The New York herald., 1922-05-24
POLICE STILL SEEK
BACKINGFOR WARDS
SELF-DEFENSE PLEA
Two Companions of Slain
Blackmailer Can't Be
Found Hereabout.
GUNS NOT PRODUCED
Only One Shell From Auto
matte Lay Near Scene
Of Killing.
MANY POINTS OBSCURE
Bullet Hole in Victims Under
shirt Not in Coat or Vest,
1t Is Said.
MANY POINTS OBSCURE


The Ward blackmailing case devei-
oped yesterday into a mystery Of the
first magnitude. II was officially said
in White Plains that before Walter s.
Ward could exonerate himself he
would have to tell much more than he
has done so far of the extortion plot
which he says eliminated in his kill
ing Clarence Peters near Kensico Lake
a o'clock in the morning a week ago
yesterday
So many singular features confront
the investigators that If they MAIN
tain their attitude of yesterday they
will not accept Wards plea that he
shot in self-defense until he has pro-
duced before the Coroner or a trial
jury all the letters he says he received
from the Matchmaking troupe and mar
rates from start to finish his dealings
with them.
Last night on the porch Of his home
at So Decatur road, New Rochelle.
Ward admitted that he swallowed
iodine in his home about three weeks
ago. He said that he mstook the
poison for a harmless medicine, and
that is all he would say. He was wait
ing to get into communication again
with his attorneys, with whom he had
been in touch through the day.
The fact that Ward had taken iodine
became known in New Rochelle earlier
in tho day and was verified by a phy-
sician of the town. DR.. Orvile Fl. Schell
OF ss Meadow lane. DR.. Schell had been
called 20 the Ward home at ? A. NJ.
found Ward In great pain and by the
use OF an emetic ana stomach pump
relieved him. DR.. Schell remarking that
persons often nistook bottles 81 the
dark. gave his personal opinion that the
taking OF the iodine was accidental
Some Seeming Contradictions.
A great number G; assertions that
tend to contradict the story told by
Ward ere being made II has been i'm
possible thus far to obtain from him a
staten mt separating the tangle OF
tr 18th and gossip because Of the silence
which lie says has been imposed on him.
For example. II wac said in New Ro-
chelle last evening that Peters, who ac-
cording 10 Wards original story was
one OF the blackmailers he met by ap-
pointm'nt on a road north OF White
Plains early on .he morning OF May 1s,
was in reality In Wards home on the
evening OF May IS. few hours before
he was killed. The New Rochelle police
are tn authority -or .h;s
They say that Ward was in the habit
OF having small social card parties IN
his home and that he gave one on the
evening mentioned. Peters. they say.
was taken into the house by Ward.
Later-and this Ats in fairly we'll with
Wards story--Ward went out for an
automobile ride, but according 10 the
police version he returned about
o'clock in the morning and not after 4.
as is stated in the version given by the
white Plains authorities. who say they
got IL from Ward. Last Saturday dstec-
tlves we're noticed about the Ward
home.
Puzzling also is the informal testi-
mony OF three men who saw the body
of Peters soon after IL was found by
Duncan Rose. druggists clerk OF
White Plains. They say that there
was bullet hole In the undershirt and
that the shirt was burned. as II by
powder but that there was no hole in
the coat and vest.
They also say they saw no glass In
the road Ward SAYS that Peters.
shooting at him. smashed one OF the
windows OF the Ward coupe. Further
more. men who live near the spot where
the body was found say that they heard
no shots
These witnesses are Clarence w. Eek
hardt. in front OF whose home the body
was found William Briggs. one OF the
Eckert farm hands. and Richard Short.
who has a farm. Locust Grove half a
mile away. Briggs said that as he looked
at the body IL seemed 10 him that II
must have been carried 10 the spot from
some other place. He saw no blood on
the ground or on Peters's coat and vest
Eckhardts house II about zoo yards
from the road. He said that he heard
nothing. although he is a light sleeper
and the windows were open. and none of
the other persons In the house heard
anything
John Moscowitz. who sleeps In a ga
rage about zoo feet from the road. was
not disturbed in his slumber.
Mrs. Ward talked briefly with re-
porters last night.
No woman I'm Case. says wife.
There is no woman In this case"
she said II have absolute confidence
IN my husband. and when the proper
time comes he will be cleared. asked
him about fhe bullet hole In the auto
mobile and ne said Il was all right now.
He was so nervous that I did not
question him further"
Mrs. Ward. T. IL believed. knows all
tho details OF whatever her husband
feared the blackmailers might divulge
and has made up her mind 10 stand
| by him.
II was also reported in New Ro-
cheile th.. Ward did not 20 70 the
tracks 20 bet on the races. but made
his vsrers through a betting comnie-
sioner This is known TO be untrue.
/ for ward was seen AZ the tracks n
least occasionally and. az Jamaics,
placed his own bets with certain we'll
| known booknsker
J II was said at the track yeste{dsy