The National tribune., 1882-04-15
A NEW STORY OF poE,s DEATH,


! Marys TO the sepulchre of Christ.
| A NEW STORY OF POE'S DEATH.
DR.. John J. Moran, of Falls Church, Fair
! fax county, Va, who was resident physician
at the Washington University Hospital, now
! the Church Home and Infirmary,) in Baiti-
more, from March, 1S49, to October, 1855,
! visited the institution recently for the first
| time since the dissolution of his official con-
nection Herewith. Dr. Moran pointed out
| the room occupied by Edgar Allan Poe, and
related the circumstances Of his death, which
occurred October 7, 1Si9, to a reporter Of the
/ san Of that city. 1t will be seen that the
statement corrects many of the absurd sto-
ries so widely published i'll connection with
the distinguished poets death The Doctor
states that on the 9th of October, about nine
a. m., Mr.. Poe was brought TO the hospital
in a hack driven by an Irishman, who stated
that he had found his passenger on Light
street wharf In reply to an inquiry wheth-
er the gentleman was intoxicated, the hack
man stated that there was no smell of liquor
about him, and that he had lifted him into
the carriage like child. DR.. Moran did not
recognize his patient until the hackman pre-
sented a card bearing Poe's name.
Mr.. Poe was unconscious and very pale
He was placed in the third-story room Of the
turret at the southwest corner of the build
ing, about seven by ten feet in size. A nurse
was stationed at the door, with instructions
to call DR.. Moran when the patient awole,
which occurred in twenty minutes. The
Doctor, being much interested in his patient,
went Immediately to his side A glance
sufliced to show that MI. Poe was extremely
i'll, and he was so informed. In reply to
question he said he did not know how long
he had been sick, and could give no account
of himself. He was much surprised when
informed that he was in hospital. He
stated that he had stopped at a hotel on
Pratt street, where trunk containing his
papers and manuscripts had been left. The
trunk was sent for, but the owner made no
further reference to it, DR.. Moran proceeded
to make n diagnosis of the case. The patient
was very weak, but there was no tremor of
the limbs, no agitation Of the body, no smell
of liquor on the breath or person, nor any
symptom of intOXication. Owing to the
weak condition Of the patient DR.. Moran
decided to administer stimulant, and so
informed him. Mr.. Poe said: If thought
its potency would transport me to the ely
sian bowers of the undiscovered spirit-word
I would not touch it." Dr.. Moran then pro-
posed an anodyne, when Mr. Poe reioined:
"Twin sister TO the doomed and crazed in
perdition."
Mr. Poe continued to converse most de-
spondingly, but was relieved by short inter
walls of sleep. AS his body grew weaker his
mind retained its force, and his conscious
moments were marked by vivid flashes of
his characteristic genius. Nearing the end,
Mr.. Poe became as gentle as a child. He
died an hour past midnight, Sixteen hours
after his arrival at the hospital. The cause
of death was exhaustion of the nervous fluid,
the result of exposure, hunger, and other
causes acting upon a sensitive organization.
The remains were laid in state in the large
reception room in the rOtunda of the college,
where they were viewed by many persons.
Fully fifty ladies received locks of the dead
poets hair, which fell in jet black ringlets
about his brow. The funeral took place on
the afternoon of October s, 18.9 the remains
being inferred in the burying ground of
Westminster Presbyterian Church, where
the monument has since been erected.
DR.. Moran unhesitatingly and emphatic
ally pronounces false the stories that have
been published of POe's death having been
caused by drink. In compliance with re-
quests from Mr.. Poe's mother-in-law and
Mrs. Sarah E. Shelton, of Richmond, Va, the
original Of "Annabel Lee," DR.. Moran made
careful inquiry into Mr.. Poe's movements
previous to his arrival at the hospital 1t
was ascertained that he left Richmond on
the 4th of October for Philadelphia and
New York, and arrived in Baltimore by boat
on the 5th. He registered at Bradshaw's
Hotel, which stood on the site of the present
Maltby House. After a short stay there he
took train at the depot, then standing on
the opposite side Of the street, for Philadel-
phia. The train proceeded to Harve de
Grace, where passengers were then trans
ferred by ferry across the Susquehanna
The, river, however, was so turbulent that
Mr. Poe declined to cross, and returned to
Baltimore arriving in the evening.
This was the last seen of him by his
friends. He was attired in suit Of broad
cloth, as was his custom, and the neatness
which marked his person is supposed to
have aroused the cupidity Of certain low
characters who infested the neighborhood of
Light-street wharf. The theory is that he
was seized and dragged into some resort for
thieves, where he was drugged and stripped
of his clothing, cast-otf apparel being substi-
tuted for it. He was then disposed Of by
being placed on the wharf, where he re-
manned all night in stupor. DR.. Moran,
from his knowledge Of the subsequent con-
dition Of Mr.. Poe, firmly believes that he
was drugged. Mr.. Poe himself while I'M
able to account for the events of the night,
declared repeatedly that his condition was
the result of no conscious act of his own
The story of Mr.. Poe having been made
drunk by politicians and forced to vote re-
peatedly at aA election, DR.. Moran states is
absurd, as the election took place on the Sd
of October, and Mr.. Poe did not leave Rich
mond until the 18th.