Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-01-31
A FALSE FRIEND
Who Will Figure In a Criminal
Suit
Before Squire PeiIey, Of B~enweOd-A Wife
and Her Alleged Paramour in
Trouble The Injured us-
bands Story.

estate of West Virginia vs. Chas. Sea-
bright and Mrs. Fritz Helmis."
This is the title of q criminal action TO
be heard at IL o'clock, to-day, before Jus
tice Policy. of Benwood. The complaint
was made to Justice Peterman. of this city,
by Fritz Helmis, the prosecuting witness,
but as the defendants live in Marshall
county. the case was turned over to the
authorities of Benwood. Fritz Helms told
his story to Justice Peterman, from Wnom
the following facts are Cleaned.
: Ten wears ago, Fri.z Helmis, q young pat
ternmaker. was married in Hanover, Ger
many, and for eight years lived happily
there. About two years ago be
10 leave the and of his birth and seek his
fortune in America. He came TO Wheel
ing and obtained employment at Sweeneys
foundry, the understanding being his vile
and family were to follow him as soon as
he was able to send for them. He sent
money at regular intervals, and last spring
sent sufficient to bring them here, and at
the same time rented rooms in which to
live. But about that time a stoppage OF
the foundry threw him out OF work and
he wrote his wife TO remain until he got
work again.
Last summer the papers announced that
Charles Seabright, a well to-do farmer,
living Caldwelrs run, in Marshall
county, would make q trip to fatherland.
Helms saw the announcement, n going
to Seabright requested hin to call on his
wife, when he visited Hanover, and bear
messages from him, all of which was prom.
Used. Helms then went to St. Louis and
thence to Chicago, where he obtained
..ol, urorI asf AttOnQt no apnt kIH IN
his wife. to pay her passage, but heard
nothing from her and in December
sent $40 more, supposing she had not
enough. Still he got no word and last Sat
urday a letter came to him from q friend IN
Hanover This friend stated he had power
of attorney from Mrs. Helmis to draw any
money which might come for her, she
having left Hanover for Wheeling, on No
yenber Goth. The letter went on to say a
man named Seabright had been there, had
been seen several times with her and might
now know something OF her whereabouts
Immediately on receipt OF this. Helms
came TO Wheeling, arriving here on Mon
day. Inquiring among friends in the
Eight Inward he heard his wife wastat Sea-
bright's, an Immediately he laid his case
before Justice Peterman. That officer took
him before Justice Policy, of Benwood, who
issued warrants for both man and woman,
charging them with criminal intimacy.
This was in the evening, and the roads
were so bad no liyerynfan would send out
a conveyance, but yesterday morning at 7
o'clock Justice Peterman and a Benwood
constable got a carriage and drove out to
Seabrights. Neither party was there,
word having been sent them, but a little
boy at the house tremblingly told where in
Wheeling they were staying.
Last night, Justice Peterman. swore in
ex.Justice Mix, of the Eighth ward, as a
special constable and the two went to a
certain house in the Eighth ward and ar
rested Seabright and Mrs. Helmis. The
former gave ample security for the APP
pearance of both before Justice Pelley. at
~ o'clock to-day.
A REGISTER reporter endeavored to find
Helmis last night, but the search wa un-
awaiting. This case is an interesting one
and, from the husbands side, a very path
etic one.