New-York tribune., 1921-04-27
Helm Revealed
i'm
Mining Deals
American Business Man in
Berlin News Has Varied
Court Record as Result
of Stock Transactions
Operated Much in Yukon
Known as Frank c. Helm
for 20 Years; Worked
in London and Mexico

lin Helm. one of the four American
business men now negotiating with DR..
simons, the German Foreign Minister,
on the reparations issue, were made
Yesterday by Louis A. Proudfoo,t of
proudfoot's Commercial Agency, 149
Broadway. Drawing on his personal
knowledge and referring to his exhaus-
tive records, he definitely identified
Helm as Frank c. Helm. whose trail of
stock and mining transactions, unsatis-
fed judgments, arrests for contempt of
court and other activities extends over
. period OF more than twenty years,
leading from Chicago to New York.
from New York to London. from Lon
don to Alaska, from Alaska to Mexico
snd then back to New York.
Mr.. proudfoot, who is lawyer. has
been conducting his agency for the in
yestigation OF individuals and busine SIS
firms for more than fifteen years. On
many occasions during this period he
had been called upon to go carefully
into the activities Of Frank c. Helm
and has collected staggering amount
Of documentary evidence linking him
with the Valdez. Copper River &
Yukon Railway and the Copper River
Mining Company. both of which col
lapsed because Of faulty title claims,
and with many other deals. Mr.. Proud
foot, who met Helm during his in
vestigations, said that he is about
dfty-iive or ffty-six years old.
Those who have known Helm for
IvOndfnnf = -
a very resourceful, active person, full
Of ideas and schemes out of most of
which he succeeds in getting some
money to tide him self over dry spot.
Finished with one. he will take up
another and do likewise. No one can
recall any scheme with which he was
connected which is now extant."
Proudfoot Possesses Proof
Mr. Proudfoot then told detailed
story of his knowledge of the business
career OF Helm, declaring that he had
ample proof of his statements.
He was known for many years
around New York as Frank c. Helm,
but about the time of the war he as
sumed the name of Franklin Helm.
Before he became we'll known in the
New York financial district he was
known in Chicago, where there were
claims and judgments against him. He
left for London about 1897 and at
tempted TO float a South African min
ing scheme there.
After he got out Of London he went
to Alaska, where. in conjunction with
others, he got together mining proper
ties and a town site scheme known as
Valdez, Alaska. This was in the early
part of this century. In conjunction
with the town site he had a railway
scheme called the VALDEZ, Copper River
Yukon Railway. A large quantity of
the railway stock and bonds was dis
posed of, as was stock in the Copper
River Mining Company-a 100000
corporation. 1t afterward developed
that there were conflicting rights in the
matter of title to the mining property
and also to the railway rights of way.
The titles failed, there were no rights
Of way and the whole thing fell down
like house of cards.
"As a result of the promotion Of the
Alaska schemes, Helm was arrested at
the Belleclaire Hotel, New York City,
on December 2, 1903, on telegraphic
communication from W. S. Bull, Chief
Of Police of Buffalo The telegram
stated that Helm was wanted in Buffalo
on charge of grand larceny. He gave
bail here. On December /, 1904, he
was arrested at the Marie Antoinette
Hotel, in this city, and arraigned
before Magistrate Ommen, of the West
Side Court, on complaint of State Sena-
ter John Laughlin. of Buffalo, charged
with selling him ST 900 worth of Cop
per River Mining Company stock. It
was alleged that the stock was not
Helms property. At this tirae case
vas pending in the United States Su-
preme Court in which the Alaska Cop
per Company claimed the property of
the Copper River Mining Company.
Copper Company.
Held in Contempt of Court
Helm was arrested on December 90,
1905, in contempt of court on an action
sor examination in suppleme entary pro
eeedings. Judgment for S11,076 had
been obtained against him and Frank
NJ. Bradshaw by Charles B. Brown, but
no property was found by the Sheriff
to levy on. Among other schemes. he
was interested in was the Central
New York Office at 25 Broad Street.
"'On June 21, 1906, petition in in
voluntary bankruptcy was filed against
nm. United States Justice Thomas in
MIS- decision of July II, 1906, gave it
as MS opinion that Helm was invoking
,ne United States court to escape pun
lsnment from actions pending in the
state court. His decision allowed the
proceedings for punishment for con-
Tempt to continue. Previous to this, in
august 1905, he was maintaining an
onlee V in the Pennsylvania Building,
lrhliadelphia, where he was conducting
'he sale of stock in the La Luz Mining
and Tunnel Company, project for
mining gold in Mexico. Here is q
prospectus" Mr.. Proudfoot exhibited
= brightly colored booklet, printed with
large headlines throughout, telling the
s'ory y, of How $1,000 Made Million" :"
.. Inc United States authorities
Spsamped the mail fraudulent" Mr..
aIVV!aofoot continued, "and the stock
Susi,ing scheme went out of business.
m neim got out just before this hap
p pened. In March, 1911, he was ar
1pes'ed p'ed with broker named Robert S.
-.own, OF Boston and New York, in a
T1Ia1'er OF Irregular note transactions.
ss;nere were two indictments against
san aaan' One was quashed, the other he
Wv" on appeal. / have information for
per'od of two years which shows
V',A VeSA and note transactions from New
s~iA sst 10 Alaska of an irregular char
s.a' s.ser' but he has always managed to
s'sape successful prosecution.
.. IN IN November, 1917, he was located
sss 81 Broad Street, and he then became
rnn rrno%n to me FOR the first time as
ssahKlln Helm. He was using the Of
rs rSe Of brokerage concern and their
g'one connection ub h uoc Rrood S62O