The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-06-14
AT WEST POINT WITH POE.
THE POET AS REMEMBERED BR
 ONE OF HIS CLASSMATES.

His Career at the Military Academ. and the Circumstances That Led t, His DismissaI-verses That H,
 and Courage.
 Perhaps the only living classmate oi Edgar Allan Poe while at West Point is Colonel Timothy Pickering Jones, ot this city, says the Seguin, Tex, cores pondent of the Richmond Times Dis patch, a loveable gentleman. now in his ninetieth year, still vigorous and with mind as clear as that of man of flf- ty, delighting in entertaining his friends with "reminiscences of the un- fortunate poet and another of his boy
 hood friends, Davy Crockett.
 Edgar Allan Poe has been euiogized scandaled, admired and defamed, said Colonel Jones. "and as one who knew him intimately can truthfully say that he was man of master mind, a loyal friend, and a man who did not hesitate or fear to express his contempt and hatred for an enemy Poe could hate with the most intense hatred, and there was not cowardly drop of blood in his veins; he was one of the game hens chickens If ever there was one.
 q entered West Point July 1, 1880, al the same time with Edgar Allan Poe and we were classmates and terminates we were 'buddies,' as the boys say now. Poe was in his twenty-second year and I in my fifteenth, and I con- fess felt fiattered that the young man should take fancy to me and seek my friendship and companionship. I real ized, even in my young years, that he was an exceptionally brilliant fellow, studying but little, but always perfect in recitations, save in mathematics, which he boldly declared had no place in the brain of an intellectual man-too dull and commonplace. The strict dis cipline, the mathematical requirements of the military school, kept my friend in an unhappy frame of mind, and when he would get case of the blues or have f1are-up with one of the pro- fessors, he would say: Come Pick. let's hie ourselves over to "Old Ben ny's."'
 This was point where the rankest kind of wet goods went out of the bot ties, jugs and kegs to the West Point boys, and I dare say Old Benny's' proved the ruin of many young fel- low. I am glad that the government ho1 1o .~In ", out of business. Well, when Poe and would reach that emporium he would pour down drink after drink, and they were no 'ponies,' either, but four and six fingers. It was simply impossible for me to get Poe to consent to return to the buildings until he had satisfied his appetite-until he was thoroughly and capitally soaked. It was then that I always had my hands full for Poe in this condition was regular demon and would fight a cage of wildcats, and he didn't care much who it was that he met if he could get up a scrap. There was one professor, Dr. Locke, whom Poe delighted in annoying, and he ha- ted him with a holy hatred Locke did not like Poe, either, and the kettle was kept constantly boiling.
 Poe did not have a very wide circle of acquaintances or friends at West Point-ha seeking the companionship of but few. I confess that he held a strange kind of hypnotic power over me, and I was almost powerless to re- sist his invitations or requests to slip out by the guards and go with him to Old Benny's.' While knew after the first trip with him just what would happen, could not say no. Drunk or sober Poe was quick to resent a wrong or an insult, and his superior intellect, striking personality and his unques- toned fighting qualities made the boys have a strong respect for him. But he was marked man, for the teachers and officers were determined that he should be brought to-bay.
 "On number of occasions he made Rome howl, and it was not until after being forced to straighten out in the guardhouse that he would agree to re turn to his room and conduct himself right. We'll, it went from bad to worse, until January, 1881, just six months after entering, he was tried by general court-martial for disobedience to superiors, neglect of duties and i'm toxication.
 "There was no necessity for witness es, for Poe entered plea of guilty, saying that ha was anxious to get out, and that he wasn't cut out for a sol dier. The sentence of dismissal did not take effect until the 9th of March, and the major portion of this intervening time was utilized by Poe in writing po- etry, the greater portion of which was printed in book form, dedicated to the United States Corps of Cadets. But a large batch of the poems didn't get into the volume, they being for private cir culation'-circulated by being posted in conspicuous places on trees and build ings. These poems were of the bum ble bee variety, very vicious, and were