St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-18
1nfidelity the Cause of a Ter
rible Tragedy in New
Hampshire.
An Infupiated Cooper Shoots
Down a WeIl-KnoWn
Merchant,
Kills Two of His Daughters
and Fatally Wounds a
Third.
He Then Deliberately Uses
His Revolver to Take His
Own Life.


most terrible tragedy occurred in Ports
mouth tonight, and the city is in a
fever of excitement. A mob of several
hundred people surrounded the tene-
ment house No. Middle street, where
the bodies of three dead persons par
TALLY attest the extent of the
crime. Fred 81. j. Helm, aged forty
five years, hard-working cooper in the
employ OF the Eldredge Brewing COM
pany, has family of three daughters,
the eldest, Carrie, aged fifteen years,
keeping house for him. Several months
ago his wife left him, and it is reported
that she has been unfalthful to her mar
riage VOW. Helms troubles with his
wife are said to have dated back over
several years. Since she left town
it is repo ted that the girl Car
RE had become wayward, but it cannot
be said how much truth there is in the
story. Helms troubles preyed upon his
mind until he resolved to end them, and
to not only remove the partial cause of
his misfortune, but also remove from
temptation the three female members
Of his household. Two of them and
the murderer lie dead in his home,
While at the Cottage hospital the third
daughter lies dying, with a bullet in
her neck, and at his home on State
street Charles W. Taylor, well-known
hardware merchant, whose name has
been connected with that of the Helm
woman, lies under the hands of the sur
geonS with
Two Bullet Holes
in his back. The story of the murder is
as follows: Charles w. Taylor, stove
dealer on Market street, while entering
his residence, corner of State and Union
streets, at 7:3O tonight, was rushed
upon by the murderer, who fired two
shots in rapid succession at Taylor,
both of which took effect. Taylor
is still alive, but is very low,
although able to converse with those
about him. In reply to questions, he
stated that he does not know what
prompted Holm to shoot him. Taylor
is prominentin several secret societies,
and also i'll business enterprises. He is
thirty-five years old and married. After
shooting Taylor. Holm hurried to his
own house, and little before O'Clock
people living in the vicinity were
alarmed by hearing five pistol shots
fired in rapid succession. immediately
thereafter, Maud, the thirteen-year-old
daughter of Helm, was seen running out
of the house and down the street. She
proceeded but short distance when
she fell on the pavement. Neighbors
rushed to her assistance, and on asking
her what was the matter she replied:
ha n1o
then discovered to be on fire, but it was
quickly eXtinguished. A physician soon
arrived on the scene and ordered the
girl taken to the hospital, where she
now lies in critical condition. An eX-
animation shows that the
First Shot Fired
entered the right side of her face at
short range. AS she started to run out
OF the house, her father fired two shots
at her, one taking effect under the
shoulder, passing through her stomach,
the other passing through her hip. The
lower part of Helms house was
the scene of the murderer's most
horrible work, and it shows evil
dence of a terrible struggle. The
kitchen was covered with blood from
one end to the other, and everything
wes in great disorder. Just outside the
back door of the house lay two bodies.
Carrie. the oldest girl. lay with her feet
toward the door and her face covered
with blood, the deadly bullet having
entered the left side of the face.
passing upward toward the brain.
death having resulted instantly.
Across her PROSTATE form lay Bertha,
the youngest daughter. When found
she was unconscious and she expired in
fifteen minutes, the bullet that caused
her death having entered her head lust
behind the left ear. Sheriff Coffin ar
rived at Helms house at S:15 and de-
tailed men to search for the murderer.
Meanwhile Marshal Joy and a force of
officers arrived and it was decided to
examine the chambers. AS they entered
the front chamber they found the dead
body of Helm stretched on the floor.
A bullet had passed through his head
from the revolver which lay by his side.
The crowd: which had gathered about
the house was highly excited. and had
the murderer been taken alive he GER
tainly would have been killed by them.