The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-11-28

Oas eavann,h sailor whe Became m
: Oriental Petsntsts.

O.s eavsnn>h sailor whe Bssams IN
Oriental Petsassts.
= Twenty years ago Patrick O'KeefIe
was comparatively poor man. maxi
ing his living a. q sailor on small ves-
sells coasting between Savannah and
neighboring portA To-day he Is q
king. He y: the owner and absolute
ruler Of the island OF Nyph. In the
Australian groups OF the Pacific. al
most IN the heart OF the tropics. He
would probably be still q resident OF
Savannah and q poor man. but for two
tragedies in which he figured a. one OF
the principals 3f
In 1857. a. the story Ii told by an
old-timer he was mate OF the schooner
Annie Sima which piled between this
city and Darieu. On the schooner
was q young Irish sailor named Sui
livan. He and O'Keeffe wore appar-
emily good frienda While near Dari-
en- loading lumber the mate was build
ing cabin on the schooner and he
asked Sullivan what he thought OF IL.
The sailor made a joking reply, which
angered OKeeffe and u fight resulted.
Sullivan got the best of 1t and o. Keeffe
went to his quarters, and. securing a
pistol. rerurned and began firing at
the sailor. The latter lodged behind
the new cabin several times, andflnally
got up and remarked to O'Keeffe 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 Sa-
vannah, aud after long confinement
In jail was tried and acquitted in the
United States Court Afterward,
while an officer OF small steamer, he
had trouble with one OF the deck hands
and ran him into the river where 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 OF an American vessel
bound for Liverpool. and when he
babe his friends good-by on the wharf
he told them that he would never re.
turn to Savannah unless he came in
his own ship.
From Liverpool he shipped to the
East Indies. and from there to Hong
Kong. He had saved little money
by this time, and began small fruit
and lumber business between the Pa
cifc islands and Hong Kong. He was
successful. and after a few years Sc
cured the island of Nyph from the
natives by trade of some sort The
island abounds in lakewood. and fruit
and O'Keeffe bought schooner and
brig and started business on 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 q very
wealthy man.
OKeeffe left behind him when he
sailed away from Savannah wife and
baby daughter. who is now a young
woman. For years nothing was heard
OF his whereabouts. After he began
to prosper IN his far-away home. how
ever he wrote letter and sent money
to his wife. He tried to persuade her
and his daughter to go to him. but
they wouldn't do it. Regularly twice
a year since he sends remittances for
their support and keeps up n cores
pondence with them. Mrs. O'Keeffe
and daughter live on Liberty street
near East Broad. says the Savannah
Morning News and have an oil paint
ing Of the brig OF the king of Nyph"
hanging in their parlor.
Capt Keane OF the American brig
/. w. Parker, which has been here
loading lumber for Pernambuco. told a
reporter that he saw O'Keeffe in Hong
Kong several months ago. He was
boarding at the finest hotel in the city.
and was living in the height OF ele-
gance, having q fine driving turnout
and every luxury which money could
obtain. He spends great portion OF
his time in Hong Kong. where he de-
posits his money. and is favorably
known to all residents of that city.
He said he intended coming to Amer
lea to attend the Worlds Fair.
Beside being trader OF wealth and
position O'Keeffe is the ruler of a
large colony. made up mostly OF
Malays who swear by him. This story
will be a revelation to many of Savan-
nah's old residents who had long for
gotten Capt" Pat O'Keeffe and
thought him dead.