The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-05
'TH|..|EMANWHC
BECAME KING.
Strange StoryofD David O'Keefe
An American Citizen.
RULED OVERISLAND OFYAP
Had Many Wives and used a For
tune IN the South Seas Widow /.
Whom He Left in South Seek
Ing to Recover Fortune.
Times Dispatch Bureau.
81 MA! No 1417I G Street. n. NV

i
Times-D Dispatch Bureau.
3s Il No. 1417 g Street N. w III
WA sIuNGTON,f D. G. April ,4th.-,,"rhe
Man Who Would DO King Is story
born Of the wonderful Imagination Of Kip
ling, which has probably boon more vide
Is read md more nearly universally pro
nounced model short story, than any
ever written In English. #
The Man Who Became king might
we'll be the title OF the biography Of David
O'Keefe, an American citizen OF Irish
descent, resident for many years In sa-
vannah, Ga. For this American died
recently. The ruler OF Kingdom in
the Southern Seas. the possessor Of a
fortune estimated at millions In the,
money OF the United States, the husband
Of several dusky wives, and the father Of
many princes Of the blood 548
The King Of zap was David when he
died. u
The America frlshman ruled like a King
while he lived---he filled his royal Golfers
and had q high time with the ladies',
And now the United States Is about r.
help collect for his American widow and
orphans IN Georgia. or portions of the
wealth he amassed In the Orient
tits a remarkable story-thls biography
of David @ Keefe. But the facts known
here are very few On yesterday, Senator
Bacon. Of Georgia., asked tho Navy De.
!partmentSto help a Mr.. Hartridge, Of the
law firm Of o Conner, o'Byrne & Hart
ridge Of Savannah, to getIfrom Hong
Kong to zap in the Caroline. Islands,
Mr.. IIartridge was employed ~ the
Georgia heirs Of King David to go to the
realms OF the deceased monarch and con-
test with his Widows and children for a
share Of the wealth he had amassed
while he had guided the dest1nies Of the
country. Tor with the news that came
! to Savannah of tho death Of the King
came also the informa ton that the bust
ness of ruling had been AN exceedingly
profitable one. King Dayid's wife and
4 her children had long been without news
of the absent husband and father. 1t is
not recorded that when he disappeared
there were great efforts made to discover
whittier he had gone. There Is a classic
proyerb concerning the bad penny, and a
modern song regarding the cat that may
have been recalled by the deserted wife
and little ones NJ
p Va
THOUGHT HIM DEAD,
! However that may be- David did not
come back, It finally began to dawn
upon the family and neighbors that he
was gone for good, AS the years went
by and still no word came of David. it
was generally thought that he was dead
He had probably lost his life while at
tempting flrst-class passage on the
bumpers of a freight train.
And at the very time. probably, that
David's old acqunintances were thinking
he had been killed while riding on a
freight, he was riding In state In his
royal coach. with outriders and household
troops to guard him. That Is, IL they
have coaches In Yap@ Captain Cook says
the people there didn't even have clothes
when he discovered them over a century
ago but as a considerable amount Of
wearing apparel Is one Of the first things
Insisted upon by missionaries, and as
missionaries have been located In zap and
others OF the Carollnes for many years, It,
is certain they have trousers and pettl-
coats there now, and very probable also
that the messengers of glad tidlngs have
taught the people that riding is a great,
friend to grace In a country close up to
the equator. M u III
At any rate David got to zap. 1t is
hard to say how he got there Mr..
,Hartrdge has found 1t almost impossible,
and If he ever sets foot in the dominion
OF the late ruler 1t must be from the deck
Of a war vessel, sent specially to convey
him thther. M 8
DavId's methods in winning the crown
are absolutely unknown. It may be that
he introduced Into tho island the terrible
black thorn Nf shellalah Of Ireland. and
taught his army how to use It, Or posi-
blythe got into the country some magazine
rifles and machine gun But 1t Is the
more probable that David simply used to
such good purpose the ''blarney'' which
makes of his race the favorlte and envy
OF the world. that the natives thought
the crown would DO most worth!ly worn
by such smooth-tongued man. SO beau
tifully white. And It Is morally certaln
that it was In this way that he won his I
wives, OF whom he left number, and
children too numerous to mention &
1.DF~r FORTUNE,
1t is not stated how the news OF the
death Of King David reached Savannah.
with it was coupled the Information that
he had left an immense fortune. It Is
not stated that there was a prolonged
period OF mourning on the part Of widow
and offspring. At once a lawyer was Sc
cured to look after the interests OF Wife
No. !, No Queen Dowager was she. but
plain Mrs. O'Iieefe. and capable OF making
lots of trouble for royalty In Yap,
1t was decided by tho firm OF lawyers
that one OF them would have to 30 to /