00:37:09,780 PHILLIPS: In a single night, people who had had 733 00:37:09,780 --> 00:37:11,210 constant meetings with the president 734 00:37:11,210 --> 00:37:13,780 suddenly found themselves out in the cold. 735 00:37:13,780 --> 00:37:16,080 No one is allowed to see the president. 736 00:37:16,090 --> 00:37:19,290 ¶¶ 737 00:37:19,290 --> 00:37:22,220 WILDMAN: First Lady Edith Wilson tells White House staff 738 00:37:22,230 --> 00:37:25,430 that the president prefers to work in private. 739 00:37:25,430 --> 00:37:27,400 Despite his sudden withdrawal from view, 740 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,360 in the weeks that follow, 741 00:37:29,370 --> 00:37:33,870 the president seems to be completing his normal tasks. 742 00:37:33,870 --> 00:37:38,140 He authorizes the sale of wheat flour to Russia and Poland, 743 00:37:38,140 --> 00:37:41,140 issues a statement on a pending coal miners strike 744 00:37:41,140 --> 00:37:44,380 and vetoes a bill that would enforce Prohibition. 745 00:37:44,380 --> 00:37:48,280 But as months go by without any sightings of the president, 746 00:37:48,290 --> 00:37:49,750 tongues begin to wag. 747 00:37:49,750 --> 00:37:52,190 PHILLIPS: This lockdown of the White House 748 00:37:52,190 --> 00:37:53,790 led to many rumors swirling, 749 00:37:53,790 --> 00:37:56,190 both in the government and among the American people. 750 00:37:56,190 --> 00:37:59,360 These ranged from that the president was insane, 751 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:02,930 had syphilis or even that he was dead. 752 00:38:02,930 --> 00:38:04,600 WILDMAN: Although the president eventually 753 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:05,970 attends cabinet meetings, 754 00:38:05,970 --> 00:38:08,240 quelling talk of his death, 755 00:38:08,240 --> 00:38:10,070 he makes no public appearances 756 00:38:10,070 --> 00:38:13,880 for the rest of his term and leaves office in 1921. 757 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:17,310 For decades, Wilson's strange withdrawal 758 00:38:17,310 --> 00:38:20,420 into the shadows remains a mystery. 759 00:38:20,420 --> 00:38:24,020 But nearly 70 years later, the stunning circumstances 760 00:38:24,020 --> 00:38:26,720 of his disappearance finally come to light. 761 00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:29,690 It was scary that such a small circle of people 762 00:38:29,690 --> 00:38:31,990 could keep this secret from the American people. 763 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:35,200 WILDMAN: So what really happened to Woodrow Wilson? 764 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:44,510 Midway through his second term as president, 765 00:38:44,510 --> 00:38:48,380 Woodrow Wilson mysteriously withdraws from public view. 766 00:38:48,380 --> 00:38:51,410 This strange disappearance of a national leader 767 00:38:51,420 --> 00:38:54,050 has confounded historians for decades. 768 00:38:54,050 --> 00:38:56,320 But new evidence is about to solve the riddle 769 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:57,750 once and for all. 770 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:00,190 And what the truth reveals is more disturbing 771 00:39:00,190 --> 00:39:03,730 than anyone could have imagined. 772 00:39:03,730 --> 00:39:06,500 In the early 1990s, the personal diary 773 00:39:06,500 --> 00:39:10,130 of former White House physician Dr. Cary T. Grayson 774 00:39:10,130 --> 00:39:12,000 is released to the public. 775 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:15,910 And it documents a shocking cover-up. 776 00:39:15,910 --> 00:39:20,580 According to Grayson, it all began on October 2, 1919. 777 00:39:20,580 --> 00:39:23,380 That morning, First Lady Edith Wilson 778 00:39:23,380 --> 00:39:24,980 discovers her husband 779 00:39:24,980 --> 00:39:29,190 collapsed outside their bathroom. 780 00:39:29,190 --> 00:39:30,950 The president had a massive stroke. 781 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:34,320 ¶¶ 782 00:39:34,330 --> 00:39:36,990 WILDMAN: Wilson is treated by Dr. Grayson, 783 00:39:36,990 --> 00:39:40,530 but the episode leaves the president incapacitated. 784 00:39:40,530 --> 00:39:43,670 He finds even commonplace activities like reading 785 00:39:43,670 --> 00:39:47,070 or eating to be extremely tiring. 786 00:39:47,070 --> 00:39:48,340 After the stroke, 787 00:39:48,340 --> 00:39:51,240 he couldn't even hold a pen without help. 788 00:39:51,240 --> 00:39:54,910 WILDMAN: Wilson's road to full recovery seems uncertain. 789 00:39:54,910 --> 00:39:58,210 And Edith has no idea how long it will take. 790 00:39:58,220 --> 00:40:01,550 And that leaves the first lady with a desperate choice -- 791 00:40:01,550 --> 00:40:05,520 allow him to resign with his legacy incomplete 792 00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:07,660 or somehow hide his illness 793 00:40:07,660 --> 00:40:11,690 and keep her beloved husband in office. 794 00:40:11,700 --> 00:40:14,560 PHILLIPS: Edith worries that if Woodrow Wilson leaves office, 795 00:40:14,570 --> 00:40:18,200 the many accomplishments he had achieved would be lost. 796 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:21,470 WILDMAN: So Edith devises an audacious plan. 797 00:40:21,470 --> 00:40:24,440 She tells the press that Wilson is voluntarily 798 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:29,210 stepping out of the public eye to focus on his work. 799 00:40:29,210 --> 00:40:32,250 But behind the scenes, she assumes many 800 00:40:32,250 --> 00:40:34,650 of the responsibilities of the highest office 801 00:40:34,650 --> 00:40:37,390 of the land herself. 802 00:40:37,390 --> 00:40:38,990 Edith Wilson is able to keep 803 00:40:38,990 --> 00:40:40,590 the secret of her husband's condition 804 00:40:40,590 --> 00:40:42,790 throughout the rest of his presidency. 805 00:40:42,790 --> 00:40:46,230 And she is successful in that it keeps her husband in office. 806 00:40:46,230 --> 00:40:48,430 Edith will read and evaluate the many issues 807 00:40:48,430 --> 00:40:50,400 and petitions sent to her husband, 808 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:52,840 deciding when they should come before him 809 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:55,740 and whether or not they require his approval. 810 00:40:55,740 --> 00:40:59,740 During this time, Edith is actually serving as president. 811 00:40:59,740 --> 00:41:02,040 WILDMAN: Edith Wilson carries out a multitude 812 00:41:02,050 --> 00:41:04,150 of her husband's duties in secret 813 00:41:04,150 --> 00:41:05,920 until the end of his presidency. 814 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:07,780 PHILLIPS: Edith's role at this time 815 00:41:07,790 --> 00:41:09,290 was perhaps a little bit scary. 816 00:41:09,290 --> 00:41:11,720 It also raises the question of whether Edith was right, 817 00:41:11,720 --> 00:41:15,060 putting her husband before the needs of the nation. 818 00:41:15,060 --> 00:41:18,260 WILDMAN: Right or wrong, Edith Wilson's actions earn her 819 00:41:18,260 --> 00:41:20,230 a unique place in history. 820 00:41:20,230 --> 00:41:22,970 Some historians call Edith the first female president. 821 00:41:22,970 --> 00:41:26,240 ¶¶ 822 00:41:26,240 --> 00:41:28,240 WILDMAN: Today, this stethoscope 823 00:41:28,240 --> 00:41:31,340 belonging to White House physician Dr. Cary T. Grayson 824 00:41:31,340 --> 00:41:32,680 is on display 825 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:35,810 at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library. 826 00:41:35,810 --> 00:41:39,050 It recalls a president's debilitating illness 827 00:41:39,050 --> 00:41:41,280 and a loyal first lady who went above 828 00:41:41,290 --> 00:41:43,850 and beyond to protect her husband's legacy. 829 00:41:43,850 --> 00:41:47,260 ¶¶ 830 00:41:47,260 --> 00:41:52,260 From a boozy election to a heroic first lady, 831 00:41:52,260 --> 00:41:56,800 a lifesaving coconut to a missing presidential cow, 832 00:41:56,800 --> 00:42:00,270 I'm Don Wildman, and these are the mysteries at the museum.