Imperial Valley press., 1939-08-10

tion of Gov. Richard Webster Leche
who resigned under fire June 25,
1889, is one of the amazing figures
of the American oil fields. His
fortune, made in America, had
reached staggering proportions be-
fore he became legally an American
citizen. Saturday, Aug. co. 1898.
Born In Greece
He was born in Tropea, Greece,
Oct. II, 1886, he told the United
States Circuit Court in New Or
leans, where he took the oath of
allegiance to the United States be-
fore United States Circuit Judge
Rufus E. Foster. He entered the
United States through the port of
New York in 1904, penniless
Greek immigrant, just l8 years old.
He couldn't speak word of Eng
lish.
He got his first job as dish
washer in an obscure little Greek
restaurant in downtown New York.
He held that job nearly two years,
studying English every waking mo-
ment.
II never could learn to like dish
washing" is his only comment
on that period.
Then with his savings in his
pants pockets, he headed west. In
the Oklahoma oil fields, he got
job as "roughneck" on rig. He
set out to learn the oil game the
hard way. He learned it. He did
some payday reveling with the other
roughnecks, but in the main he
saved his money Already he vision
ed the day when "I'll be working
for Bill Helis." He was heading to
be wiidcatter on his own. When
they struck oil on Signal Hill, Los
Angeles, Calf, Bill Helis quit his
job, joined the rush. was one of the
Signal Hill pioneers, and he hit oil.
Nobody knows to this day just how
much money he needed to get his
lease, but he got it.
Twenty eight years ago he was
in Pennsylvania. There he married
a girl of Pennsylvania Dutch fam
lily. Four children were born, and
every child was born in different
state as Bill Helis followed the new
oil fields.
Miss Marie Helis became Mrs.
Roland Brown of Hollywood. wife
of Warner Brothers scenario
writer and movie director. Her two
sisters, Miss Esther Helis and Miss
Virginia Helis, as yet are unmarried.
They are vacationing now, all three
sisters and their mother, in Mas
sau, in the Bahamas.
Wandering Family
One son was born Of the maria ge.
William George Helis jr. He was
graduated at the University of
Southern California with Bachelor
of Arts and Bachelor of Laws de-
grees, then went to oxford Univer-
sity in England, and won his doc
torate in international law.
United States Circuit court rec
ords in New Orleans give picture
of the family wanderings. William
George Helis. ST., represents that
in 1918, he was residing in Indiana,
and there was granted his first
naturalization papers which IAN
election official and court officer
told him made him an American
citizen" Following that episode he
represents, he established residence
in nine different states, was accept
ed as qualified voter in all of
them, and voted in elections.
In the World War, he repre-
sents. he volunteered and served
with the Kansas National Guard.
which qualified him as All Ameri-
can citizen, anyway. He had re-
sided in New Orleans since 1894
he represented. and in 1897 sought
passports SO he could make visit
to his native Greece, and thus
learned he wasn't legally an Amer
ican citizen.
So Saturday, Aug. 20, 1898. the
United States circuit Judge. Rufus
E. Foster in New Orleans admins
tered the oath of allegiance and the
Greek with the biggest income be-
came the American with the big
gest income.
Greeks Meet Greek
His real Louisiana start was in
the Leeyille field 1t is a desolatc
stretch of coastal march down In
lower Lafourche Parish County
just below the bayou town of Col
den Meadow, La, on the road to
the Grand Isle bridge Bill Helis,
his closest friends say, got his
stake from two fellow Greeks. one
running a Greek restaurant in La
foyette, La, the other running
Greek restaurant in Memphis.
Money was flowing in now. Helis
wdened his Louisiana operations,
and except for that one Grand
Isle episode where he pulled up pipe
voluntarily on a half-completed job
he hit oil every time.
1t is an open secret among his
closest friends that he financed
the ascending to the throne Of
Greece of the present ruler. King
George II.
King George II of Greece was
grateful. Bill Helis emerged with