The Carthage Republican
Carthage, Illinois
Wednesday
November 7, 1906
Page 3
Columns 2 & 3Death of Ad Helm.
Addison F. Helm, democratic candidate for sheriff, dropped dead in Keokuk Friday afternoon at 2:57 o'clock.
No news so startling has flashed to this city and been called from telephone to telephone or passed by word for many a day. Genial whole-souled Ad Helm dead! It could not seem possible and yet alas, all that was mortal of this jolly, charming man lay in Keokuk waiting preparation for its final rest.
Heart failure, with which he was suddenly attacked, is given as the cause of death. A week ago he was taken ill, the ailment being neuralgia of the heart. Previous to that he had been troubled with a sort of pleurisy pain, but it was not severe enough to occasion alarm.
He was the democratic nominee for sheriff of Hancock county, and during the last weeks of the campaign he had worked day and night, making a complete canvass of every precinct. He was an energetic campaigner, who knew personally every man in the county, as he had held the office of sheriff two terms before.
He was the picture of perfect health, apparently, and entered heart and soul into the spirit of the campaign, which was in all likelihood responsible for his sudden collapse after his attack a week ago. He said he never felt better in his life than when he started for Keokuk on business. He had just left a barber shop when he said to his companion, Mr. Guise of Hamilton, "I feel so weak" and suddenly collapsed and gasped his last. Physicians were summoned with all possible speed, but death was swift and sudden, and it was all over before they arrived. The body was taken in charge by Coroner Hawkes, who immediately notified the family at Carthage. That evening a son, Clay V. Helm, accompanied by Sheriff James Morris, John M. Moore, Oscar Weaver, Joseph Nace and Wm. Gordon spent the night beside the body of father and friend.
The remains were brought to Carthage Saturday morning and the funeral was held at the home Sunday morning. The services were attended by a company of citizens representative of the county and the wide spread hold this man had on the hearts and friendships of the people. Beside the large assemblage of people at the house, a long line of carriages followed the body to its final resting place at Elm Tree. The services were conducted by Elder Frazee of Bentley and Rev. Newland of this city. The M. E. choir sang appropriate selections.
The following sketch was read by Rev. Mr. Newland at the service:
Addison F. Helm was born Nov. 1, 1844 and departed this life Nov. 2, 1906, aged 62 years 1 day. He was born in Floyd Co., Virginia and moved to Hancock county with his parents in 1859. Of his father's family of six children there survive him, two brothers in the west and one brother Solomon E. Helm near this city, a sister in Virginia and a sister Mrs. Susan Mayberry, of Denver, this county.
He was married to Mrs. Aurela Zumwalt of St. Marys in 1866, who with two sons, Jay H. and Clay V. together with a step-daughter Emma and other relatives and a host of friends who knew and loved him, are today mourning his departure.
For more than thirty years he has been a citizen of Carthage and has been prominent in political circles during most of that period. Strong in his adherence to his political faith, warm and genial in his friendships, whole-souled man that he was, it is no surprise that his county honored him with positions of responsibility and imposed its trust in his sterling integrity. It is probable that no man knew so well in a personal way the people of Hancock county. He was an energetic campaigner and did with might what is hands found to do.
He was a member of the Masonic lodge of Carthage and ever sought to exemplify the high and noble principles of brotherly love, relief and truth.
Like a clap of thunder out of a clear sky was the whispered announcement that Addison F. Helm was no more. He had been ailing for some time, but gave very little evidence of his untimely passing. A chair is made vacant, a voice is still, and the lonely burden of life falls heavily upon his companion.
A TRIBUTE BY GAY DAVIDSON
Monarchs have gone to their final palaces of earth amidst the sullen and unwilling thunderings of cannon at whose mouths these potentates retained the power so begrudged by the people -- have journeyed thus amidst the wailing of bands whose dirges brought recollections only of oppression. There is a mockery in such pomp. But there is glory to the life that gave to humankind happiness and hope and comfort. And here passes into the sunlight of eternal life a soul that was sunshine; here now has a great warm heart grown cold. But I want to testify to the quality of the warmth and sunlight that flowed from the fine manly soul of this man who passes from among his neighbors as one to be gone but a little while, not, in fact to be gone at all, because the great robe of charity, of warm hearted friendliness, of sturdy honesty, has fallen from the shoulders of our friend upon our hearts. I saw him in the morn of defeat, a crushing defeat, saying kind words of his successful opponents, cheering those who had gone down with him in one of those cruel revolutions of politics, prophesying victory at another day, re-affirming his faith in the old party of the common folk. He was a king and a hero on that bitter morn following a desperate November day. In the face of that defeat he gave forth the best that was in him -- an optimism and a courage that was the charm of his life. Who is there among us that has not been helped and encouraged by the cheery, brave and honest life of Ad Helm?
And he was standing upon the threshold of a thrice earned victory. It has come to him. And so he passes on, but the warmth of his soul lingers in our lives.
