From the Los Angeles Daily Times, March 1, 1907
BULLET KILLS PATROLMAN
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Patrolman C[lyde] A. May died about 8 o’clock last night at the Clara Barton Hospital from the bullet wound inflicted by William Ross, a highwayman, at Adams and San Pedro streets on February 3. . . .
For a time May improved in condition, and some days ago it was though he would recover. He was removed to his home, No. 2139 1/2 South Los Angeles Street.
Soon the old wound began to grow painful again, and May was taken back to the hospital. After the surgeons probed for the bullet last night, May expired.
Mrs. May, whom the young officer recently married, and his two brothers were with him when he died.
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PATROLMAN C.A. MAY
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From the Los Angeles Express, March 1, 1907
Slain Officer
to Be Honored
Coroner Lanterman signed a death certificate this morning stating that Clyde A. May . . . came to his death as the result of wounds received at the hands of William A. Ross.
May probably will be buried Sunday. It is the intention to send a large squad from both the Central and University police stations to escort the body. . . .
May had been married only a month, when he was wounded. His widow is suffering much from the shock of his death. She is living with her mother at 130 N. Daly Street.
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Earlier Stories Are Below
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Bicycle patrolmen stop a suspect;
the man shoots 1 officer, is killed by the other
The episode as recounted by Policeman J.M. Hoover
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From the Los Angeles Examiner,
February 4, 1907
We were on the south side of Adams Street . . . riding bicycles when we saw this man.
At once we dismounted, leaving our wheels in the street, and crossed to intercept him.
“We’re police officers,’ said May, throwing back his coat and showing his star plainly. “Who are you?”
“Oh, I’m all right, boys; my name is Ross. I live at the corner,” and he pointed west on Adams Street. At the same time he began walking backward as though trying to get away.
At that, May took three steps forward and grasped his sleeve.
“Hold, on, let’s make sure of this,” said May.
Ross then jerked loose from May, jumped backward, pulled his gun and fired. When May and I saw the weapon, he
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| bent down to try to get it or escape the bullet, while I, standing beside May, stepped off the sidewalk to the lawn in front of the [Third Presbyterian] church, so as to be able to shoot without having May between me and my target.
But Ross was too quick for May and, without lifting his gun higher than his hip, fired. May fell, and as he did so, I fired and missed.
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Ross then shot at me and turned to run. As he did so, he looked backward over his shoulder and had me covered. He was aiming, and as he did so, I fired, killing him.
Then, making sure that Ross would not come around and give us more trouble, I ran across the street to Dr. E.E. Sherrard’s, notified him and then telephoned for the ambulance.
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Shooting resulted from departmental policy:
Statement by Police Chief Edward Kern
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From the Los Angeles Daily Times,
February 4, 1907
The shooting on East Adams Street came as the direct result of an order which I gave to the Los Angeles police force several weeks ago.
The order will be enforced more strictly — for the public’s protection — from now on.
It is to this effect:
Whenever after midnight an officer or officers . . . find any one out on this city’s streets without apparent legitimate business, the officers shall pursue the following course:
They shall stop the person in question and ask their business.
In case the one intercepted — be his appearance what it may —
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give an address as either his destination or his home, the police will not take his word for this.
They will take him to the number given by him and see that he goes inside its doors.
If he refuses to give the asked-for information or lies when asked for it, the officers will take him into custody and investigate his case.
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I believe this order is necessary. I believe Patrolmen May and Hoover did the proper thing in following the course which they did.
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From the Los Angeles Examiner, February 4, 1907
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The wounded policeman is suffering much at the Clara Barton Hospital, where his young wife, barely more than a bride, bore up bravely.
May’s words to her were most pathetic, being a
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constant appeal to her to cheer up, that he would soon be well.
Before her marriage, Mrs. May was Miss Dorothy Shephardson, daughter of a Southern Pacific engineer.
At the home of an elder
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brother, O.H. May, the gray-haired mother waited for every report that came from the sick room. She contained herself remarkably and resigned herself to the outcome.
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From the Los Angeles Exress, February 4, 1907
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Patrolman May is still at the Clara Barton Hospital and is doing as well as could be expected.
All day yesterday
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physicians worked endeavoring to locate the bullet which struck him. An x-ray photograph was taken and will be developed today. |
It is thought the bullet will thus be located and the physicians will then be able to operate successfully.
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From the Los Angeles Daily Times, February 4, 1907
May’s Good Record
The public, prone to look on a policeman as [simply] a wearer of brass buttons, have the following facts regarding May for their consideration:
He was a soldier in the Thirty-first Michigan Infantry during the Philippine Insurrection. He served four years as a bearer of dispatches, and his duty included crossing a rugged chain of mountains — alone among a half-savage enemy.
He is a new member of the Los Angeles police force. But his army-acquired discipline was strong within him. For while he lay all but unconscious on the operating table [at the Clara Barton Hospital] . . . Capt. Bradish of the University sub-station approached . . . [and said], “This is Captain Bradish, May.”
The man, eyes closed, with the open can of ether beside him, feebly raised his hand toward his forehead, saluting as best he could.
A month ago yesterday, he married Miss Dolly Shepardson. Yesterday she sat beside his bed, and her eyes never left his white face. His brother, also a patrolman, was constantly in the room, and many other officers came and went from the hospital.
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Patrolman was a hero
during the war
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Photo and story from the Los Angeles Examiner, February 4, 1907
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Clyde A. May was born at Dewitt, Mich., July 12, 1879, and spent his boyhood in that city and Lansing, Mich.
During his early life he was a printer.
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When the Spanish War broke out in 1898, he enlisted with the 31st Michigan Regiment and served in Cuba . . . .
Two months after he was honorably discharged, he re-enlisted for service in the Philippines and spent two years in the islands, nearly dying at one time during that service.
His Army record was an excellent one, and his discharge distinguished him as having participated in 14 battles and engagements.
He also received special mention in the war records for bravery in dispatch-carrying, being at one time for fifteen days in an open boat in China Sea on such mission.
On that lonely trip, one of his companions became crazed, jumped into the sea and was lost.
May came to Los Angeles three years ago and became a member of the police force . . . January 1 [1906]. He has continually worked from the University Station . . . .
Besides his wife and mother, May has two brothers, O.H. and Charles, both of whom live here.
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From the Los Angeles Examiner, February 4, 1907
Wearing Garments for Clever Disguise, Man Killed by Officer Is Equipped for Robber Raid
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The Los Angeles Police Department is mystified as to the identity of the man . . . who was killed . . . .
William F. Ross is the name he gave to the police August 16, with a woman with whom he was living . . . tried to end her life by swallowing poison . . . .
He was identified by jailer J.W. McCaulley yesterday as having been a trusty in the carpenter shop of the jail during the early part of last fall. . . .
That Ross was on a robbing expedition is believed by the police.
In his pocket was found a soft hat, and a leather “billy,” which he wore as a cap.
Changing his cap for the hat would disguise him, seen in the dark with the cap and seen later with the hat, he could pass a trying ordeal of identification.
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To make identification more difficult, he wore a black sateen shirt over a colored shirt, to which was affixed a clean celluloid collar and a neat black tie.
The collar and tie were completely hidden under the black shirt, and a quick change in case of his having been seen would have rendered his capture from description almost impossible.
A silver dollar and two dimes were found on his person, but in a hip-pocket were found sixteen cartridges of the same caliber as the revolver he used.
From the Los Angeles Herald, February 4, 1907
The second weapon was a ten-inch black jack, similar to the ones used by “knock-down-and-drag-out” men.
It is loaded on the end with a leather sack containing about half a pound of lead bullets.
This is one of the worse weapons ever used by a holdup
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William Ross, the Dead Man
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man. If a victim is struck on any part of the head . . . it means, as a usual thing, sure death.
Few but the most desperate crooks ever carry them. . . .
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From the Los Angeles Examiner, February 4, 1907
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Formerly Ross was employed at the Webb Carriage Works, and to William J. Webb he spoke freely of his domestic troubles.
Mr. Webb, of 227 W. 46th St., last night made the following statement:
“He was always good-natured, never seemed to
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have any trouble and was well-liked by everybody in the shop. . . .
“He was a great borrower and could talk a tramp into lending him money. . . .
“Last Tuesday I had occasion to visit Mr. Earl’s shop and saw him working there. He called me aside, told me he had just bought a kit of fine tools, and
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as soon as he had paid for them he would pay me the money he owed me.
“Then he added that the woman he had been living with had had him arrested for battery, although he denied his guilt, and while he was in jail she had committed suicide. . . .”
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From the Los Angeles Daily Times, February 4, 1907
UNDOUBTEDLY A CRIMINAL
Man Shot Dead by Policeman Was a Crook
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William J. Ross, who was instantly killed in a desperate pistol battle with two police officers early yesterday, lost his life just after attempting the burglary of L.C. Kelher’s home, No. 223 E. Jefferson St.
His companion fled from the scene of the tragedy.
When Patrolman Hoover shot down Ross, he stopped the career of the “Saturday night” burglar and footpad,
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who had been operating in the southern portion of the city . . . .
Ross, who was the son of Justice of the Peace M.J. Ross of Kansas City, was a cabinet-maker and expert carpenter. He had been carrying on burglary and highway robbery while out of work. From a liquor-loving “dead beat,” he had become a semi-professional original. . . .
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Whether Ross’s body will go to the potter’s field is not known. That depends on the attitude of the father in Kansas City.
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From the Los Angeles Herald, February 4, 1907
[The elder] Ross, who is a guest at the Hollenbeck Hotel, denied this today.
“I know nothing of the man,” said Ross. . . .
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Los Angeles history
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