Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-02
THE BURIALS OF POE.
CONTRAST BETWEEN THE EXERCISES
 AT THE TWO CEREMONIES.

Mystery Yelling the Death of the Poet. ] The Latest Account Given by a Man Who Claims the Closest Personal Knowledge. Killed by a Drug.
 In striking contrast were the first and last burials of Edgar A. Poe. On that dreary autumn afternoon in 1849, when tho most original of American poets was laid to rest among his ancestors in West minister ohurchyard, in Baltimore, only one carriage followed the body of the poet from the hospital where be died. The ceremony was scant, and the attendants scanter for eight persons only were pres- ent. Poe had died under cloud. His last hours were passed in the charity ward of. "a public hospital He was buried in a poplar coffin, stained in imitation of wal nut. It was funeral such as poor man, with few friends and relatives, might have had
 The mystery surrounding Poe's death has never been satisfactorily explained. The account given by Dr. John J. Moran, in his Defense of Edgar A. Poe," is known to be incorrect and misleading. For instance, he gives the names of eieht persons as present at the funeral only two of whom were there. They were the Rev. w. T. D. Clemm and Henry Her ring, both of whom were relatives of Poe. The other person who attended tho first burial were z. Collins Lee, afterward judge of the superior court of Baltimore, who had been a classmate of Poe at the University of Virginia; Nelson Poe, aft. erward chief judge of the orphans court of Baltimore; Edmund Smith, well known schoolteacher in Baltimore 50 years ago, and his wife, who was a first cousin of the poet; Dr. J. E. Snodgrass, the last editor of the Baltimore Saturday Visitor, the paper from which Poe received tho $100 prize offered for the best story
 Another of Dr. Moran's misstatements is that tho body of the poet was laid in state in the large room in the rotunda of tho college building adjoining the hospi- tai; that hundreds of his friends and ac- quaintances came to see him; that at least 30 ladies received locks of his hair. Poe had few friends in Baltimore-not dozen and If "50 ladies received locks of his hair' they existed only in Dr. Moran's vivid imagination.
 Poe was mystery to the world during life, his death was mysterious, and, al. though he has been dead 45 years, he re- mains mystery still. Nine lives of the poet have been written, but the time and place of his birth have been differently mentioned by different biographers. The place of his burial was long a disputed point; tho cause of his death and the cir cumstances attending it have not yet been definitely settled
 An old resident of San Francisco, for merly of Baltimore, gives what he says is true account of Poe's last days and death. His story Is:
 II was an intimate associate of Edgar Allan Poe for years Much that has been said and written about his death is false. His habitual resort in Baltimore was tho Widow Meagher's, an oyster stand and liquor bar down on the wharf much ire quented by journalists. It was respecta- ble place. where parties could enjoy a game of cards or engage in social conver- ' sation.
 "Poe was sort of pet of the old wom- an, and he had favorte seat just be- ? hind the stand. He went by the name of ] The Bard, and when parties came into the place it was Bard, come up and take a nipP or Bard, come and take hand in this game
 "It was in tho Widow Meagher's little shop that Poo's attention was called to an adyertisementi in Philadelphia newspaper of prize for the best original story, and it was there that he wrote his famous story, The Gold Bug, which carried off the $100 prize. The Bard had been shift ing for several years between Baltimore Philadelphia and New York. He had not been in Baltimore for several months when he turned up one evening at the Widow Meagher's was there when he came in
 He privately told me that he had been to Richmond and was on hls way north to get ready for his wedding. It was the night before an election, and about 10 o'clock four of us, including Poe, started up town. We had not gone half dozen ; squares when we were nabbed by gang of mon whow on the lookout for voters to coop' It was the practice in those days to seize men, whether drunk or sober lock them up until tho polls were open, 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. either on North or Calvert street.
 Tt was part of the game to stupefy the prisoners with drugged liquor. Well, the next day we were voted at 81 different places and over and over again, 1t being as much as mans life was worth to re- fuse. Poe was so badly dragged thae utter