Abe and Almiranda by W. Watts Biggers

About the book

On November 7, 1876, armed men arrived at a cemetery in Springfield, Illinois to steal the body of Abe Lincoln and use it to ransom the freedom from prison of a notorious counterfeiter, Ben Boyd. How had such a fiendish plot come into being?

A year earlier, Ben and his wife, Almiranda, were living in Fulton, Illinois. With them was Nat Kinsey, a member of the Knights of Labor, and a man with a plan to help the Greenback Party. That plan included stealing Abe's body and blaming the Republicans and/or Democrats.

In Chicago, Elmer Washburn, Chief of the U.S. Secret Service, told agent Patrick Tyrrell that their department had been given just sixty days to halt the counterfeit chaos in banks (one out of every three bills was bogus) by arresting Ben Boyd and destroying his plates for the $5 Columbus bills, so perfect they were almost undetectable.

Tyrrell located Boyd and agents descended on the Fulton house just as Boyd was accusing (unjustly) Almiranda of sleeping with Nat Kinsey. Tyrrell arrested Ben and Almiranda, but allowed Nat to escape. In their Chicago trial, Ben was sentenced to ten years, but Almiranda was allowed to go free.

The $5 Columbus plates had not been found and Washburn unfairly accused Tyrrell of negligence in allowing Nat to escape. Tyrrell's loyalty crumbled, but he continued to do all in his power to find the plates. Meanwhile, Almiranda, hounded by Secret Service agents, escaped to a remote cabin with Nat. They fell in love and she begged him to give up his lawless ways. He agreed and was ready to call of the theft of Abe's body when word came from Ben in prison: Abe's coffin must be stolen and used as a demand for Ben's freedom. Otherwise, Nat and Almiranda would be turned "toes up."

In secret, Almiranda arranged a meeting with Tyrrell; told him about the November 7 plot and asked him to stop the theft but keep Nat out of it. Tyrrell agreed.

With the $5 Columbus plates still missing, Washburn had been replaced as Chief of the Secret Service, yet on the night of November 7 he waited in the cemetery with Tyrrell and other agents to capture the thieves. He hoped the publicity from this night would get him reinstated as Chief. This made Tyrrell ambivalent about what outcome he wanted for tonight. Of course he could not allow Abe's coffin to be removed or Boyd to be set free, but he didn't want to help Washburn, a man he had come to resent deeply. Satisfaction seemed impossible.

But on the way to catch the thieves in the act, Tyrrell "accidentally" fired his pistol. The thieves escaped (no heroics for Washburn), but Abe's bones were safe and Ben remained in prison. Perfect. "I think maybe old Abe had a hand in this," Tyrrell told others kiddingly. "Who says dead men can't bite?"

About the author

W. Watts Biggers was born in Avondale Estates, Ga. Attended Avondale High, first junior to make debating team; team won state championship. Skipped senior year. Attended North Georgia Military College (editor of paper) and Emory University Law School.

At age twenty, left Atlanta for New York City. Tried unsuccessfully to make a living playing piano and singing original song material. Took trainee job (mailroom) with top-twenty advertising agency, Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample, Inc.. Ten years later was VP Account Supervisor on General Mills and Corn Products/Best Foods accounts, responsible for many millions in billing.

Left DFS to move to Cape Cod and form new company, Total TeleVision productions (TTV), creators and producers of highly successful children's cartoon series including "King Leonardo and his Short Subjects," "The Hunter," "Tooter Turtle," "Tennessee Tuxedo and his Tales," "Go Go Gophers," "The World of Commander McBragg," Klondike Kat" and, the most famous, "Underdog." Co-wrote all scripts (more than 500) for the series and composed all theme songs, words and music.

When cartoon business changed dramatically, moved back to New York City and joined NBC-TV. For five years was VP Promotion and Creative Services, heading up ninety-person department on both coasts.

Left to move to Cape Cod and writing. Had articles published in national magazines such as TV Guide, Family Circle and Reader's Digest. Was television columnist (TV Tinderbox) in some 200 newspapers syndicated first by the Chicago Tribune-New York Daily News group, then by the Tel-Aire syndicate in Dallas. Did this for twelve years.

Books include "The Man Inside," a novel originally published by Ballantine, recently optioned for a movie by Old Road Pictures in Hollywood, and featured March 27, 2006 on the very popular web site, "My Space." Co-wrote "Diabetes Without Fear," originally published in hardcover and paperback and then, ten years later, revised for paperback as "The New Diabetes Without Fear" (Avon).

Ghosted two books, "Obsessive Compulsive Disorders" (Warner Books) and "A Crisis of Conscience" (Birch Lane Press). More recently co-wrote "How Underdog Was Born" published by BearManor Media, and co-wrote movie script, "A Woman Called Job" which has been optioned by One Brick Films in Hollywood.

Co-founder and VP of Victory Over Violence, Inc., a national non-profit organization based in Boston and dedicated to bringing a positive force to the media.

Widowed; two grown children, Watts Jr. and Victoria.