Omaha daily bee., 1892-12-18
HISTORY OF AN IOWA FEUD
Story Of the Helm Family Brought Out in a
Murder Trial.
NOT AN ATTRACTIVE HOME LIFE
Though Hard Working Western Pioneer,
the Head of the House Was
Anything but a De-
sirable Ncighbor.
NOT AN ATTRACTIVE HOME LIFE

SIGoURNEY, Ia, Dec. 17-[Specal to The
BEE. There has been in progress here for
the past ten days Il murder trial that bids
fair to be noted case in Iowa criminal an
nails, and has long history. 1t is the State
of Iowa against Guy Helm, charged with
numbering his nephew named Clark and at
tempted murder of another nephew, brother
of the dead man.
This evening" after eight hours delibera-
tion, a verdict of murder in the second de-
gree was returned.
The crime occurred near Fremont,
Mahaska county, in September The
Clark boys had attended political
meeting at Fremont and were return
ing to their home over the line
in Keokuk county. Some distance
on the road they were confronted by Guy
Helm, their uncle, and a quarrel sprung up
as the result of an old family feud. Helm
shot at the boys, mortally wounding one of
them and so seriously injuring the other that
for time his life was despaired of. His
ante-mOrtem statement was taken at the
coroners inquest, which charged Helm with
the crime, and he was arrested and held
under heavy bonds
At the trial 1877 witnesses were sub
pnnaed and the best counsel in this
and adjoining counties engaged on both sides,
no end of money being spent. 1t is com
monty told that the counsel for Helm were to
get $1,000 for defending him another thousand
II they saved his life, and still another thous-
and if they cleared him. 1t is also said that
certain witnesses were TO get forty acres of
land each if they testified to certain things.
History of the Helm Family.
An old resident of this county who knows
the Helms WELL says of them:
1.-The Helms are a numerous tribe here
and were early settlers. D. p Helm, the
grandfather Of Guy, moved here as the In
dianS left, coming originally from Kentucky,
stopping short time in Indiana. He en-
tered a large tract of land in Benton town
ship, Keolsuk county, from the government,
and commenced to cultivate. He had five
sons and four daughters. He kept large
number of cattle and hogs and was a driv-
ing, energetic, close-fisted man.
I'm addition to his own family he gener-
ally had two or three hired hands. Every
thing was kept on the go, and in the sum
hands was: Short rests, boys, and
damned few of EN-, Industry, economy and
thrift carried to excess had its reward. lie
made money. 1t was the aim and object OF
his existence. AS he accumulated means he
went to loaning money at an early day, and
If his customer was hard up and willing tc
pay more than the legal rate, either the
purchase or sale of a house, steer calf OF
pig covered the illegal pound of flesh. His
family grew up with very limited educa
ION, anu ne uScu 10 say lnC ucNll owed mn
a grudge and paid him in sons-in-law.
Let Quite a Fortune.
"HIe and his good wife died some years ago
after denying themselves many of the com
forts of life, and left an estate variously esti
mated at from 1000 TO Sl00,0 George
the eldest of the sons and the father o
Guy has all the old mans characteristics
carried out TO extremes. He has lived lik,
an old hog, denied himself and family all tn,
worked them
was in them. never sent them to schoo
when he could use them for work at home
and now when they are grown up he is reap
ing the crop of his early sowing. Bruta
hired hands have married his daughters
counting on having a soft snap with the olC