The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-02-13
HOW EDGAR POE DIED.
One of the Men Who Dragged Him Tel
the story.

One of the Men Who Dragged Him Tells
the story.
No American poet has attracted more atten-
ton, living and dead than Edgar A. Poe. Nine
lives Of him have been written, yet about no
celebrated writer Of modern times has it been
so difficult to get the real facts of his life and
death, writes Eugene /. Didler in the New
York Star. According to some OF his biogra-
pliers, he mingled among men like abewildered
angel while others describe him as a prying
fiend, or an lsh naelite, with his hand against
every one and every ones against him. The
time and place of his birth were fOrmany years
uncertain; even now some OF his blOgraphers
still differ as to that matter. The place OF his
burial was al one time undecided, but that was
definitely settled in 1875, when his remains were
discovered in Westminster churchyard, Balti-
more, and monument seven feet six inches
high erected over his grave. The cause OF his
death and the circumstances attending it have
not yet been definitely determined, and every
thing that throws any light upon the subject
will prove interesting to his many admirers.
former Baltimorean, now living in San Fran
cisco, gives what he claims to be true account
OF the poets last days and death. This Is his
story: Il was intimately acquainted with Ed
gar Allen Poe for years. Much that mas been
said and written in regard to his death Is false.
His habitual resort in Baltimore was the Widow
Meagher's place. This was an oyster stand and
liquor bar on the city front, corresponding In
some respects with the coffee houses OF san
Francisco. 1t was frequented much by printers,
and ranked as a respectable place, where par
ties could enjoy q game Of cards or engage IN
social conversation. Poe was a great favorite
with the old woman. The favOrite seat OF the
poet was Just behind the stand, and he was
about rs quiet and Socable as an oyster hlmseIt.
He went by the name of Bard, and when parties
came into the shop il was Bard, come up ana
take nip' or Bard, come and take hand In
the game Whenever Widow Meagher met
with any incident or idea that tckled her fancy,
she would ask the Bard to yersl1y 1t. roe
always complied, writing many witty couplet
and at times poems OF some length 1nese
verses, quite as meritorious as so ue by which
his name was immOrtaliZed, were thus frlttered
into obscurity. 1t was in this little shop that
Poe's attention was called TO an adve rtlsetnent
in Philadelphia paper for prize for the best
story. and it was there that he wrote his famous
Gold Bug which carried of the One-hundred-
dollar prize.
"Poe had been shifting for many years be-
tween Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York.
He had been away from Baltimore for three or
four months, when he turned up one evening
at the Widow Meaghers. was there when ne
came in. He privately told me that he had
been to Richmond. and on his way north,
10 get ready for his wedding. IL was drink all
around and repeat until the crowd was pretty
full. 1t was the night before election, and four
of us, including Poe, started up. We had not
by a gang of men who were on the lookout Tor
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 around to every precinct,
where they were made to vote the ticket OF the
party that controlled the coop Our coop was
in the rear of an engine house on Calvert street.
1t was part of the game to stupefy the prisoners
with drugged liquor. Well, the next day
were voted at thirty-one different places, and
over and over, it being as much as a mans life
was worth to rebel. Poe was so badly drugged
that after he was carried on two or three differ
ent rounds, the gang said it was no use to vote
dead man any longer. so they showed him into
a cab and sent him 10 a hospital to get him out
of the way.
'The commonly accepted story that Poe died
from the effects of dissipation is all bosh. 1t
was nothing of the kind. He died from lauda-
mum or some other poison that was forced upon
him in the coop. He was in dying condition
when he was being voted around the city. The
story told by GriswOld of Poe'S having been on
a weeks spree, and being picked up on the
street, is false. ] saw him showed into the cab
myself, and he told me he had just arrived in
the CITY,"
The above narrative will form an interesting
chapter in the life and death of the poet, whose
life was romance and whose death was a trag-
edy. The account of Poe's last days agrees in
several respects with the account which the late