The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-07
AT WEST POINT WITH POE.
Col. Pick Jones, of Texas, Tells OF His
Association with Him as a Cadet.

Seguin CTex.) Letter in New York Sun.
Col. Pick Jones, of this city. in his boy
hood was an associate of Edgar Allen Poe.
He is a veteran of three wars, and was born
in Moore county, North Carolina. His IA
Their, Atlas Jones, was one of the leading
members of the North Carolina bar.
1t was while he was a cadet at West Point
that he became acquainted with Poe. In
speaking of him the other day he said:
Poe was as fine a fellow personally as
years ago that he and / entered West Point
together. / then a boy Of fifteen and one
half years and he upward of twenty.
Poe and i were m roommateS
and ntmates From the first time we met
he took a fancy to me, and, owing to his
older years and extraordinary literary mer-
its, I thought he was the greatest fellow on
earth.
From much that he told me Of his pre-
vious life he was dissipated before he ever
entered for the West Point cadetship. He
was certainly given TO extreme dissipation
within a very short time after he entered
school.
"At first he studied hard, and his ambi-
ton seemed to be to lead the class In all
studies. He was an extraordinary scholar
in all branches except mathematics, for
which he seemed to have an aversion.
I'm that branch he fell short, and that
seemed TO have q tendency to discourage
him and ii was only a few weeks after the
beginning of his career at West Point that
he seemed to lose interest an his studies
and TO be disheartened and discouraged. /
think when he discovered he could not lead
his classes that ii had a tendency to damp
en- his ordiarily genial disposition.
However, he would at times become a
victim to the blues, and for many days he
would hardly speak TO any one, and his
disposition seemed suddenly to be changed
from life, energy. congeniality and pleasure
to abruptness, revenge. spitefulness and
even viciousness.
He was invariably pleasant to me when
In these respondent moods, and would gen.
orally get me to go with him down to old
Benny's.' a place some distance from the
buildings that the government has since
purchased and made a part of the reserve,
but which at that time was a rendezvous
for the boys when they could escape the
guards. Old Benny-I forget his other name
had intoxicants, and Poe would risk any
of his moods TO go down, and he would in
variably drink until ne became raving
drunk.
cit was not more than four weeks after
we entered West Point that Poe, accom-
panied by me, made his first venture to this
joint. This was the first time / had ever
seen him under the influence of liquor.
and he was soon more like a demon than a
man. He was fearless at all times, and
when under the influence of liquor was
desperate. and the boys at West Point al
ways had a high regard for him. both
through a respect for his extraordinary
talents and through fear.
Poe would form a dislike to a man and
his hatred was deep and u~nrsconcilable.
There was one OF the teachers there, Prof
Locke. who hated Poe. and the spirit of
uncongeniality was mutual. 1t was Locke
whom Poe on one occasion attempted TO
throw down a sixty-foot embankment in
the dead hours Of the night into the Hud-
son river.
Old Benny's late one night, thoroughly in
toxicated and imbued with the idea that
Locke had done him some Injustice. 1t
was one of the most trying efforts of my
life TO prevent Poe from doing this terrible
| deed. Poe would drink to a most thorough
state of intoxication every time he could
get where there was anything to drink
1T was quite frequent that long after
taps were sounded at night Poe would
Benny's with him. Due to my younger
years and the influence of an older head. L
would invariably I'M him.
Many a inns / have seen Poe In the
guardhouse as a raving maniac from the
result OF drink after these escapades. He.
when under the influence of drink, knew
no such thing as obedience to his superiors,
and could only be handled by force. but
! have never seen him subdued until after
the effects Of drink had worn off.
He finally became so intolerabIe from
his excessive drink that he was dismissed
for disobedience 10 his superiors. / left
West Point shortly after his dismissal. but
never from that time saw him.
Poe had evfnced considerable literary
genius before he left West Point, and prob
ably before he came there. He would often
write some OF the most forcible and vicious
doggerel. have me copy IL with my left
and I'm order that IL might be disguised.
and post IL around the building. Locke was
ordinarily one OF the victims or his sting
ing pen.
man whose hatred was so intense as that
OF Poe. l believe that | am the only living
West Point associate OF Poe"