Mystery fan marks Poe's birthday
So-called 'Poe Toaster' brings roses, cognac
Wednesday, January 19, 2005 Posted: 10:37 AM EST (1537 GMT)
BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- The mystery man was dressed for the
cold rather than tradition, and some spectators were not quite as
respectful as in years past.
But for the 56th year, a man stole into a locked graveyard early on
Edgar Allan Poe's birthday and placed three roses and a half-empty
bottle of cognac on the writer's grave.
Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum, who has seen the
mysterious visitor every January 19 since 1976, gathered with about
20 people Tuesday night to glimpse the ritual.
"It was absolutely frigid," Jerome said of the sub-20 degree
temperature.
No one, not even Jerome, knows the identity of the so-called "Poe
Toaster." The visit was first documented in 1949, a century after
Poe's death.
This year, the visitor arrived at 1:10 a.m. in a heavy coat and
obscured his face with a black pullover, Jerome said. He was not
wearing the traditional white scarf and black hat.
"He put the roses and cognac at the base of Poe's grave and put his
hand on top of the (tomb) stone. He paused and put his head down,"
the museum curator said. He left after about five minutes, Jerome
said.
The visitor's three roses are believed to honor Poe, his
mother-in-law and his wife, all of whom are buried in the
graveyard. The significance of the cognac is unknown.
People who stand vigil usually respect the visitor's desire for
anonymity, which, along with the visitor's quick moves and the
cover of darkness, have kept his secret well.
But this time, some spectators "created a nuisance," Jerome said.
Some entered the locked cemetery; others confronted Jerome after
the stranger had departed and demanded that he reveal his
identity.
For decades, a frail figure made the visit to Poe's grave. But in
1993 the original visitor left a cryptic note saying, "The torch
will be passed." A later note said the man, who apparently died in
1998, had passed the tradition on to his sons.
Poe, who wrote poems and horror stories such as "The Raven" and
"The Telltale Heart," died October 7, 1849 in Baltimore at the age
of 40 after collapsing in a tavern.
Bethany Dinger, 32, first became fascinated with the writer while
doing volunteer work at the Poe House in high school. Wednesday was
her third time watching the ritual.
"It's always amazing -- you know it's going to happen and then it's
just wow, he's here," she said. "We're just so in the moment --
there's no talking" while the visitor pays homage.
