The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1907-04-04
MRS. MIKE HEN
SHOOTS WIN. o'LEARY

Wife of the G. N. Engineer
Nearly Kills a Minot Youth
When lie Attempts to Force
Himself Into Her Home Sun.
day Night Young Man May
Recover.
VIM. O'Leary, q young fellow
of eighteen or nineteen years,
was shot and almost killed by
Mrs. Mike Helm, wife of q Great
Northern railroad engineer. Sun
day night about 8 o'clock at her
home on West First street. Mrs.
Helm used q 32-calibre revolver
and shot with such effect that
the bullet entered the young
mans left ear, struck the scalp
and followed the skull around to
the right side of his neck, rem
dered him unconscious and al
most killed him.
Mrs. Helm was seen by an In
dependent reporter shortly after
the tragedy and told the follow
ing story:
II was at home about nine
o'clock when two men whom l
afterwards learned we're Bert
Coombs and VIM. O'Leary, tried
to enter my house thru the
rear door. l heard them and
wouldn't go to the door. All at
once l heard the glass bre ak
from the back door and the men
came into the back room and
tried to gain entrance to the
front room which was locked. l
went to the door and told the
men that they could not come in.
One of them said, well, Mike Is
away and we are coming in any
way l told them they had bet
ter go away and finally they left,
but soon came around to the
front door. The men had been
drinking aid we're polluted. One
of them tore down the porch
post, and when | went to the
door to drive them away one OF
them threw a bottle of beer at
me which hit the door casing.
Another flew past my head and
struck in the room inside. Young
O'Leary then said, Let me kill
her, and with that stepped up
and attempted to strike me over
the head with two beer bottles.
| had my revolver in my hand
and shut my eyes and fired. !
didn't know that / had shot any
one until three quarters Of an
hour after when l heard O'Leary
crying for his companion, His
partner had run away and left
him lying in front OF my door.
When / thought that | had shot
the fellow | ran to one Of the
neighbors and informed them of
the trouble and did what l could
for the young man. | am sorry
that the thing had to happen,
and God knows that | would
give a good deal to recall that
bullet. But / had to shoot to
protect myself. My little son
George saw the men trying to
strike me with the beer bottles
and he cried:
Please don't hit my man.
ma"
Mrs. Helm further stated that
in the house at the time were
two young women and two
Young men. She told the young
men to run Immediately after
the shooting occurred and they
may be going yet.
Mrs. Helm stated that she had
never shot anyon before, but
had beaten fellows up with
beer bottles Wnen Uney grew 100
previous.
Young O'Leary was taken TO
the office of q surgeon where the
wound was dressed, and he was
then taken to the hospital
where it is believed that he will
recover if blood poisoning does
not set in.
Mrs. Helm states that she has
lived in this house only since
March Is, and the men evident
ly thot that a blind pig was be-
ing run there. A bling pig for.
merly did business in the build
ing.
The Independent trusts that
this will prove q lesson to the
young man in case that he re-
covers. He has caused the po-
lice trouble numerous times.