The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-02
FAREWELL To LIFE
FRANK KEILBACH'S LAST LETTERS
TO FATHER AND MOTHER.
IN LOVE AND TENDERNESS.
lie BABE GOODBYE TO THOSE
HIS HEART HELD DEAR.

His Greatest Grief That He Must
Bring Sorrow TO the Hearts or
Those who Loved Him-The I'm
happiness That Had Come Into
His Life Given as the Explanation
of His Rash Deed-These MisfOr-
tunes Arc Hinted at, Rather Than
PIninIy Stated-A Plain Gold Ring
Enclosed in the Letter TO His
Mother--OR HRtterHS Light the
Letters We're Written.
The last letters written by Frank E.
Keilbach. who threw himself into the
sea from the rail of the steamship
Chattahoochee. while the vessel was
making the voyage from Savannah to
New York reached the city yesterday.
They are addressed to his father and
mother.
1t is said the letters offer little eX-
PLANTATION for the deed Mr.. Keilbach
was about to commit when they were
written, other than that his life had
been rendered unhappy by recent mis-
fortunes. which are limited at rather
than plainly stated. Both letters, which
are in pencil and written in German,
breathe throughout their brief extent
the tenderest love and filial devotion.
The letters came enclosed to Mr.. w.
G. Brewer, city passenger and ticket
agent of the Savannah Line. and when
Mr. Brewer learned that they were in
his mail he left the bedside of his sis
ter. who is critically i'll, to deliver these
messages from the grave to the loved
ones to whom they are addressed. 1t
was late at night however, before Mr.
Brewer learned the letters had arrived
and efforts to arouse the sleeping fam
lily at the residence of Mr. Keilbach
were unavailing. The letters will be
delivered this morning.
They are addressed to Mr.. G. F.
Keilbach and Mrs. Anna NJ. Keilbach.
at Savannah, and are marked further,
Kindness of Mr.. Frank Zoller." Mr..
Zoller was a fellow passenger with
trip to New York.
The letters were opened by the Off
GERS of the ship, when it was discov-
cred that Mr. Keilbach was missing.
and some understanding of the nature
of their contents comes from New
York.
AS has been said, they are full of
sentiments of the tenoerest affection.
That to his mother says that his great
est grief is that he will cause her so--
row-her. his "angel mother" He asks
ID No.
until she shall find in heaven no more
of either pain or grief, but only hap
piness and endless peace. For the last
time lie signs himself her lowing son.
Frank =. Keilbach." The signature is
as clear and plain as any Frank He'll
bach ever wrote. The letter had sealed
up with it a plain gold ring. one that
uprobably belonged to the mother, but
no reference to it is made.
Somewhat similar in tenor and effect
is that to the father. Mysterious al
lusions are made to misfortunes that
have followed the counsels of two
friends, spoken of as "R. and F." They
have passed away and he, says the let
ter, will soon be with them Il should
not have been treated as 1 have" he
adds.
The son exhorts his father to look
tenderly after the gentle and loving
mother he leaves behind him, and to
comfort her declining years. 1--WE
have just passed Hatteras Light" he
concludes: for the last time, good
bye"
A letter from Mr.. Charles H. Hold
ridge, agent of the Savannah Line at
New York, in which the letters of Mr..
Keilbach were enclosed, gives some few
added details of his last moments. He
had taken off the ring which was en-
closed in the letter to his mother and
his collar and tie We're left lying on the
dresser in his state room. Otherwise he
must have made the leap to death in
the sea arrayed just as he had been
during the day. The reference to Hat
teras Light in one of the letters iden-
titles with some degree of positiveness
the point of the coast at which he took
his life.
The valise and suit case in which
Mr.. keilbach's personal effects, with
which he left the city. are contained.
and $500 In money, which he had en-
trusted to the purser of the Chatta-
hoochee, have been shipped from New
York on one of the vessels of the Sa-
Vannah Line, and will reach here prob
ably to-day or tomorrow. They viii
then be turned over to his parents.
His mother, from the grief and shock
OF the terrible blow she has received.
Is still Frustrated and is now in
critical condition. 1t is greatly feared
CD "a