The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-10

How the Managers Evaded a War of Words
on the Occasion.


on the Occasion.
BpsciaI to the indianapolis journal
New YORK, May 9.--Discordant ill'feeling
was kept in allegiance during the ceremonies of
unveiing the Poe statue, in the Museum of
Art, but the element Of fight was present, and
is now pretty sure to break out. Many of the
spectators, knowing that John Mccullough, the
demented tragedian, had been conspicuous in
raising the $40, 900 for the fund.- and that one of
his fancies was jealousy Of Edwin Booth who
was to make the grafton on behalf Of the stage,
looked for some sort of outbreak But the
danger was of quite another kind There had
bsen disagreement over the question whether
or net to attempt a vindicat;on OF Poe's personal
character This was a good time to do it, If
ever, and some Of the ardent admirers of the
poet argued holly that his name could and
should be cleared of the stigma of inebriety.
They went so far as to prepare state
nent of the evidence in his favor.
William F. Gill, formerly Boston publisher,
but now manager of cab company in this city,
volunteered to provide proofs that Poe lived
temperately during the later years of his life.
The strongest documentary evidence that he
could produce, however. was letter of strenu-
Gus denial written by Poe himself, and largely
given up to violent abuse of William E. Burton,
the famous comedian, who owned the Gentle
mems Magazine while Poe edited it. To meet
this, there were forthcoming equally strong allie
cations in manuscript by Burton that the poet
was sot On the other hand DR.. John Moran
had come from Baltimore to publicly declare on
the platform that he was the physician who at
al De- ,,, Hse fo1 hot xuhnp
Brought to the hospital the patient was not
drunk and that death was Immediately caused
by lying out-of-doors all night. The Doctors
theory is that Poe was drugged and robbed To
his great surprise, no place was made in the pro
.ramme for the speech which he had prepared
himself to deliver. The final decision to exclude
It is attributed to Algernon S. Sullivan, New
York lawyer of local note, who presided over the
dongs, and who had previously gone
over the evidence carefully and ju-
diciously; and Richard Henry Stoddard. the poet,
and critic, who is firm believer that Poe was
an incorrigible drunkard and scoundrel. Stod-
dard once sent poem to the Broadway Journal,
which Poe edited He got note accusing him
of plagiarism, and, on going to the office to
protest and prove his innocence, he found Poe
intoxicated and very abusive. It is said that,
had Dr. Moran been privileged to mark the
occasion with denfense Of Poe's habits. he
(Stoddard) was prepared for onslaught that
would have been at least interesting. AS for
Mr.. Gill; the other Jealous defender of the poet,
he was concerned in the memorial project at the
outset but had falling out with his compan-
ions, VINO would not thereafter have anything to
do with him in connection with the enterprise,
from which he early withdrew.
The upshot was that the speakers, without ex
cepton, tacitly admitted Poe's sadness as to
cumming. Mr.. Sullivan spoke of him as show
ing ''the flush of squandered fres;" Edwin Booth
as one with deporable faults the Rev DR.,
Aiger as ''shudderingy admired despite his
colossal crimes" and William Winter, in rhyme
as one who ''sinned and suffered-let HIM rest. I"
Moran and Gill sat enforcedly silent in the
audience. but they are likely to publish their
dissent.