On February 3, 1907, around 12:45 a.m., LAPD University Division Patrolmen Clyde A. May and John M. Hoover, working a plain clothes beat, walked eastbound on Adams Avenue near San Pedro Street. They observed a man walking westbound on Central Avenue who matched the description of a burglary suspect seen lurking on the porch of a house at 222 East Jefferson Boulevard a couple of hours before.
As the suspect, later identified as William J. Ross, approached them, Patrolman May opened his overcoat revealing his badge and identifying himself as a police officer. The patrolmen asked Ross what his business was out on the street at that hour. Ross took offense to this question and hastily armed himself with a revolver. May tried to reach for the gun, but Ross avoided his grasp and fired one round at him which entered at the base of his neck atop his left shoulder and entered his left lung. As May staggered and fell, Ross took two shots at Hoover, but he managed to avoid these rounds and returned fire. One of his rounds caught Ross squarely between the eyes, killing him.
Despite May’s injury, he was young and strong and for a time it appeared he would recover. Doctors even sent him home despite their inability to remove the bullet from his lung. Toward the end of February, May’s condition deteriorated and he returned to the hospital. Doctors took x-rays in hope of finding the bullet so they could operate, but were unsuccessful. May died on February 28 with his wife, Dolly, and his brother Ora H. May, also an LAPD patrolman, at his side.
Clyde May was born in Olive, Michigan in 1879. He served in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, where he saw combat. He joined the LAPD in 1906. Over 200 of his brother officers marched in his funeral procession, which also included a drum corps of the Grand Army of the Republic.
In early April, the Los Angeles City Council voted to reimburse Dolly May for her husband’s hospital medical expenses. Then, in July, a police pension board granted her the sum of $83.33 a month, an amount equivalent to approximately $2,026 today.
May is recognized by the LAPD as their first officer killed in the line of duty.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Herald, LAPD Lieutenant J.A. Macias
As the suspect, later identified as William J. Ross, approached them, Patrolman May opened his overcoat revealing his badge and identifying himself as a police officer. The patrolmen asked Ross what his business was out on the street at that hour. Ross took offense to this question and hastily armed himself with a revolver. May tried to reach for the gun, but Ross avoided his grasp and fired one round at him which entered at the base of his neck atop his left shoulder and entered his left lung. As May staggered and fell, Ross took two shots at Hoover, but he managed to avoid these rounds and returned fire. One of his rounds caught Ross squarely between the eyes, killing him.
Despite May’s injury, he was young and strong and for a time it appeared he would recover. Doctors even sent him home despite their inability to remove the bullet from his lung. Toward the end of February, May’s condition deteriorated and he returned to the hospital. Doctors took x-rays in hope of finding the bullet so they could operate, but were unsuccessful. May died on February 28 with his wife, Dolly, and his brother Ora H. May, also an LAPD patrolman, at his side.
Clyde May was born in Olive, Michigan in 1879. He served in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, where he saw combat. He joined the LAPD in 1906. Over 200 of his brother officers marched in his funeral procession, which also included a drum corps of the Grand Army of the Republic.
In early April, the Los Angeles City Council voted to reimburse Dolly May for her husband’s hospital medical expenses. Then, in July, a police pension board granted her the sum of $83.33 a month, an amount equivalent to approximately $2,026 today.
May is recognized by the LAPD as their first officer killed in the line of duty.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Herald, LAPD Lieutenant J.A. Macias
On February 3, 1907, around 12:45 a.m., LAPD University Division Patrolmen Clyde A. May and John M. Hoover, working a plain clothes beat, walked eastbound on Adams Avenue near San Pedro Street. They observed a man walking westbound on Central Avenue who matched the description of a burglary suspect seen lurking on the porch of a house at 222 East Jefferson Boulevard a couple of hours before.
As the suspect, later identified as William J. Ross, approached them, Patrolman May opened his overcoat revealing his badge and identifying himself as a police officer. The patrolmen asked Ross what his business was out on the street at that hour. Ross took offense to this question and hastily armed himself with a revolver. May tried to reach for the gun, but Ross avoided his grasp and fired one round at him which entered at the base of his neck atop his left shoulder and entered his left lung. As May staggered and fell, Ross took two shots at Hoover, but he managed to avoid these rounds and returned fire. One of his rounds caught Ross squarely between the eyes, killing him.
Despite May’s injury, he was young and strong and for a time it appeared he would recover. Doctors even sent him home despite their inability to remove the bullet from his lung. Toward the end of February, May’s condition deteriorated and he returned to the hospital. Doctors took x-rays in hope of finding the bullet so they could operate, but were unsuccessful. May died on February 28 with his wife, Dolly, and his brother Ora H. May, also an LAPD patrolman, at his side.
Clyde May was born in Olive, Michigan in 1879. He served in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, where he saw combat. He joined the LAPD in 1906. Over 200 of his brother officers marched in his funeral procession, which also included a drum corps of the Grand Army of the Republic.
In early April, the Los Angeles City Council voted to reimburse Dolly May for her husband’s hospital medical expenses. Then, in July, a police pension board granted her the sum of $83.33 a month, an amount equivalent to approximately $2,026 today.
May is recognized by the LAPD as their first officer killed in the line of duty.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Herald, LAPD Lieutenant J.A. Macias
As the suspect, later identified as William J. Ross, approached them, Patrolman May opened his overcoat revealing his badge and identifying himself as a police officer. The patrolmen asked Ross what his business was out on the street at that hour. Ross took offense to this question and hastily armed himself with a revolver. May tried to reach for the gun, but Ross avoided his grasp and fired one round at him which entered at the base of his neck atop his left shoulder and entered his left lung. As May staggered and fell, Ross took two shots at Hoover, but he managed to avoid these rounds and returned fire. One of his rounds caught Ross squarely between the eyes, killing him.
Despite May’s injury, he was young and strong and for a time it appeared he would recover. Doctors even sent him home despite their inability to remove the bullet from his lung. Toward the end of February, May’s condition deteriorated and he returned to the hospital. Doctors took x-rays in hope of finding the bullet so they could operate, but were unsuccessful. May died on February 28 with his wife, Dolly, and his brother Ora H. May, also an LAPD patrolman, at his side.
Clyde May was born in Olive, Michigan in 1879. He served in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, where he saw combat. He joined the LAPD in 1906. Over 200 of his brother officers marched in his funeral procession, which also included a drum corps of the Grand Army of the Republic.
In early April, the Los Angeles City Council voted to reimburse Dolly May for her husband’s hospital medical expenses. Then, in July, a police pension board granted her the sum of $83.33 a month, an amount equivalent to approximately $2,026 today.
May is recognized by the LAPD as their first officer killed in the line of duty.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Herald, LAPD Lieutenant J.A. Macias
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