The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-08-20
P 0SSE FAILS To
FIND WARD IN
THE SWAMP
AUTHORITIES BELIEVE MAN sUs-
PEcTED OF WIFE MURDER
EITHER KILLED SELF OR WAS
SWALLOWED BY MARSH.

NEwAYGO. Mich. Aug. 2o.-After
an exhaustive search Of the accessible
portion of the swamp land In Beaver
township. the posse OF so which yer-
terday started in pursuit Of John M.
Ward. who 10 believed to have stabbed
his wife to death. came to the con-
clusion that the fugitive had either
committed suicide by plunging head
first into the Quasmire. or that the
soggy ground had sucked him In TO
his death az he fed.
The bloodhounds followed the trail
In the marsh eagerly for a while and
than gave Up the hunt. As a precau-
tionary measure In case Ward escaped.
Sheriff Bulliss notified onlcers in all
nearby cities and towns to watch for
him. Grand Rapids authorities aspect.
ally have been requested to search for
Ward inasmuch a. he was there be-
fore he went to the Conley farm.
Aug. 8.
In Wards valise, at the Conley
home. where the woman's body was
found In the kitchen. the sheriff dis
covered additional evidences that Ward
had remarked after he had deserted
bis wife. 20 years ago. This evidence
was contained In a letter Of a date
previously found In Wards coat
pocket.
The letter was written In pencil
and many Of the words were miss.
spelled. The material parts of the
missive follow. given just as It is
written:
Jacksonville. Fla. Jan. 10. 1906.
Ny dear husband
Will try to write you a few lines.
Would have written sooner but
have been sick Want well when
you LEFT and you knowed y when
fully. II you had come back then
IL would have been all. John, you
know that / always said when you
left me It wa: for good, Thi: time
US two to live together again and
more than that we wasn't married
lawful any how. We made OUR
You can marry or do as YOU
please as l will not put faith In
Write IL you want to as will
ELLA WARD
The first. lettar which the oflcers
found In Ward's clothes was dated
Jacksonville. Fla. Nov. 9. 1905. 1t,
too. was signed by Ella Ward.
Cry Of . Broken Heart.
1T Is all over now, john" II read.
II did not think a man lived who
could have treated good woman as
mean as you have me. John. there Is
a Judgment day coming when every
heart will have to answer for the
wrongs done In this world. hope
you will not make a fool Of another
woman You might better have taken
the money you spent for clothes and
spent It to have come home. John. my
heart Is broken and l don't care what
becomes OF me. You have He'd to me
and deceived me In more ways than
one. n you are taken sick come to
me and l will care for you. but will
never come one step TO you."
Motive for Murder.
Oflcers believe that these letters
may furnish the motive for the muir.
der.
III Wards first wife had happened
to read either OF the letters written
by Ella Ward, showing as they do the
mans periidy. she might have so
aroused his temper that In his anger
he stabbed her." said Sheriff Bnlliss-
II think that some alteration took
place between Ward and the woman
just before the murder. These letters
may have been the cause OF It,"
John Conley, who has been known
here for many years as the dead
woman's husband, will not be held as
witness as he signified his willing.
ness to appear before a jury should
Ward be apprehended.
Ward Is said to be powerful
man. He is 6 feet inches tall. and
weighs nearly 200 pounds. He is So
years old. His hair Is slightly gray,
as we'll as his mustache.