New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-10
FORTUNE OF KING OEy5p
SAID to amount to $1,000 .O00-.Sa-
yannoh UidO5c Expects TO GetJt


Savannah. oct. CspecaD-Tbe s+o-, 81 -.
wealth Of David O'Keefe. the stai,-.+ -
who evnt the island Of Van ~ tt -
group, and there established a kingdom over
which he ruled Tor many years. seems 10 he true
That he was immensely wealthy is ,r- , ..,.,-
and that the natives Of the island loo:ea1 mn
him as a monarch is equally true 7-,.o 60
are voUched for by Walter C. Ffsrtrf5gs , Ss
vannah attorney. who has returned - HE b--,a
in Savannah after visit TO the island Of Y-an 10
investigate the position held there h., his o1t-t
and 10 Hong Kong 10 examine into the wealth 1aft
by the man who. cut of from civilization fo,,,1ad
himself a home and business and built himself
I'D a fortune Mr. Hartridge. who went in be-
half Of the widow and daughter-Nrs. Catherine
O-Keefe and Mrs. !. F. Butler of Sav.7rab-
and Of his success as a fnancier and shin owner
the island Of Terang which is one Of the
smaller islands in the zap group
The estate is said 70 be worth fully & ON no0
There is a trading business valued al $500 I'm and
holdings Of other kinds make I'D the other 500 COO
Il is the most Of this property 10 which the s.
vanuah widow and daughter will Law claim Mr.
Hartridge saws that at least 100000 Of this Will
come TO Savannah, and maybe good deal more.
There can be no final settlement until Nav Of
next year. when the king will have been legally
dead for three years the time under the German
law, which must elapse before there can be a final
settlement Of an estate when a person disappears.
One is considered legally dead by that time As
q
than two years ago. with two OF his sons. and as
neither ship nor passengers have ever been heard
from since. ne Is probably dead all right
Mr.. Hartridge found everything at Terang al
most it had been reported 10 him there by let
ter Il was hard 10 reach the little island 4
United States warship took him from Hong Kong
btu when he got 10 Zap he found the subjects
mourning for q dead monarch. OKeefe ruled with
a firm hand and had a standing army Of twelve
naked savages, commanded by man fully clothed
with a uniform and authority 10 see that his bid
ding was done. He never had any trouble. There
was never q revolt among his people. They idol
ICED their king and he treated those who lived
upon his island with much kindness.
Mr.. Hartridge failed 10 see the queen Of zap.
O'Keefe. after he had been or the island for
time took unto himself wife. He di dnOt forget
his wife in Savannah. but he was far away
from his old home that he appeared not TO think
il was any great wrong 10 take unto himself an
other spouse, by whom he had four daughters and
three sons Two Of these II Is supposed.
4 Ee1L Gown WIZ tle.C IaLfer on tue TIP from
Ing Is the island OF st. David's but is not
known as 'Dollyboy." She was not at home when
Mr. Hartriqse was on the island, for she had had
her ovv- iirtIa isIs-d was situated ana she had
been compelled 20 Withdraw temporarily from pub
Afairs had not advanced wei in O'Keeie's isl
daughters took TO +he woods with lover whom
she chose from among the common people. ana
went back 70 the primitive M thods OF her an
ceSLorS- Iflere Is another daughter, VINO secured
education in q convent at Hong Kong. She 3
said 20 be civilized and 20 he young woman OF
good address. She appeared 70 know more about
and 20 care more for his memoir There are. ne
sides, two srls not yet grown who are on the ISL
and Of TeTaug
The king did not forget his civilized ways Nv
ing he did III the faraway island where he had
isolated himself from civilization. He had q well
stocked library. which IS still IN his me nome
The books are there he LETT them There are
all the standard volumes and much OF the current
literature Of the kings day. He liked the nov
els Of American writer's. and there were several
books printed five or six years ago found on his
own use IT was there he got closer 10 American
civilization than anywhere else. When ie wanted
10 think Of home. and Il seems he always called
America home he would seclude himself IN his
dsn ard read or write He hot very faClie
with the pen. but he used 20 write - his American
wife twice year. His rernlrtauCeS for her sup
port were prompt and generous
Mr.. Har-ridEe was uor aole fully TO verify the
story about O'keete having been thrown up on
the island with some WreCkaEe from a vessel m
which he had shipped. II IS more probable that
press purp0Se OF winning his way tie knew the
nature Of the natives and felt that he could secure
f1orhoIG on some Of the smaller ISLANDS ana
ma - his fortune II is certain that after he got
On the island Of TeranE he was made much ot and
soon hailed as monarch
Hong Kong attorneys are looking after the in
-e-es-s there Of Mrs. Butler and her mother
.Keefe left viii and his executor. William t.
Lambert. Of Hong Kong. is now rum ne his 0us--
ness He is locking after the ships and interests
on Tersug and the small islands adjacent 10 H.