The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-07
KING O'KEEFE DEAD
RELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN LOST
WITH HIS SHIP.
WIFE RECEIVED THE TIDINGS
SAVANNAH MANS PRIVATE sECRE-
TARY WRITES FROM YAP.

Capt. o'Keefe Left Hong Kong for
Yap May 10, Last-Secretary
Mfchaels Has Notified Mrs. O'keefe
That Nothing Has Been Heard OF
the king" His Vessel, or the
CreNy-Ship Thought 10 Have Gone
TO the Bottom on Voyage TO Zap
American Consul Asked 10 Pro-
fect ESTATE for Mrs. O'keefe and
Daughtcr-Mrs. O'Keefe Received
Letter and $1,000 From Her
Husband Just Before He Sailed.
His Estate Believed to BE VAL
uabIe.
Capt David D. O'Keefe, native of
Savannah. who has been designated
THE King of Yap,' probably filled
watery grave last May. His wife in
Savannah has received a letter from
Joseph Michaels, Capt. O'Keefe's pri-
waite secretary at zap, notifying her
of the probable death of her husband.
Mrs. O'Keefe, who lives at No. 424
Liberty street, east, has already taken
steps to have her interests protected,
and has secured the services of O'Con-
nor. O'Byrne & Hartridge. The
American consulate at Hong Kong has
been instructed to look after Capt.
O'Keefe's affairs. and protect the in
terests of his -wtdew- and daughtf r-
The letter from Secretary Michaels
TO Mrs. O'Keefe says that her husband
left Hong Kong May 10. last. for zap,
but never reached there. Since then
nothing has been heard of him, of his
vessel or of his crew, Ind Secretary
Michaels is convinced that the vessel
was lost, with all on board. Capt.
O'Keefe traded between the Caroline
Islands and Hong Kong and was well
known at the Chinese port. Letters
have been written to the representa-
tives of firms with whom he had bust
ness dealings and Mrs. O'Keefe's at
rorneys are waiting for complete re-
port of the disappearance of Capt.
O'Keefe. AS soon as the American
consul has reported the extent of
Capt O'Keefe's estate the necessary
legal steps will be taken TO claim it
for his widow and orphan.
Capt. O'Keefe wrote a letter to his
wife a few days before his ship left
Hong Kong. and mailed her a check
for $1,000. In this letter. which was
received in June. and which was the
last one received in this city, he stated
that he was negotiating for the sale
of his holdings in the Caroline Islands,
and hoped to return to his family in
this city shortly. He said that he had
done well and that just so soon as he
could convert his interests into cash
he would say farewell to zap and sail
for the states. Capt. O'Keefe appear
ed TO think that he had accumulated
enough to be able to come home and
end his days with his family in Sa-
vannah.
Just how valuable Capt O'Keefes
holdings are cannot be stated, and I'M
til this information is received moth
ing can be done, His family believes,
however, that he left large sum of
money, and from his letters to his
wife there appears to be no doubt of
this fact Since his departure from
this city thirty years ago, he has writ
ten to his wife regularly. and has
supported her, and his daughter. His
recent letters showed plainly of his
longing for his native city and it was
his expressed wish to spend his re-
tiiliHS years dnu De DuTleu III ID
Vannah
Capt O'Keefe was a seafearing man
and left Savannah in 1871 for the Caro-
line Islands. He traded between the
islands and Hong Kong. and steadily
his holdings increased. He acquired
property on the various islands of the
group, and became SO tied up with
property that he found it impossible
10 leave. Capt. Okeefe made the
Island of zap his headquarters, and
became known as the king" His
trips between zap and Hong Kong
were FREQUENT. and he was almost as
we'll known in one place as in the other.
Each year since his absence from this
city he has sent his wife and daughter
substantial check for their mainte-
nance, and they are the recognized
heirs of what is believed TO be a wall
liable estate