The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-24
EDGAR ALIEN PoE.

clnntiOnB-"Tlie HcllS"Thricc Sold,
John Satam IN Philadelphia Record
ut was at the period Of tho transfer
OF Burla's Naga4ue to Graham that l
first met Poo, already OF much fame as a
poot, lie became one OF my dearest
friends. His memory | cherish and
honor. Ho made many enemies and
many harsh things have been said about
him; but / mover once saw him drunk,
and | believe that in everything he was
perfectly honest. 10 DO sure, in his
criticisms, especially those in the Stylus,
he used AN iron pen, and no doubt, as
has been said, sometimes mistook his
phinl Of prussie acid for his ink-bottie."
But l believe he intended to. be abso-
lutely fair IN all that he wrote.
"As an instance OF how far he was
above meaner motives, he actually ap-
pointed as hisliterary executor clergy
man whom no had once severely criti-
cised, not seeming to realize that such
q hauling over tho Goals could never be
forgotten. AS a result, his memory has
suffered. That same clergyman, whose
nameis familiar to readers OF Poe liter
ature, was n notorious blackmailer, and
/ myself had to pay him money TO pre-
vent abusive notices OF 'Sartain's Maya.
zinc,
"As for the charge that Poe was dis.
honest about his manuscripts, 1t has
been said that he sold "The Bells" to
mo thrice over. Indeed, he did sell the
poem to me three times, but in an hon.
est way. 1t was accepted first as a poem
OF two stanzas. Not being published for
some time, Poo thrice added to it, and
otherwise altered it. Each time he
deemed the poem worth moro, and SO
did ], therefore paying him something
extra in each case.
"Tho first instance OF hallucination
that ever detected in Poo occurred
about month before his tragic death.
1 was at work, in my shirt sleeves, in
my office on SAMSON street. when Poe
burst in upon mo, eXcitedly, and OK
claimed: Il have come TO you for ref
ugG.' saw at a glance that he was
suffering from some mental overstrain,
and assured him Of my shelter. / then
begged him to explain.
al was just on my way TO New York,
on the train, he said 10 me, when 1
heard whispering going on behind me.
Owing to my marvellous power OF hear
ing was enabled TO oyerheqr. what the
conspirators were saying. Just imagine
such thing in this nineteenth CEN
fury! They were plotting to murder
me. / Immediately left tho train, and
L. aoEaOnH hOCtr barn nUnin IT1tuk dis
guiso myself in some way. | must
shave of this mustache at once. Will
you lend me your razor?
Afraid to trust him with it, / told
him l hadn't any, but that l could re.
move his mustache with the scissors.
Taking him to tho rear OF the office l
sheared away until he was absolutely
barefaced. This satisfied him some
what, and l managed to calm him.
That very evening, however, he pre-
pared to leave tho house. where are
you eoing?' l asked. TO tho schuyl-
kill he replied. Then am going
along with YOU declared. He did
not object, and together We walked to
Chestnut street and took bus.
"a steep flight OF steps used to load
up from the Schuylkill then, and, as.
cending these We sat on bench over
looking tho stream. The night was
black, without star, and | felt some-
what nervous alone with Poe in the
condition he was in. Going up in the
bus he said to me: "After my death
you will see that my mother (Mrs.
Clemm) gets that portrait OF ma from
A.. ~
SNow he began TO talk the widest
nonsense, in the weird, dramatic style
OF his tales. Flo said he had been
thrown into Moyamensing prison for
forging check, and while thero white
female form had appeared on the bat.
Elements, and addressed him in whls.
pers.
"'If / had not heard what shc said,
no declared, 1t would have been the
end Of mo. But, owing to my marvellous
hearing, lost not a single word. Then
another figure appeared and invited me
to walk with him around the battle-
ments. He conducted mo 10 caldron
OF LIQUID and asked me II / wished a
drink. l refused, for that was trap.
Do YOU know what would havo hap
pened IL had acceptedP They would
have lifted me over tho caldron, and
placed me in tho liquid up to my lips,
like Tantalus, and gone away and left
mo there
"I3y aud by suggested that we de-
scend again, aud Poe assented. All the
way down the steep stopa trembled
lest no should remember his resolve Of
suicide, but / kept his mind from ",
aud got him buck safely. Three days
after he went out again, and returned In
tho same mood. i lay on tho Garth
with my nose in tho grass, no said then,
and tho smoll revived mo. l began at
once to realize tho falslty Of my hallu-
cinations.
"a month later no loft Washington
TO meet his bride. A storm deferred
him from crossing at Havre dc Graco,
and ho returned TO Baltimore. Behind
him, In the car. even as In his halluclna-
ton, sat a number Of suspicious looking
persons. When Poo passed down ono
81 the streets they followed at his heels.
Poo was we'll drossOd and undoubtedly
had money In his pockets. The noxt
morniug he was found in o vacant lot,
nearly dead. He was clad In shabby
clothes aud had evidently boon dfugged.
When, later, beaeoched AZ tho hospital
10 drink teddy, no put up his hand
aud waved II otF-and thus no died"
-
catrrrh 10 the Head
ID undoubtedly q disease OF tho blood
and 10 such only q reliable blood purifier