The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-30
RESTS IN THE DEEP.
Continued from Tenth Page,

Continued from Tenth Page)
and their confidence never been shaken
He was impatient when his really fine
abilities failed of recognition; he could
not understand. that to be continued
in public Office anything more was
necessary than honest and faithful
and competent discharge of duty.
Therefore it was that his recent loss
If the position of clerk of the Court of
ordinary, which he has filled. with the
exception of the time he served as or
binary ad interim, following
the death of Judge Ferrill
and before the election and qualifica-
ton of Maj. Screven, preyed so
bitterly upon his mind. He had been
swept out of Office as one result of
the election.
His Ambition Shattered.
During the years he served with
Hampton l.. Ferrill as clerk Judge
Terrill had often told him that he
viewed him as his natural successor
and that it was his wish that he
should have the office when death or
resignation created a vacancy. Mr..
Keiibaeh believed that his career in
the service of the county entitled him
to this recognition and that he should
have received the votes of his fellow
citizens
He was bitterly chagrined when at
last he faced the certainty of retire
ment. He had been so long identified
with the office he did not feel at home
in any other employment. He saw him
self permanently removed from the
line of promotion and an ambition he
had cherished for years blasted and
destroyed.
II was in the effort to escape this
thought that he determined upon the
trip to sea. The Chattahoochee sailed
Tuesday night and in the afternoon Mr..
KeiIbach appeared at the Savannah
Line ticket office and discussed with
Mr. w. q. Brewer the probable benefits
from a. trip at sea. He said that he
was oyerwrought and had been over
worked, and that he believed a trip
would do him good. Mr. Brewer agreed
with him, he bought round-trip tick
ct to New York, and two hours after
he had finally made up his mind to go.
went aboard the Chattahoochee. and
she sailed. He was assigned to state
room 5, one that opened on the upper
deck of the vessel.
The New York dispatches tell what is
actually known of the disappearance
of Mr. Keilbach. The letters he left, If
they are ever viewed other than by
those for whose eyes they were intend
ed will tell the rest.
The Theory of His Death.
In the meantime, to those who knew
the man, it is not hard to conjecture
the thoughts that went through his
brain as he sat in his stateroom the
night of his suicide. He imagined him.
self wronged and injured; in the wat
ers few feet away there was the
promise of forgetfulness. He was tired
Of the disapponitments and inequalities
of life; in the waves there was the Of
~ a
in spirit; there before him was peace.
His Ife's ambition had been blasted;
what reason was there for prolonglng
that from which the soul had already
fed?
Mr.. Keilbach was born in New York.
tnirty-six years ago, but when child
came with his father, Mr.. Charles F.
Keilbaeh to Savannah. Here his edu-
cation was begun and. with the excep-
ton of three or four years spent in the
completion of his education abroad, he
had resided here ever since. In 1873
he went to Stuttgart, and there ne
spent three years of his life. = He made
d second trip to the old country In 1881
Seventeen Years in Office.
For seventeen years, up to two weeks
ago: he had been connected with the
Court of Ordinary, for the greater por-,
tion of that time as clerk. He begun
IA
of John O. Ferrill, and was made clerk
when Hampton l.. Ferrill succeeds
his brother At the death of Hampton
l.. FelTill, last January, he was made
ordinary of the county ad interim, and
served until the election of THOMAS
Screven. Then he resumed his position
as clerk. He retained 1t when, at Mag.
Screvens death. George T, Cam was
given the ad interim appointment by
The commissioners. He lost it when
Henry McAlpin was elected to fill the
unexpired term.
It is remarkable fact that of the
five men who have held this office dur
ing the present year, three are dead
Judge Ferrill. Maj, Screven and now
Mr.. Keilbach.
Mr.. Keilbach was prominent in Ma
sonry. He was a member of Landrum
Lodge, of Palestine Commandery of
Knights Templar and of Alec Temple
Mobiles of the Mystic Shrine. A must
clan of fine ability, he had held for
many years the position of organist
and choir master of the several Ma
sonic lodges and their kindred organl-
cations in the city.
He was member of DeKalb Lodge
of Odd Fellows, of the German Society
and the German Friendly Society, of
the Savannah Music Club, the Union
Society, of the Gesangverein Teutonia,
and of a number of other fraternal,
musical and benevolent organizations
in the city. He was a member of the
Lutheran Church of the Ascension, and
of the board of directors of the Young
Mems Christian Association.
Mr.. Keilbach had already amassed
2 comfortable competency. and it is
estimated leaves an estate worth
about $25, 900. He was president of the
Citizens Investment Company and a
shareholder in the corporation.
Ie was q man who held the respect
of everyone who knew him. Clean
and square and upright in every walk
of life. and in all his dealings with
men, there was no one who could sue
cessfully Attack his character.