The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-10
AT WEST POINT WfTH POE.
Col. Pick Jenes Of Texas Tells Of Hs Asso.
citation with Him - Cadet There.


Col. Pick Jsnes Of Texas Tells Of His Asso'
citation With Him - Cadet There.
SEauIN. Tex, May S--Col Pick Jones
! OF this city In his boyhood was an associate
! OF Edgar Allan Poe. Heis veteran of three
wars. and was born In Moore county, N. c.
His father, Atlas Jones. was one OF the
| leading members OF the North Carolina
bar.
| 1t was while he was cadet at West Point
that he became acquainted with Poe. In
speaking Of him the other day he said
Poe was as fine fellow personally as ever
lived on earth. II was seventy-three years
ago that he and l entered West Point to-
gether then boy Of 1871 years and he
upward Of 20.
Poe and we're classmates roommates
and terminates. From the first time we
met he took fancy to me, and owing to
his older years and extraordinary literary
merits, 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 ambition
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.
in that branch he fell short and that
seemed to have n tendency TO discourage
him. and 1t was only few weeks after the
beginning Of his career at West Point that
he seemed to lose interest In his studies
and to be disheartened and discouraged, l
think when he discovered he could not lead
his classes that it had tendency to dainpen
his ordinarily genial disposition.
However, he would at times become
victim to the blues. and for many days he
would hardly speak to any one, and his
dispo ition 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 desponclent moods and would gen.
orally get me TO 60 with him down to Old
Benny g., place some distance from the
bui dings that the Government has since
purchased and made a part OF the reserve,
but which at that time was a rendezvous
guards. Old Benny II forget his other
name-had intoxicants. and Poe would risk
any chances in evading the officers when
in one OF his moods to go down, and he
would invariably drink until he became
raving drunk.
1T 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 l had ever
seen him under the influence of liquor.
and he was soon more like demon than
ua faa rlpSa ALI times and
when under the influence of liquor was
desperate, and the boys at West Point always
had high regard for him both through
respect for his extraordinary talents and
through fear.
poe would form dislike to a man and
his hatred was deep and unreconcilahle.
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 Hudson
River.
-This was when he was returning from
Old Benny's late one night, thoroughly in
toxicated and imbued with me laea 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 most thor
ough state Of intoxicaton every time he
could get where there was anything to
drink.
1T was quite frequent that long after
taps we're sounded at night Poe would
awaken me and ask me to 60 down to Old
Benny's with him. Due to my younger
years and the influence of an older head,
would invariably accompany him.
MANY time i have seen Poe in the
puardhouse az q raving maniac from the
result of drink after these eecapades. He.
when under the influence Of drink, knew
no such thing as obedience to his superiors
and could only be handled by force. but
l have never seen him subdued until after
the effects OF drink had worn on.
"He finally became so intolerable from
his excessive drink that he was dismissed
for disobedience TO his euperiors. l
left West Point shortly after his dismissal.
but never from that time saw him.
-Poc had evidenced considerable literary
genius before he left West Point, and prob
ably before he came there. He would often
write some of the most forcibe and vicious
doggerel have me copy II with my left
hand in order that it might be disguised
and post II around the building. Locke was
ordinarily one of the victims Of his singing
pen.
HE would often play the toughest Jokes
on those he disliked. have never seen a
man whose hatred was 30 intense as that
OF Poe. I believe that ! am the only living
West Point associate Of Poe