De Benneville Randolph Keim

De Benneville Randolph Keim

De Benneville Randolph Keim was born January 1, 1841, to John H. and Martha Elizabeth Randolph Keim. A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Keim became a correspondent for the New York Herald during the American Civil War. After the war, Keim continued to report to the Herald from the American Plains. His experiences were compiled in his book Sheridan’s Troopers on the Borders: A Winter Campaign on the Plains.

Keim was sent by President Ulysses S. Grant as a special agent to the U.S. consulates in China, Asia, Egypt, and South America in 1870.

During this time, Keim was believed to come into possession of a copy of a decree from the government of China concerning the Tientsin Massacre. The translated document was published by the New York Herald on June 18, 1871.

Keim was present at the assassination of President William McKinley in Buffalo on September 6, 1901. He quickly penned "Extraordinary Eyewitness Account of the Assassination of President McKinley" one day after the shooting. McKinley died from his wounds on September 14.

Keim died in Washington, DC on May 24, 1914, and was buried in Reading.

Keim's works include:

• Sherman: A Memorial in Art, Oratory and Literature
• Sheridan’s Troopers on the Borders: A Winter Campaign on the Plains
• Handbook Of Official And Social Etiquette And Public Ceremonials At Washington
• San Domingo: Pen Pictures And Leaves Of Travel, Romance And History, From The Portfolio Of A Correspondent In The American Tropics (1870)
• "A guide to the Potomac river, Chesapeake bay and James river, and an ocean voyage to northern ports. A series of interesting and instructive excursions by water from Washington"
• "Keim's illustrated hand-book. Washington and its environs: a descriptive and historical hand-book of the capital of the United States of America"
• "Reports of De B. Randolph Keim, agent of the United States, etc., to the secretary of the Treasury, relating to the condition of the consulates of the United States in Japan, China, Cochin China, Malay Peninsula, Java, British India, Egypt, and on the east and west coasts of South America."
• "Extraordinary Eyewitness Account of the Assassination of President McKinley"

References

Devlin, Ron. "Work by far-ranging Reading journalist gives insight into history", Reading Eagle. 5/12/2008