Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-04-12
An. Old Landmark Gene.

The people of Los Angeles were
much shocked yesterday by intel
ligence of the death Of Matthew
Keller, familiarly known as Don
Mateo Keller, which took place at
his late residence on Alameda
street, at nine o'clock yesterday
morning. The event was not
expected, although Mr.. Keller had
been ailing for some weeks. After
having been confined to his bed for
quite a spell he rallied and was
strong snongh to be driven out. 1t
was a matter Of general remark
amongst the friends who saw him
on these occasions that his consti-
tuition was irreparably broken, but
few of them expected to hear Of his
death 80 soon. While eating his
breakfast yesterday morning Mrs.
Stuhr, wife of the Superintendent
Of his winery, had occasion to
| leave the room, to procure some
necessary article; and, though alb
sent but for q moment, on her re-
turn che found him dead in his
chair. DR.. Wise pronounced heart
disease the immediate cause of his
death. We take the following
resume Of Mr.. Keller's career from
the Erpress of yesterday evening:
Mr.. Keller was born in Cork, Ire
land, in 1911. He emigrated to this
country soon after attaining his
majority. Little is known Of his
early career, except that be was in
Mexico during the war, accom-
panying the American army as a
trader. He was naturalized In New
Orleans In 1849. He settled in Los
Angeles about the year 1850, and
began as merchant, having a
store on the southwest corner of
Commercial and Los Angeles
streets. He devoted himselfto this
business six or seven years, latterly
finding q remunerative trade in
packing and shipping grapes. From
dealing in grapes he soon drifted
into raising them, when he gave
up merchandising altogether. For
more than twenty years he has
been known as one Of the promi-
nent and extensive wine producers
in the county. Recently younger
and more active men have sur
passed him in the quantity of
wine and brandy which they have |
made, but none have turned out q
better quality. Five years
ago Mr.. Keller found himself
in some what straightened oircum-
stances by reason Of the stringency |
of the times generally and the es-
pecial deprsssion-of the wine indus
try. He had large quantity of
wine on hand for which there was
no market, and, at the same time,
heavy debts at q high rate Of in.
terest were pressing upon him.
Under the pressure Of these cir.
cumstances he took up his resi-
denee In New York City, where be
remained for about q year, dev0t-
ing his personal attention to open.
ing market for his products.
His efforts we're remarkably sue.
cessful, as he sold every spare gall
lon of his wines, aud, with
the proceeds, 1t Is graf
flying to say, he had enough
to discharge his obligations
and place himself in easy Ananvlal
circumstances. Within the past
year he had been planting new
vineyards and making arrange
msnts to Increase his business in a
marked degree. The estate which
he leaves ts valuable one, EN-.
bracing the home place on Alamo.
da street-about twenty acres-and
the Rising Sun Vineyard, in the
southern suburbs, of $50 acres, the
vines being from twenty to twenty:
five years old. The wine and
brandy mandatory and cellars
are located on the home place, Ala.
media street. The machinery has
for crushing fifty tons of
grapes In day, and turns out,
during the season, 200 gallons of
brandy and 1000 gallons OF wine
daily. The estate also includes the
Malaga ranch, on the coast above
Santa Monica, running out to Point
Dumas. Mr.. Keller planted five
hundred acres Of vineyard on this
ranch during the tive past seasons.
Mr.. Keller's preference was Nal.
voisie and Mission vines for heavy
wines, and he often said that there
was no better than the ordinary
Mission for all the purposes of
a vigneron. He thought the
Blaue Eiba had not good
keeping qualities. His manufac.
lures Of wines were Madeiras, 7
Sherries and Port, and upon these
he established quite q reputation,
especially the sherry, taking d.
plomas at our local Fairs and car.
ry1ng off q silver medal from the
Centennial at Philadelphia. The
wine cellars, of which there are two
-one 6Ox60 and the other 5Ox3OO-
are located on the home place ad-
joining the. works. With all the
old stock sold and only the vintage
of 1879 on hand, he still had one
hundred thousand gallons Of wine
in store.
Mr.. Keller was the first man to
raise cotton in California, receiving
q premium Of $1,000 or upwards
from the State therefor. The cot
ton was produced during the early
years of the war of the Rebellion.
Deceased was q man notable for
physical and Intellectual vlgor.
His robust frame and blonde hair,
In which scarcely a streak of gray
could be detected, gave him the
appearance of man of not over
fifty years of age. His friends
were frequently in the habit Of
rallying him on his healthy and
youthful appearance, and most Of
them thought. the old gentleman,