Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-01-16
THEGAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY lvENlNG, JAN. Is, 1875
He VIEWED PoE's REMAINS.

II r = W Ell TUE = Ne IL A1ANS-
To the Editor of the New York Herald:
In the Herald Of January 6 an in-
teresting article ia published, in which
some new facts are given about the
incidents that attended the death,
burial and disinterment of Edgar Allen
Poe. As the details of Poe's life are 80
meagrr. and even the few that have
been written have been questioned aud
controverted, 1 take it for granted that
any information bearing upon the man,
either dead or alive, will be gratefully
received by those VINO admire his
stIange genius, and am prompted TO
describe a most impressive occasion
which afforded me the opportunity to
see the remains of the poet.
Certain literary persons in Baltimore
in 1874 felt desire to do honor to the
memory Of Poe by erecting over his re-
mains a suitable monument. A meet
ing was held and subscription was
started, which was rapidly increased by
checks from all over America, and
even bv contributors from England and
France. The pupils of the public
schools added their mites, and in 1919
one of the most chaste and artistic
marble shafts l have seen was ready to
be placed over his grave.
Or. Morris had been close friend o.!
Poe, and as an editor of Baltimore
magazine had accepted many of his
contributions. One day. We were Sit
ting together in his study, talking OF
the approaching ceremonies, when he
con6ded to me the fact that it had been
arranged to exhume the remains at a
very early hour the next morning, In
order that no attention would be at
tracted to the work.
"Ifyou will meet me at the church
at five o'clock tomorrow morning, J"
he said, "you can view the remains,
but promise me you will make no
mention of our intentions in advance,
for besides the sexton and ourselves
there will be but one other person
present" r..rs--l.-.
promised, and slept on pile OF
newspaper exchanges in my office all
night, that might be up in time. We
met, and, with the light of the sections
lantern, made our. way among the
tombs beneath the church until We
reached the one in which Poe had been
laid to rest, twenty-six years before.
The grave had been excavated down
to the coffin, and in few moments the
sections pick had broken the decayed
wood, and the bones of the poet were
exposed to view. l shall never forget
the nervous tension we all endured as
we lowered the lantern into the grave
to catch 8 glimpse of that marvellous
skull. Tenderly it was lifted, as we
examined it in deep silence. The teeth
were in good state of preservation |
remember, and the remarkable frontal
development at once suggested the
fidelity with which the sculptor
Rinehart, l think-.had pictured the
poet in that beautiful medallion on the
marble shaft. The left arm, from about
two inches above the elbow up to and
including part of the shoulder blade,
was petrifed, and its form nearly as
perfect as it had been in life. Carefully
the bones were gathered together and
placed in new coffin, and little later
the clods of earth covered it for the
second time.
A few early laborers, attracted by
the unusual sight, peered curionsly
through the iron railing and reverently
stood with uncovered heads as the
whisper passed among them. tits
Poer' A. 81. CANDY.
WASHINGTON, Jan. II, 1895.