Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-01-05
EDGAR AL EN- POE.
The Truth About sis u,uth 60 ..
IricI.d.
The recent dclloa-l-n Of a =

IrieDd.
The recent dCGlOa-l.D OF Il D.
the poet, l. gar Alan Zoe, a,
University OF Virginia. has Ie IveO
widespread interest in the lie sto..
OF that wonderful literary genius.
Dr. r. D'Unger OF Chicago, who
takes exception TO the story OF Poe'a
death as II has been told during re
cent years in papers and magazines
to the effect that he was drugged TO
death by political FOUNDERS" says:
This very remarkab @ story relating
to the death of Edgar Allan Foe, which
is now going the rounds Of the press.
would be still more remarkable did X
contain a single word Of truth. ] am
personally acquainted wi all the
facts as to the demise of the poet. anC
will give them to you in brief way,
THE story as TO his being cooped
by ward heelers,' drugged and i'm
prisoned in room in the rear OF the
fire engine house on Calvert S reei
(the old Mechanical Volunteer Fire
Company had their engine house
there) is preposterous, for the reason
that there was no rear roor, in the
house. the engine standing against the
rear wall. Poe never had anything u
do with politics, never mixed with
politicians. and. besides, was not a
voter in Baltimore at that or any 9TH
er time, being nonresident.
"He was not a bum either, and il
was only men undeniably of this
stamp who wee 'cooped.
Poe was a morose. melancholy sort
Of fellow, his great weakness being
an inclination 10 drink with any and
every body that invited him. but | do
not believe that he ever called the
boys up to the bar even when he had
money, which was seldom.
''EIe had an abundance of old Vir-
ginia pride, and would brace up after
several drinks and be all fuss and
feathers, and then it was that he
could and would talk eloquently. Peri
odical spreeirg was his greatest weak
ness, and the sober intervals were reg
uiated 10 to length by the state OF his
poke Look-never full to my recol-
lection, but now and then with five
dollar bin in 1t.
THE winning Of the 500 prize for
the Gold Bug story made a fool Of
him. He could never stand prosperity
After getting This money he went on
eeveral small sprees, but finally on a
great one as he termed it. After be-
ing intoxicated for week he would
suffer from inflammation of the stom
aCh, and il was this complaint that
carried him off. anc not a poisonous
drug.
The day after his death, or perhaps
two days the story was told in the
Old Baltimore Patriot office, then To-
Gated on North street. above Balti-
more. that Poe had been or was to be
buried in Potters' field. The printers
although Poe, on account Of his AFRO
gance, was not much Of favorite with
most of hem, did not relish the idea
Of a grave in Potters field. A sub
scrlption was started. headed, II my
memory serves NE correctly, by Thorn
as SOlZer; however, the man who
started the list was the foreman of The
baltimore American composing room.
Il myself was on the list for few
dollars.
with the money thus raised Poe's
remains were inferred in the church
yard a tie corner OF Fayette and
Greene streets. Poe aid not seem TO
have any money, and for all We knew
and saw of Jham. any friends. outside
Of the journey non printers, whom he
ever considered his interiors, even
when drinking the whiskey their
money had paid for."
There will always be such a great
degree o. interest in he life and fate
of Poe that falsthood cannot greatly
hurt hi fame.