Edgar Allen Poe was a short-story writer, poet, critic, editor, and had one of the most widely debated deaths of all time. Poe was a writer across the globe, best known for his tales of mystery, but one mystery no one could quite understand was his passing. This mystery has been going on since the mid-19th century, with many conspiracies and theories made along the way. From alcoholism to plain murder, nothing is off the table. Of all the theories provided for his death, cooping is the most plausible because of the historical context, Poe’s susceptibility, and first-person accounts. Cooping is a possible explanation for his death because this practice of election fraud was very popular and widespread during Poe’s time. According to an article …show more content…
Poe’s fragile state of mind and delicate circumstances make the theory of co-op all the more plausible. Finally, testimonies from Poe's peers and eyewitnesses support the claim of co-op. According to the article from Smithsonian Magazine, a multitude of letters were sent to Poe's biographer, J.H. Ingram, blaming his death on a co-op scheme (Geiling). In addition, William Hand Browne, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, wrote in a letter that "the general belief here is that Poe was seized by one of these gangs, 'cooped,' stupefied with liquor, dragged out and voted, and then turned adrift to die." The. As we can see, there are eyewitness testimonies from individuals who witnessed Poe either in a distressed state, behaving erratically, or with an actual gang member. These first-hand observations provide evidence that Poe’s death could certainly have been due to the consequences of the practice of co-op. In summary, cooping is a reasonable explanation for Edgar Allan Poe's death based on historical circumstances, Poe's general vulnerability, and eyewitness