Text: John J. Moran, “Edgar Allan Poe,” Rockingham Register (Harrisonburg, VA), August 9, 1883, p. 4, col. 2

[page 4, column 2, continued:]

[For the Register.]

Edgar Allan Poe.

FALLS CHURCH, FAUQUIER

July 23, 1883. Messrs.

Messrs. Giles Devier de John P. Kerr, Harrisonburg, Va.:

Gentlemen — A friend of mine, and a warm admirer of the poet, Edgar Allan Poe, sent me a copy of your excellent journal (July 19th) containing a lengthy article on Poe the circumstances and incidents occurring in Philadelphia some 40 years ago. If you grant me a small space in your paper so will that I may refute this story, and disabuse the minds of his friends and the public a as well of the unjust imputations calumnies cast upon his life, character and death, you will greatly oblige his physician.

In reply to the article named I will briefly give an account of the time, his whereabouts and labors from 1843 (or 40 years ago), and let the public judge of the correctness, or truthfulness of history. I unhesitatingly deny that Poe died drunk, and declare that the smell of any intoxicant was not upon his breath or person when he entered the hospital. The writer states that he came to his workroom in an excited manner, a wild look in his eyes, &c. — describing a person in a fit or delerium tremens, or mania a portu. Finally he loaned him money to pay his expenses to Baltimore city. One month from that date he fell in with the roughs in the Monumental city. Then followed shameful gutter scenes, of course a like attack of delirium tremens, and in a few days died in a hospital. It is a shameful and base attack upon the poet, without the slightest regard for truth. In the year 1842, Mr. Poe was joint editor and reviewer of Graham's Magazine, and was with him at least 18 months. Graham says publicly, over his own signature, that lie was the most industrious, polite and attentive person he ever knew, and at no time did he see or know that he ever drank. In Spring of 1843, the time to which your writer refers, he received the $100 prize, offered by the Dollar Magazine [[Newspaper]], for the “Gold Bug.” In the Fall of 1844, his wife was here in ill-health, and he was sub-editor on the Mirror, a daily paper belonging to N. P. Willis and Gen, George Morris. Willis gives the same testimony as Graham. It was while at his work with them he produced the “Raven,” which carried his name and fame from shore to shore and over both In 1845-46 he had charge of the Broadway Journal, in New York. To this city he went with his dying wife in the hope of her being saved to him. During the year 1846, Poe began to contribute to Godey's Lady's Book, and continued so to do until within a short time of his wife's death. In 1847 his wife died. In 1848 he commenced to deliver a series of lectures to realize sufficient means to enable him to start a magazine of his own. Oct. 7, 1849, he died in the Washington College Hospital, Baltimore city, You will discover that from 1842 up to the Fall of 1849 he was constantly employed, and I am in possession of the testimony of each employer that he was sober, honest and indefatigable in his labors. I can prove beyond the fear of successful denial that from 1845 up to the time of his decease he had not tasted anything tor drink but water. He came from Richmond to Baltimore October 4th, leaving Richmond at 4 P. M. on the 4th, reaching Baltimore, by boat, on the 5th, at 5 P. was brought to the hospital on the 6th, at 9 A. and died on the 7th at 12:30, A. M., or half hour after midnight. He was in my care, as the resident physician of the hospital, 16 hours, and was perfectly rational 15 out of 16. — There was no smell of liquor upon his breath or person. He gave me a detailed account of his life, the address of those to whom I should write regarding his death, and to his affianced, to whom he was to have been married in ten days from his death, and who yet lives, to testify to the truth of what I say.

I have made it my business for some years to gather every fact and incident of his life, to enable me to take the field in his defence. I am fully prepared, and if your people wish to know the whole history of him, from his birth to his grave, I shall be most happy to serve them. I have lectured in -but three cities up to the present and have one engagement at Boston this winter. I lectured in Baltimore, Washington and Richmond.

Yours very truly,

J. J. MORAN, M. D.