The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-09-26
Edgar Allan Poe-What a San Fran
ciscan Knows About His Death.
ISan Fsancisco Chronicle. |

ciscan Knows About His Death.
[San Fsancsco Chronicle.l
"You say that Edgar Allan Poe did
not die from the effects of deliberate
dissipation?" asked a Chronicle rep arter.
"That is just what l mean; and | say
further that he died from the effects of
deliberate murder"
This was strange assertion-strange
in being a fiat contradiction of fact, or
otherwise theory, recorded in detail
in the history of American literature.
The author of the assertion was a we'll
known member of the city's advanced
and inveterate Bohemia, gentleman
who has long since retired from the
active pursuits of his profession and
spends his days in dreamy meditation,
frequenting one of the popular resorts of
the craft, but mingling little in the idle
babble of the throng. When drawn into
conversation it is generally to correct
some error from his inexhaustible mine
of reminiscence, and on such occasions
his words are few and precise.
"Then You know something of the
poet and his history, Doctor?"
With few others was one of his
intimate associates for years. Much that
has been written of him and regarding
his death is false. Poe was not what is
called periodical drunkard, holding
himself to spells of sobriety, and then
giving way to violent bouts of intem-
perance; but he was steady drinker,
and when his means permitted he would
drink to excess. His habitual resort in
Baltimore was the Widow Meagher's
place. This was an oyster stand and
liquor bar on the city front, correspond
ing in some respects with the coffee shops
i'll San Francisco. 1t was frequented
much by the printers and men engaged
in the shipping offices, and ranked as a.
respectable place, where parties could
read the papers, enjoy game of cards,
or engage in social conversation. Poe
was a great favorite with the old wo-
man. You would always see him sitting
just behind the oyster stand, and about
as quiet ard sociable as an oyster him.
self. He went by the name of the Bard,
and when parties came into the shop it
was, Bard, come up and take nip
or, Bard, take hand in this game
lie was sort of pensioner- on his aac=
quaintances, as far as drinks were con-
eerned. Whenever the old woman met
with any. incident or idea that tickled
her fancy, she would ask Bard to versify
it.. Poe always complied, writing many
a witty couplet, and at times poems Of
considerable length. Much of his
poetical work, quite as meritorious as
some by which his name was immortal
lied, was thus frittered into obscurity.
It was in this little shop that Poe's at
tention was called to an advertisement
in a Philadelphia paper of a prize for a
meritorious story, and it was here that
he composed his famous Gold Bug
which took the prize. Iheard him read
it before he sent it on to Philadelphia,
and when it was announced that his
story was successful, the Widow Meagher
gave him the money to go on and obtain
the prize os..
"But how about his death?,"
"Poe had been shifting between Bal
timore, Philadelphia aud New York for
several years. He had been away from
| Baltimore about three months, and
turned up one evening at the widows.
[ was there when he came in. Bard had
been making little raise North, and it
was drinks all.round. with repeat, until
the crowd were down jolly. 1t was the
night before an election, and the party
started up town. There were four of US,
and we had not gone half dozen squares
before we were nabbed by policemen,
who were looking up voters to COOP
1t was the practice in those days to seize
people, whether drunk or sober, lock
them up until the polls were opened
and then march them to every precinct
in control of the party having the coop.
| This coop was in the rear of an engine
/ house ON Calvert street. 1t was part ol
the game to supply the prisoners with
drugged liquor. The next day we were
voted at thirty different places and ovel
and over, it being as much as man
life was worth to rebel. Poe was 81
badly drugged that he was carried OF
two or three rounds, and then the gans
said that it was no use trying to vote :
dead man any longer, SO they showed
him into cab and sent him to the hos
pital to get him out of the way" |
tsWelI he died from dissipation
Nothing of the kind. He died from
laudanum or some other poison that wa
. forced ON him in the coop. He was in
dying condition while he was bein;
voted twenty or thirty times in Balti
, more. The story told by Griswold o
his having been on a weeks spree an
being picked up on the street is all lie
I.saw him showed into the cab myself.
=" Well, what about the general chal
acter given to Poe by Griswold an
, others?", 30 dy s:zaE Z .sx4-z5s
"Ihave nothing to say, only that Pc
was great poet, and he owed me notl
ing when he died.