The Mystery of Marie Roget, Murdered by Edgar Allan Poe

Poe died a few days after he disappeared without a trace, in October 1849, because of a combined abuse of alcohol, opium and laudanum. He was barely 40. In the face of death he called repeatedly for a certain Reynolds, the explorer whose expedition to the Antarctic Ocean encouraged Poe to write the story of Arthur Gordon Pym. But another - G.W.M. - Reynolds played an important role in The Mystery of Mary Cecilia Rogers, as the literary editor of Snowden's Ladies Companion...

Christopher Walken Reading The Raven by E.A. Poe 

In the papers of the late G.W.M. Reynolds a letter has been found, barely readable and written by a person who... Here are some quotes from it:

"Normally and naturally, there is a strong analogy between the handwriting and the character of every human being. The manuscripts of the various writers, although they show a certain degree of diversity in the design and size of the letters, have undoubtedly a number of characteristics in common... Without exception they exhibit the same tenacity and single-mindedness, and also they all fail to deal with a certain, I would say constitutional, shake of the writer's hand... What can we deduce from these observations? Apparently, the writer has done the effort to draw each letter in a different handwriting, thus creating the impression that there were different writers at work. 

The style of the letters, in which the soul of the writer is revealed, confirms this conclusion. Symptomatic is the frequent use of inversion. He writes, for example, not a 'superhuman strength', but 'a strength, superhuman'. These letters are the result of a literary tour de force. I would say here is a man at work with an exceptional talent in the field of imitation!

It is precisely this consideration that brings us one step further on the road to the unmasking of the culprit. At the time of the first disappearance of Marie, among the faithful visitors of the perfume shop of Monsieur Le Blanc, was the infamous poet Edouard T. Foubert. If I had to describe this man, I would say he is about thirty years old, good looking, always well dressed... His complexion is pale, but his skin has a bright, olive-colored tint. This pale face shows a sharp contrast with his dark eyes and almost black hair, fine as silk. I think his dark eyes and black hair are accentuated by his pale complexion, and not vice versa.

Now, we have already pointed out that the killer of Marie Rogêt has to be a naval officer, and not a poet.  But our description of monsieur Edouard T. Foubert is not yet complete. He like to wear a black coat... with the collar of a cadet or a soldier, the only remnant of his training as an officer. Mister Foubert however had to leave the Navy, on charges of alcohol abuse.

I have already informed the prefect of my findings and if I am not mistaken, one of these days our newspaper will report that the police has finally solved the mystery of Marie Rogêt!