On April 11, 1917, the incumbent sheriff of Suffolk County, "Honest John" Quinn, died from diabetes. On April 18, 1917
Governor McCall submitted Keliher's name to the Executive Council to fill the vacancy. Keliher's appointment was approved by the Executive Council and he was sworn into office on May 3, 1917. On November 6, 1917 Keliher was elected in his own right and re-elected in every election until 1938. ==1917 Massachusetts Constitutional Convention==