Edgar Allan Poe's Mysterious Collapse

October 3, 1849 – It was on this day that the great American poet and writer, Edgar Allan Poe, was found on the sidewalk outside a tavern in Baltimore. Incoherent and delirious, Poe was dressed in ill-fitting clothes that were in stark contrast to his trademark black suit.

A bystander who worked for the Baltimore Sun recognized the famous writer and sent this note to one of Poe’s acquaintances:

“There is a gentleman, rather the worse for wear, at Ryan’s 4th ward polls, who goes under the cognomen of Edgar A. Poe, and who appears in great distress, and he says he is acquainted with you—he is in need of immediate assistance.”

Poe was moved to Washington College Hospital where for four days, he drifted in and out of consciousness. He was never lucid enough to provide any explanation about what happened to him, but he did call out the name “Reynolds” multiple times.

On October 7th Poe passed away. His death certificate and any other useful clues have been lost to history. Theories about what happened range from alcohol poisoning to rabies, but one scenario is that Poe was a victim of political shenanigans called “cooping,” where someone is drugged or forced into blind drunkenness. The incapacitated person is then disguised in different clothes and made to vote multiple times.

Poe’s infamous collapse did occur on Election Day in close proximity to a polling site.

Edgar Allan Poe was only 40 years old when he died.