death death october remained mysterious circumstances leading uncertain cause death disputed october found streets baltimore maryland great distress need immediate assistance according man found taken died sunday october coherent explain came condition extant information days life comes attending physician credibility questionable buried small funeral westminster hall burying ground remains moved new grave larger monument newer monument marks burial place wife virginia mother law maria theories caused death include suicide murder cholera victim evidence influence alcohol strongly disputed death wrote obituary pseudonym literary estate actually rival later published biography depicting drunk drug evidence image believed forged friends denounced interpretation lasting impact chronology september left richmond virginia way home new_york reliable evidence exists whereabouts week later october found streets baltimore outside referred gunner hall printer named sent letter requesting help acquaintance letter reads later claimed note said state original letter proves hand account describes appearance hair face vacant eyes clothing said included dirty shirt vest shoes worn fit attending physician gives detailed account appearance day stained faded old coat similar character pair worn shoes run heels old straw hat coherent long explain came condition believed clothes wearing wearing clothes character cared profit broadway street denied visitors confined prison like room barred windows section building reserved drunk people said repeatedly called night death able identify person referred possibility recalling encounter newspaper editor explorer inspired novel narrative arthur gordon possibility judges overseeing fourth ward polls ryan tavern met election day instead calling herring author uncle law baltimore named later avoided reference mentioned visit misses herring claimed attempted cheer times awake told patient soon enjoying company friends allegedly replied best thing friend blow brains pistol distressed state reference wife richmond thinking wife virginia alive referring recently proposed know happened trunk belongings left swan tavern richmond reported final words lord help poor soul dying october credibility visitors probably person author days credibility questioned repeatedly considered altogether years death story changed wrote topic claimed example immediately contacted aunt mother law let know death fact wrote requested november month event claimed said prepared draw breath arched heavens encompass god decree written created human demons goal waves blank despair editor published version story admitted imagine constructing sentences biographer attributes claim convention assigning pious words console accounts altered dates different points claimed brought hospital october october october day died clock afternoon published account claimed hospital records reference search hospital records century later specifically official death certificate found critics claim inconsistencies errors lapse memory innocent desire time wrote published account cause death medical records documents including death certificate lost existed precise cause death disputed theories exist biographers addressed issue reached different conclusions ranging assertion murder plot theory suggested death resulted suicide related depression nearly died readily available pain killer unclear true suicide attempt lead death year later convinced died alcoholism great deal idea supporter movement found useful example work writings topic proven contradicted stating account die effect claimed odor liquor breath person newspapers time reported death congestion brain cerebral deaths causes alcoholism study psychologist suggested characterization alcoholic disputed drinking companion time admitted engaged wild went innocent acknowledging speak truly believe severe alcohol drunk glass wine drank difficult periods life went months time alcohol adding confusion frequency use alcohol membership time death administered pledge wrote years later community reason believe violated pledge richmond suggestions drug proven reported admitted enemy trained doctor insisted drug user wrote habit knew physician man observation discovered frequent visits rooms visits house meetings saw signs believe charge numerous causes death proposed years including forms rare brain disease brain diabetes types doctor named examined believed heart disease later denied test sample hair provides evidence possibility lead poisoning mercury poisoning similar toxic heavy metal cholera suggested passed philadelphia early cholera epidemic got sick time city wrote letter aunt saying cholera bad found day election suggested early victim ballot box victims vote political party multiple locations standard explanation death biographies decades status baltimore recognizable worked recently analysis suggesting death resulted presented funeral funeral simple held monday october people attended ceremony uncle provided simple coffin cousin supplied wife funeral presided reverend cousin wife virginia attendance baltimore lawyer classmate cousin husband entire ceremony lasted minutes cold damp weather reverend decided bother sermon crowd small wrote weather dark day kind raw threatening buried cheap coffin lacked handles cloth lining head october received second funeral baltimore actors portrayed contemporaries long dead writers artists paid respects read adapted writings funeral included replica wax burial buried grounds burying ground baltimore death created controversy mystery originally buried rear corner churchyard near grandfather white italian marble paid cousin destroyed reached grave train monument yard kept instead marked sand stone block read southern poet visited grave published newspaper article describing poor condition suggesting appropriate monument teacher baltimore public schools took advantage renewed interest grave site personally funds students public performances raise money baltimore united_states contributed final came philadelphia publisher philanthropist new monument designed architect built colonel included artist men baltimore total cost monument amounted slightly dollars october new location close church celebration held dedication new tomb november original burial spot marked large stone donated originally placed wrong spot attendees included gave speech called cousin best hearted men lived leading poets invited ceremony attend contributed poem read ceremony probably unknown crew graves previously facing east turned face crew digging remains difficulty finding right body year old maryland correctly located opened coffin witness noted skull excellent condition shape forehead striking features easily years later remains wife virginia moved spot cemetery lay destroyed claim remains early biographer gathered bones stored box hid bed virginia remains finally buried husband january anniversary husband birth nearly years present monument erected man served original burial attended rites brought body rest virginia virginia mother posthumous character assassination october day burial obituary appeared signed obituary alternated praising dead author abilities temperament ambition said literary art lost brilliant erratic stars claimed known walking streets claimed excessively arrogant assumed men villains quick anger later revealed colleague acquaintance alive engaged character assassination characterization obituary lifted fictitious obituary quickly standard characterization claimed asked literary served agent american authors unclear appointed trick mistake aunt mother law maria presented collaboration collection work included biographical article titled memoir author depicted drunk drug parts believed fabricated denounced known including account popularly accepted biography available widely reprinted remained popular readers assumed similar fictional characters thrilled thought reading works evil man accurate biography appear historians continued use depiction model biographies including tale alcohol drugs presented evidence forged written number letters included memoir author depiction entrenched mind public america world distorted image legend despite attempts
Death of Edgar Allan Poe