despite the general assembly's offer of $5,000 for information leading to tate's arrest, he was never found. though his family at first claimed they had heard nothing from tate and presumed he may have committed suicide, his daughter eventually admitted that she had received at least four letters from her father between april and december 1888. the letters were postmarked from british columbia (canada), japan, china, and san francisco. another witness claimed to have seen a letter to one of tate's friends written in 1890 and postmarked from brazil. that was the last known communication from "honest dick" tate. an article in "the new york times", citing "friends who should know", claimed that tate was believed to have died in china in 1890.