The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-10
"REMINISCENCES OF POE.
Brought Out Through n Movement to
Preserve His Old Home.

New York Mail and Express.
Members Of a preliminary COMMITTEES
which has in charge the organizing Of the
Women's Auxiliary to the Society for the
Preservation of Science and Historic Places
and Objects have found the proposition to
form such an auxiliary most popular. and
among the buildings they wish to preserve
Is the Poe cottage. Andrew II. Green,
president of the parent society, and the
trustees of the organization are In SYM
pathy with the lines of work laid out by
the preliminary committee.
A petition which has been prepared asks
that the State and city authorities who are
empowered to take such action purchase
the land surrounding these historic spots,
and convert 1t into parks. The cottage is
now and has been for four years occupied
by Philip Kenneally and his family. 1t is
in perfect condition. About three years ago
the Shakespeare Literary Society of Ford
ham began a movement to buy the cottage,
but it failed, as $4,000 was offered for it,
while $4,000 is the price.
AT one time the cottage stood in the CEN
ter of two acres of garden. Only one of the
original shingles that formed part of it's
roof and sides during the poets occupancy
is believed to be in existence. 1t is a huge
specimen, split by hand and fully three
feet long. resident of kingsbridge says
he once had a large number of these wood
en- relics stored away in his house, but
when he went to look for them recently
he was amazed to find every one of them
gone, but where nobody seems to know.
Poe went to Fordham in 1916 with his
wife and her mother, and they fitted up
the little snuggery with money which Poe
a n
against a Philadelphia publisher. In the
front apartment of the cottage Virginia,
Poe's invalid wife, died after much suffer
ing. On the ground floor there are bed
room and a kitchen, and upstairs three
more rooms, through one of which great
chimney passes This was favorite nook
for Poe on inclement days, when ii was
either too cold or too stormy TO sit in the
shade of the cherry tree
Old residents of Fordham who knew Poe
and much about his unfortunate devotion
to drink, which ended his life at the early
age of thirty-eight, tell many anecdotes
about him. One who visited the cottage
more than fifty-three years ago says:
Mrs. Poe was sitting in the sun on the
little porch, wrapped in what appeared to
be Counterpart, her husband on one side
of her and her mother on the other. At my
next visit, both times acting as messen-
ger for one of the poets friends, she was
on couch covered with man s over
coat, for the house was cold. Whlle l
was waiting for Poe his wife coughed once
or twice, and / saw him vince at the sound.
/ am also sure that both were actually
suffering for food until brought letter
to them which contained a gift of money.
Ion another occasion, while Poe was at
dinner with some friends, he almost came
to blows with one of the guests, and
brandished a carving knife. Everybody
concluded that he was a passionate and
violent man. 1t was learned, however, that
he had come down from Fordham, know
ing that he had left his wife at home sick
hon fl,ay fn
a morsel of food, and so every mouthful he
ate only reminded him OF this and served
to irritate him"
Another early visitor was a young girl.
She is an elderly lady now, but distinctly
remembers the Poes. On one occasion,
when she called, Poe had climbed up in the
now Inflated cherry tree TO pick cherries
and his wife was standing on the ground
underneath to catch the fruit in her apron
as he threw IL down.
Venerable William Valentine, who died
in Fordham several years ago, used to say
he often met Poe while on his strolls. Poe
poverty, and Mr.. Valentine used TO insist
that If Mrs. Poe had had enough TO eat
she would not have died as she did, from
sheer starvation, am sure or IL.
Poe was always courteous, even If
passer-by would interrupt him while he
was sitting under the cherry tree writing,
said a man who had at one time been an
employe in the carriage shop near the cot
tage. He used to pass our building every
day on his way 10 the city. We knew he
was smart man, and always supposed
from the neatness of his attire that he had
a way of making good bit of money in
short time"
An old priest who knew Poe well says the
poet was a frequent visitor to Fordham
College. which had just been established
mr.. Poe often visited the place" he added
''and seemed to like the college. Gradually
he became a privileged person among u.s.
He was never other than true gentleman.
Poe valued his own works highly. especially
The Raven which he declared was the
greatest poem that was ever written and
felt hurt when a friend complimented him
for his poem by saying 1T was fine, uncom-
at this seeming lack of appreciation, he
went directly to barroom and began to
drink deeply. but he was not confirmed
drunkard. His nervous temperament was
delicate to a degree. What would have