New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-21
LIEUT.. MAY KILLS HIMSELF.
HE COMMITS SUICIDE AT HIS CLUB
DESPoNDENCY DUE 10 ILLNESS THE PROBABLE
CAUSE-sAD END OF POPULAR
OFITCER

The merciless grip" is once more responsible
for tragedy Lieutenant Sidney II May one
Of the most widely known. most genial and best
liked officers In the Navy. yesterday ended his
life with revolver in his at the United
Service Club No, l6 West Thirty -frst-st That Lieu
tenant May, OF all other officers In the service
should have killed himself will be cause OF aston
ishment to all those who were familiar with his
happy, easy }ightsome disposition. IIH had
lately suffered from n slight dimncss Of sight
which increased time went on, but one. en-
cept perhaps DR.. Gihon, Medical Superintendent
of the Navy, knew how deeply this trouble
affected him.
This failure Of his sight was the after ef-
feet OF the grip, which attacked him two years
ago. The first illness was followed last spring
by another. For month Lieutenant May
an inmate of the Naval Hospital. 1t was imme-
diately after his return TO duty on the Baltimore.
| 10 which he was then attached that his eyes
began to weaken. To a few Of his intimate
friends he expressed the fear that his sight
would finally leave him. -Four weeks ago. n
place was found for him on the Board OF Naval
Inspection, and he left the Baltimore and took
up his permanent home in the United Service
Club. rear apartment the third floor was
assigned to him. The dependency due to the
deeply than ever before during last week and
Dr. Gihon had tried vainy to cheer him. Yet his
firm, resoute mind forbade the idea of suicide.
At o'clock yesterday morning, he seen by
the steward OF the club lying his bed reading.
An hour later he went downstairs on his way out
| Captain Pease a retired Army officer, met him
in the hall and in reply TO the captains Inquiries
| he said that he had not felt SO well in many
weeks and would go downtown % the Offices OF
| the board Then he entered hanson cab in
waiting AZ the door and drove downtown. Just
how or when he returned 10 the club house. is not
| known. Generally . hall boy is on duty at the
| door, but each member is supplied with pass
kew and in the temporary absence Of the boy it
would be perfectly easy for Lieutenant May or
any other member TO enter the house unobserved
Captain Pease, quietly writing in his room shortly
before o'clock, was startled by the sound Of
pistol shot that seemed 10 come from the adjon
Ing apartment, which occupied by Lieutenant
May lie walked ont into the hail and smelt
gunpuwder Then he went down to the front
hall and asked the hall boy il Lieutenant May
had been seen TO enter the house. The answer
was no
Captain Pease was still III at ease; and going 10
the door Of Lieutenant Mays room found it
| locked Walking into little hall bedroom, he
| got out through the window 10 an extension roof
| In the rear and thus was able 10 reach the win
dow OF Lieutenant Mays room. When he opened
| the window and crawled through il. Lieutenant
May was lying on the bed half dressed with his
| head resting on pillow. The blood flowed from
bullet wound behind the right ear. Grasped
| in his hand was five chambercd American bull
dog revolver. DR.. Ewing, army surgeon,
was in the house, and at Captain Peases call, ran
upstairs to the Lieutenant May still
, hr, athed, but in half an hour dead. He
had left letters or papers which would throw
any light on his suicide, and the depression fol-
lowing the grip Is the only assgnable cause for his
| action
| Lieutenant May was born in NewllamHhire on
May 81, ls47, and was appointed mldShipman n,
the Naval Academy, when it was at Newport, on
july 2s 1864. He was prompted TO ensign on
July l2. 1871 and in January. 1873. he was or
| dercd 10 the sloopof-war Junata, then about 10
start on q decp-sca sounding cruise. Before she
started word was received at the Nary Depart
| mcnt TINT the Arctic steamer Poaris had been
| crushed in thr ice in Smiths Sound, and that
part of the crew had been rescued from foe Of
cr and the Others had been cas- ashore at litcton
Island The Juniata was then fitted uut at the New
York Navy Yard for her Arctic cruise and she
| reached Tpernavk in the latter part OF July. 'er
the steam launch. Little Jnniata. was prepared to
| continue the cruise across Melville Bay 10 Cape
| York and thence 10 Littcton Island, 20 bring
| back Captain Buddincton and the other survi-
vors of the Polaris The launch was in command
| OF the late Lieutenant Commander George w DE
| Long. and one Il his assistants was Ensign May.
| H. was n pcrous trip, and on several occasions
| il seemed that the boat and all on board must be
| lost. but all bnvely f.ught the elements.
| On one day severe gale set in and 10 ccono-
| mzc on coal the little launch was run under
the lee of a great iceberg, where She lay-to until
| the galr ,nbsidcd thirty-siX hours later. When
| the weather moderated, everything on the boat
| was saturated and frozen. and the most serious
| question was how TO start fire 10 raise steam
| Some oakIim was rubbed until il was warm
that the lee melted from il. and then II was sal
| urated with scal-oil Then Ensign May made
| an effort 10 light il by firing charge of powder
| into the oakum from his revolver, but me
| ammunition was so wet that nothing could br
| done and a search made for some matches
| One Of the officers found two only. and Ensign
were dry. The first one lighted was blown OUT
| by the wind. but the second and last efor,
| was more successful. The fire was lighted an!
the boat got under way again and continued
her journey.
Ensign May was Of the most genial and
| entertaining officers, next 10 Lieutenant Chlpp
Of the Juniata's complement, ana was ever ready
| 10 90 upon any expedition, TO engage In any
sort of work, or 10 Join any one IN any SORT
ol amusement, whether after bear, hunting the
reindeer over glaciers and mountains or chasln!
the seal and walrus. or danclhg WITH the To
| quimaux girls.
After his return, he passed creditable exam
| ination for master, and was az once promou,1
| II@ Syas promoted TO lieutenant May o. - ~
Uis last sea service was with the cruiser Balti-
more when She took part IN the recent 'hiliah
troubles JIe was recently ordered to duty as
| a member of the Naval Board of Inspection OF
Foreign vcsscTs the Office of which is in the
PostOlice Building.
PUBLIC BrorrSrS or MRS. WINTHROP.