The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-08-09
Last Hours of Poe.

DR.. j. E. Snodgrass furnishes TO q monthly the
following graphic account Of the last hours of
the poet:
| regret to say, with due respect to the author
OF this assertion, and at the same time to the
memory Of one who was my personal friend, that
tits, alas too true. The facts of the case are
simply these:
On Tuesday. November l. 1910, a wet and chilly
day, received a note, bearing a signature which
Recognized as that of printer named Walker
who had set type for the Baltimore Sunday Visit.
or while Twas editing IT, and thus became aware
of my deep interest IN Mr.. Poe. It stated that a
man claiming Poe's name, and said to be ac-
quainted with me, was at Booth Il Sergeant's
?tayern in Lombard street, near High, Baltimore
In a beasty state OF intOxoatiOn and evident des.
.titution, and that he had been heard to utter my
nsIne as that Of an acquaintance.
Immediately repaired to the drinking saloon
for such 1t was, although digDifed by the desig-
nation OF tavern-and sure enough, there was
Edgar Allen Poe in condition that had been but
too faithfully described by Mr.. Walker. He was
in the bar room. sitting in an arm chair with his
head dropped forward, and 80 supplied with liquor
and so altered from the neatly dressed aud viva
cious gentleman which he was when | last had
the pleasure of a call from him, that, uuaided I
should not have distinguished him from the crowd
OF less intoxicated men whom the occasion Of an
election had called together at the tavern as the
voting place Of the ward in which be was located
The Washington College Hospital having been
fixed upon, messenger was dispatched to pro-
cure a carriage. While awaiting its arrival,
had an opportunity to observe more closely than
had taken time 10 do previously the condition
and apparel OF the strangely metamorphosed
being IN The barr0Om, who wore a name which
was the synonym for genius-the first glance at
whose tout ensemble was well calculated to recall
Poe's own so frequently limited metempsyc CHI osis.
His face was haggard, not to say blOated, and
unwashed, his hair unkempt and his whole ply.
sique repulsve. His expansive forehead, with
its wondrous breadth between the point where
phrenologists locate the organ of ideality-the
widest 1 ever messured-and that full orbed and
mellow, yet soulful eye, for which he was so no.
uceable when himself, how lusterless and vacant
they appear TO be now, shaded from view by a
rusty, almost brimless, tattered and ribboniess
paimIeat hat His clothing consisted Of sack
coat OF thin and glazed alpaca. ripped more or less
at several seams, and faded and soiled, and pants
OF steel-mixed pattern of cassinette, half worn
and badly htting If they could be said to dit at all
He wore neither vest nor Deckcloth, while the
bosom OF his shrt was both crumpled and sOiled.
On his feet were boots Of coarse msteral, and
giving no signs OF having been BACKED for a long
time, if at all.
The carriage having arrived, we tried to get the
OBJECT OF our care upon his feet so that he might
the more easily be taken to it. But he was past
lOcOmOtion. We therefore carried him 70 the
coach as II he were corpse, aud lifted him into
It IN the same manner. While We were doing
this, what was left Of one OF the most remarkable
embOdiments Of genius the world has produced ia
all the centuries of its history the author Of a
single poem which alone has been adudgsd by
more than one critic as emitting its producer TO
lasting and envabls fame-was so utterly voice.
less as 10 be capable of only muttering scarcely
intelligible oaths and other forms of imprecatons
upon those who were trying 70 rescue him from
destruction and disgrace.
The carriage was driven directly TO the hospital
where its unconscious occupant was assigned TO
the care Of its intelligent and kindly resident ply.
can. vi the numerous and strangely contradict
tory memoirs OF Mr.. Poe that have preserved
there lies one before me, which states that "in.
sanity ensued, and that next morning be died,
miserable, rsying maniac"
As to time this is not true. He lived nearly a
week, instead of dying next day. as one ac-
count has il, or g. 10 few hours" as another re-
cords H. but dying on the 9TH of the same month";
Monday. Besides II might convey the idea that
he had no lucid moments. But he had and in
one OF these an incident transpired which, while
Its mention may serve TO extend the already long,
as well as increasing record of the last words Of
noted men, II will not be recognized as anything
but CHARACTERISTIC of Mr.. Poe, who was ways
haunted BY terrible vague apprehension of
death and the grave. When the hospital physi
can became satisfied that the author of civilian
Nt.son. = fsy0rite tale of Mr.. Poe, aud OF "Ths
Raven" had written his last story and his last
poem, he addressed him in a concerned and kindly
manner, saying:
Mr., Poe. il is my painful duty 10 inform you
that you have, IN my judgment only short time
10 live. II you have any friends whom you would
like TO see. name them, and your wish shall be
grstifed I will summon themr --.
Friend" exclaimed the dying son Of genius
" Friendi" repeating the word for a moment. as
If it had no longer definite meaning; my best
friend would be he who Woald take a pistol and
blow out these id wretched brains I" pressing
his hand to his forehead as he uttered the awful
imprecation. -----
A LETTER BY CARLYLE.-An English paper has
the following