system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why did the Secret Service become bodyguards?

How do you go from checking for counterfeit currency to protecting the president?
gpt
It's actually hilarious. There's a book called Stealing Lincoln's Body that lays the whole story out. Basically, some counterfeiters had this idea to bust their friend out of prison, they would steal Abraham Lincoln's body from his grave and hold it for ransom. The plan went off worse than a three stooges skit on both sides. One of the secret service guys had a shootout with a different secret service guy without realizing it, and half of the graverobbers were undercover agents. It was pretty hectic, but that event caused the secret service to start presidential protection details too.