The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-17
RETURNED FROM EXILE,
Fred May Comes Back From Chill to
stand Trial for Assault

Fred May Comes Back From Chill to
stand Trial for Assault.
NEW YoRK. April 1G.-Fredsrick May, the
former champion athlete Of the swell anna
teor clubs. and the man who fought a
bloodless duel with James Gordon Bennett,
| has surrendered himself after an exile of
nearly five years on the indictment oharo-
ing him with attempted felonious assault
on Policeman Daniel MCGOWAN. of the
Leonard street police station. He WAS
under $1,000 bail on the charge and his bail
the city treasury. May arrived in this oity
several days ago from Valparaiso, Chili.
His coming was kept secret until he
was ready to call at District Attorney
Nicolps office. The district attorney fixed
his bail at $4,000 and Clarence Dinsmore
before Judge Martin. who accepted the
bail. May also pleaded not guilty to the
charge and left the court room smiling. He
refused to talk about his travels, except to
say that he had first gone to England.
thence to Buenos Ayres. finally drifting to
Chilli where he engaged in business and
became an influential member of society.
The attempted assault for which May
was indicted occurred May 10, 1883. May
had been down to the pier of the Fall River
Steamboat company to see his mother and
sister OF on one Of the oompany'a boats.
and got drunk. When he came out of the
saloon several shop girls on their way homo
attracted his attention. He aocostsd sew.
eral OF tho girls and attempted TO hug them.
Policeman MCGOWAN noticed Nay's actions
and ordered him to move on. lyon won't
ing forth big revolver. Before he could
pull the trigger Policeman Brady, who was
patrollin0 the adjoining post, hit MAY on
the arm with his locust, knocking the re-
volver from his hand. Then Policeman
MCGOWAN sailed in and before he finished
May was lying on the ground covered with
blood. suffering, from severe oontusions on
the head and several wounds over
took tool him him to- to the an heonard a0usnes s.1ees
police station. where the surgeon
took five stitches to close the gap over his
in the Tombs police court. The two ofi-
GERS made their affidavit and Justice Weld
held May in $1,000 bail. After several days
in prison May was released on bail.
When released MAY went at once to the
Now York hotel. He was summoned twice
to appear before tho grand jury. but each
time sent DOCTORS certificate that he was
unable to appear. He was finally indicted
seot. IA. nearly three months after the as
sault. day was set for pleading but he
did not materialize. Recorder Smyth de-
clared his boil forfeited. Since his flight
numerous stOElS6 nave xoaCneO the City con.
cerninR May. Detective Sergeant Phil
Reilly, who went to Chill after Bushnell,
who went to that country after robbng his
employers of $4,000. met May in Valpa-
raiso. This was in the spring of 1889. May
was then the South American agent for an
oil syndicate, and was doing big business
One story that reached this city from
Chilli about Fred May during the Chilian
rebellion placed him in Q very creditable
light. When the attack was made by tho
excited Chllians on the sailors of the Balti-
moro. May, Who was near BY, sided in and
helped the American sailors to defend them
selves. Another story that was told here
of his life in Chilli WAS that he had taken
sides with the ConRressionalistsd during the
revolution. and had been actually engaged
in several battles. The maximum sentence
for, attempted assault in the filst degree il
ton years imprisonment.