The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1891-11-12
KING PATRICK THE FIRST.

A Wicked Savannah Sailor Who Has Be-
come an Oriental Potentate.
Twenty years ago Patrick O,Keefe
was a comparatively poor man, making
his living as a sailor on small vessels
coasting between Savannah and neigh
boring ports. Today he is a king. He
is the owner and absolute ruler Of the
island of Nyph, in the Australian
groups of the Pacific, almost in the heart
of the tropics. He would probably be
still a resident of Savannah and a poor
man, but for two tragedies in which he
figured as n of the principals.
In 1867, as the story is told by an old
timer, he was mate of the schooner An
ME Sims, which piled between this city
and Dariep. On the schooner was a
young Irish sailor named Sullivan. He
and OKeeffe were apparently good
friends. While near Darien loading
lumber the mate was building a cabin
on the schooner and he asked Sullivan
what he thought of it. The sailor made
a joking reply which angered O'Keefe,
and a fight resulted. Sullivan got the
best of it and O'Keeffe went to his quar-
ters, and securing a pistol, returned and
began firing at the sailor.
The latter lodged behind the new
cabin several times, and finally got up
and remarked to OKeeffe that he
couldn't shoot anybody. But he was
mistaken, for the next bullet struck him
and he died in a short while. The mate
was brought to Savannah, and, after a
long confinement in Jail, was tried and
acquitted in the United States court.
Afterward, while an officer of a small
steamer, he had trouble with one of the
deck hands and ran him into the river,
were he was drowned.
These troubles seemed to worry
O'Keeffe, and he determined to leave
the "States," as he termed it. In 1871
he sailed away from Savannah as second
mate on an American vessel bound for
Liverpool, and when he babe his friends
goodby on the wharf he told them that
he would never return to Savannah I'M
less he came in his own ship.
From Liverpool he shipped to the East
Indies, and from there to Hong-Kong.
He had saved a little money by this time,
and began a small fruit and lumber bust
ness between the Pacific islands and
IlOng-hOnS. lie was SuCceSSEul, ana
after a few years secured the island of
Nyph from the natives by a trade of
some sort. The island abounds in teak
wood and fruit, and O'Keeffe bought a
schooner and brig and started business
on a big scale. His vessels ran to Hong
Kong, and he soon built up an extensive
trade, which has steadily increased, until
now he is reckoned as a very wealthy
man.
O'Keeffe left behind him when he
sailed away from Savannah a wife and Il
baby daughter, who is now a young
III FOr years nothing was heard
of his whereabouts. After he began to
prosper in his PARKWAY home, however,
he wrote a letter and sent money to his
wife. He tried to persuade her and his
daughter togo to him, but they wouldn't
do it. Regularly twice a year since he
sends remittances for their support and
keeps up a correspondence with them.
Mrs. O'Keeffe and her daughter live on
Liberty street, near East Broad, and
have an oil painting of the brig of the
king Of Nyph hanging in their parlor.
Besides being a trader of wealth and
position, O'Keeffe is the ruler of {, large |
colony made up mostly Of Malays, who
swear by him.-Savannah News.