The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-12
OUT On THE BOYCOTT
John G. Mays Killing by Police
man CaYanaGgh.
a Full Statement Made by the Accused-Be-
ginning of the Inquest-0piuions Held
as TO the Homicide.

An investigation Of the killing of John
G. MAY, brewery workman, by Police Of
ficer james B. Cavanaugh. shows that the
deceased was out on a boycotting expedition
when he received the fatal wound, and in
View Of the many recent robberies in the
90. vicinity of McAlliSter and Fulton streets,
where the shooting occurred, the police gen.
orally assert that the officer was justified in
adopting severe measures to Investigate the
conduct Of suspicious characters.
Cavanaugh who is quite young man,
was appointed on the police force in No
vember, and was married on the day after
receiving his appointment All day yester-
day he remained in the hospital attached to
the City Prison and received calls from
friends, to whom he explained the circum-
stances Of The shooting. He also sent the
following communication 10 Chief Crowley:
CAvANAUGH's STATEMENT.
FEBRUARY II, 1891
p. Crowley, Chief Of POiice-SIR: 1 hereby
wish 10 lay before you full and correct state
meHt OF The shooting Of a man by The name of
John May, this morning, between IL and l
O'Clock, on Fulton street. between Buchanan
ard Laguna while he was acting IN Z very sus-
licluuS manner After roll-cdli, ! took a Nc
AAister-stTeet car out 10 my beat, getting OF at
-EuChaHdn street. / stood on Tie corner FOR
Few minutes, then walked TO Fulton street, and
uu Fulton as far as lie National Brewery to see
81 safe; then / Iuiued back 10 Buchanan, going
toward Grove. and when got down about one
iiliq Of lie BLOCK saw three men coming from
the side Of Tie buildings, which appeared 10 me
as Il coming ron a doorway.
III J looked around, ana when they saw NE
coming they separated, one gong toward Hayes
SiIeei ana lie other TWO men crossed to The east
slGe 81 Buchanan, going toward AieAllister l
Stood aching them. as by that time my suS-
IielonS mad become aroused that there
something wrong. They continued down Bu-
.chauan street, anu stood Ia the shadow OF the
buildings watching them. Then l heard low
whistle for the third man. When got opposite
them, l crossed over and they ran. l hailed
t.em. and asked what Ihey were doing there,
Wien they sepe'atcd-
COMMANDED TO HALT.
They could see that was police officer, as
the star was on The outside of my coat. The TWO
men ran, one going toward McAllister street and
the Other toward Fulton. | started 10 run after
the going toward MeAlisIer and then
started after he man who ran toward Fulton. |
Commanded him TO halt several times and lie
took no notice. He seemed to be gaming ground
on NE, when again ordered him 10 halt or l
would fire. lie took notice and then fired
NY pistol to Irlghlen him and be kept run
Mug, ! 1ied again, aud lie ran few feet fur
Tier and fell. When l got up TO him he said lie
was done for ! blew my whistle and sent for
doctor who pronounced The man dead.
In Justification 10 myself would state that,
owing 10 tie numerous buIglaTies that have been
committed ID and around that section Of the
city, have been instructed by my Captain and
Sergeant TO he Yigllant and keep a hard lookout
for such people, and If possible TO arrest tnem
Lven DO later than yesterday afternoon man in
the wood aud coal yard, GU the corner Of Hayes
ard buchanan streets, came 10 me and told me
that his place OF business had been robbed
Other persons had reported having been recently
robbed in that vicinity, and when ] the
three men hovering IN lhe doorway l naturally
thought they had had a hand in these robberics
MAY WAS OUT BOYCoTTING.
Detective James Rogers was detailed to
investigate the shooting yesterday and he
learned that May, with Henry Getz and
Charles JeGkr, were among the members Of
Local Union No. Is, of the National Brewery
Norkmen Of the United States, who lost
their positions at the National Brewery
through the strike and boz colt levied by the
Council Of Federated Trades. The union,
backed up by the national body, declared
boycott Of its own against the brewery and
tie three men were engaged IN posting boy
cotting circulars when the officer ap-
preached.
Fearing arrest. and not desiring to incur
the enmity of the brewery in case they re-
gained their positions, they made an attempt
10 escape. May had bundle Of the boy
cotting circulars in his pockets and upon
them was printed the following: Boycott
National Brewing COmpany's beer. The
proprietOrS are enemies of organized labor
Local Union No. 16. of the National Union
Of Brewery W Orkmen OF the nited States"
THE WIDOW AT THE INQUEST.
Coroner Garwood impaneled jury and
began an inquest III the afternoon. Mrs.
Maggie May, widow of the deceased, was
the only witness he card. She was attired in
SENDER ralment, and her eyes were much
swollen from weeping. She said she had
lived with her husband at 722 Grove street.
He vert home on Tuesday night at $50
o'clock and, after taking supper, went to
bed. At y 80 o'clock yesterday morning he
was awakened by GetZ and Jedke and went
out with them. Before leaving he told her
that he was going out to boycott, but did
not tell her that he was in favor of boycott
ing any particular brewery or firm. The
taking of further testimony was then post
poned until to morrow afternoon
Chief Crowley was much grleved over the
fatal result of the shooting. lie said, how
ever, that q large number Of robberies and
burglaries had taken place recently in the
neighborhOod of the shooting and the
patrolmen had been cautioned 10 look out
for the bold operators. After weighing the
matter carefully all day, the Chief ordered
that Cayanaugh be charged with manslaugh-
ter.
II VIOLATION OF THE RULES.
1t is said that the shooting was in direct vi
olation OF the rules laid down by the Police
Commissioners. who hold that pistol is
given TO az officer as a weapon of defense,
and that 1t Is not 10 be employed in order to
give an alarm or stop fugitive.
The members of Union No. 10 claim that
the shooting of May was uniustfed, and
Willuse every effort to prosecute Cavanaugh.
a delegation OF them headed by Henry
Weisenann was at the Dlorgue late in the
afternoon and denounced the shooting as a
deliberate murder
Cavanaugh asserts that he did not aim di-
reetly at May. He says he pointed down.
ward toward the pavement, and accounts
for the second bullet striking May by the
fact that the bullet must have struck a stone
on the pavement and rebOunded, or that the
force of the charge of powder caused the
muZzle OF the pistol to be elevated.
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