Experts May Have Finally Solved The Mystery Of Edgar Allan Poe's Strange Passing

When you hear the name Edgar Allen Poe, creepy works like "The Raven" or The Tell-Tale Heart probably spring to mind. Poe's "spook factor" wasn't just limited to his writings. His life featured plenty of mystery, and so did his inexplicable death. More than 150 years later, experts are still trying to work out exactly what caused the legendary author to meet his untimely end — and some theories feel ripped from the author's short stories!

In the Gutter

On a rainy day in 1849, a scruffy-looking man was found in the gutter outside of a Baltimore pub. While poverty and drunkenness weren't exactly uncommon at the time, there was something special about this person. He was identified as Edgar Allen Poe.

Out of Character

While Poe was somewhat of a colorful character, things didn't add up. The writer always sported fine clothes and was due to be in Philadelphia shortly after his gutter stunt; how had he ended up drunk and wearing a mismatched outfit on a Baltimore street?

A Delirious Death

Unfortunately, Poe couldn't provide the answers himself. The writer died after a few delirious days in the hospital. Ever since then, experts and curious sleuths alike have tried to solve the mystery of the author's final days.

Alcohol Abuse?

Given the state in which he was discovered, some suspected that Poe had simply gone on a bender and drunk himself to death at a local saloon. There are a few problems, however, with that theory.