[8] On April 11, 1917, the incumbent sheriff of Suffolk County, "Honest John" Quinn, died from diabetes.

[9] On April 18, 1917 Governor McCall submitted Keliher's name to the Executive Council to fill the vacancy.

[13] In May 1917 Keliher was elected to serve as a member of the convention, representing Massachusetts' 11th Congressional District.

In September 1938 Keliher ran in the primary for renomination as sheriff of Suffolk County.

After the returns showed that he was losing the election, he had a heart attack and died[14][15] in Boston.