An often repeated Urban Legend is that while a member of the New York Union Club he'd killed a New York Policeman and was hid by Club Members [American Heritage December 1954.p.31]. The facts are these: "Fred May's Ball Will be Forfeited "Frederick May assault." was on the calender for pleadings yesterday, in Part 1 in the General Sessions, but the case was not called. It will be called today and the $2,000 bail will be declared forfeited. Louis Howard Livingston of 5 east Seventeenth street is the bondsman. Lawyer Moss, who appeared for May yesterday, said: "May won't show up for trial, of course. He'll never come back to New York." It is beilved at the District Arrorney's Office that May is in Homburg. The charge against him is attempting to shoot a policeman." see New York Sun September 18, 1888 p.5 at https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1888-09-18/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=1888&index=0&rows=20&words=assault+Frederick+May&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=New+York&date2=1899&proxtext=Frederick+May+assault&y=11&x=12&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1.]
