Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-06-19
Gbnite Mistfllanp,

Death and Burial of Edgar A. Poe.
The clergyman, DIR. Snodgrass, who at
zended the author of " The Raven" in his
last sickness, gives the following account of
ii 10 the "Womans Temperance Paper, ;, of
New York:
"On a chilly and wet November evening,
/ received note stating that man answer
ing to the name of Edgar Allan Poe, who
claimed to know me, was at drinking sa-
loon in Lombard street, Baltimore, in a
state Of deep iuioxication and great destitu-
ton. repaired Immediately to the spot
1t was an election day. When | entered
the bar-room Of the house,I instantly recog-
nized the face of one whom had often seen
end knew well, although it wore an aspect
of vacant stupidity that made me shudder.
The intellectual flash of his eye had vanish
ed, ur rather had been quenched in the bowl
but the broad capacious forehead OF the
author of "The Raw ems as you have appro-
prlately designated him, was still there, with
a width in the region of ideality, such as
few men have ever possessed. But perhaps
/ would not have so readily recognized him,
had not been notified by his apparel. His
hat--or rather the hat of some body else.
for he. had evidently been robbed of his
clothing, or cheated in an exchange-was
a cheap palm leaf one, without band and
soiled: his coat, OF commonest alpaca, and
evidently second hand: and his pants of grey
mixed cashmere, dingy and badly,htting.
He wore neither vest or neck-cloth, if re-
member right, while his shirt was sadly
crumpled and soiled. He was so utterly
stupefied with liquor that thought it best
not to seek recognition or conversation, es-
pecially as he was surrounded by crowd of
drinking men, sctuated by idle curiosity rath-
er than sympathy. Immediately ordered
room for him where he could be COM
Portable until got word to his relatives
for there were several in Baltimore. Just
at that moment one or two of the persons
referred to, getting information of The case
arrived at the spot. They declined to take
private care of him assigning as reason,
that he had been very abusive and ungra:eful
on former occasions when drunk, and advis-
. ed that he be sent to a hospital. He was
Accordingly placed in coach and conveyed
80 IN. Washington College Hospital, and
s I'd khe care Of the competent and at
Nn,ive H. ct physician of that inst tuition .
SNAsensiBA - he, that We had to carry
hinfse. the cam as a corpse. The
muscAsof articuSI = seemed paralyzed to
speechN kness, and nv pcoherent mutter-
ings wer&an that were head
HE died in the hospital aftes some three
or four dayA during Nttch time he enjoyed
only occasional and fNfui. seasons OF con-
sciousness His disease, as will have been
anticipated, was mania a potSc>-a disease
whose finale is always fearful in'its illanlacai
manifestations. In one Of his more lucid
moments, when asked by the physician
whether he would Ike to see his friends, ne
exclaimed: sFrend! My best friend would
be he who would take pistol and blow out
my brains, and thus relieve me of my agony"
These were among his last words.
Now for the manner of his burial:
"The remains OF the author or "The
Raven" do not slie mouldering in a corner
of the Potter's Field, at Baltimore The
truth, as | remarked, is bad enough, and dis
creditabe enough to mis- relatives, not to say
the city where he died. He was inferred
in an old Presbyterian bu'ying ground in
Green street, which has not been much used
for many years. On portion of church
has since been erected, but not over his
grave In the removal of the dead which
will sooner or later take place, it is quite
probable the bones OF Poor Poe will be
collected among the remains OF The frlenc-
less and the unknown, and removed beyond
recognition, for nothing but couple OF pine
boards were placed at his grave, in lieu OF
grave stones"