The New York herald., 1922-06-07
MRS. WARD GUARDS
HUSBANDS SECRETS
BEFORE GRAND JURY
Dodges Questions Regard
ing Time of Killing Of
Peters by Husband.
HER MEMORY is POOR
Backs Story Told by Walter
Ward When She Agrees
to Talk.
CUNNINGHAM FEELS SAFE
IntimatiOn That Gunmen Are
Ready to Attack Him if
Freed on Bail.
HER MEMORY is POOR
CUNNINGHAM FEELS SAFE

Mrs. Walter s. Ward, who was
quoted fortnight ago as saying that
she could clear up the whole mys-
terry" if the lawyers allowed her to
talk. was questioned for an hour and
quarters before the Grand Jury
in White Plains yesterday. When she
went home the killing Of Clarence
Peters by her husband was just as
much mystery as ever.
She answered few questions di-
rectly and pleaded ignorance or lapse
Of memory as to many others. The an
,swers she did give tended to support
her husbands story. She said. for
example-and her two maids gave the
same testimony ndependently-tha it
was about 4:30 in the morning Of
May 16 that Walter Ward returned
to their home in New Rochelle.
In his first and only statement.
made on May 20 when he surrendered
himself, Ward said that ne shot Peters
at q little before 4 A. NJ, and, after
exchanging shots with the two other
ackmailers-Charley Ross ana Jack
drove straight home. 1t is about
eleven miles in straight line from
the scene of the shooting. as identified
by Ward, to his house. and is more
than that by highway.
Tells Nothing of Plot.
AS to the nature of the Matchmaking
plot that caused Ward to drive over Into
dark upper westchester to keep an APP
pointm@nt with his tormen.eTs--the plot
which the Ward family have bound
themselves not to reveal--Mrs WARD
told the Grand Jury nothing, The jury
also failed to find out anything about
party which was said to have taken
place in her home on the evening oil May
is. extending into the morning OF the
18th. When she was asked who was
resent at the party she said. there Is
reason to believe. that she Gid not Know.
Another question was: What was
-,our husbands condition on that night?
Mrs. Ward said che did not remember.
Mrs Ward as ''cool and clever wit
ness" ..
Westchester authorities are inVesu-
eating a report that the persons who
made up a bridge party at the Ward
,ome on the night of May 10. ad-
-ourned 10 a road house five miles away
There. the story goes. Ward left MS
guests while he drove away TO keep MS
appointment with Peters ana the iat-
ter's two companions.
Mrs Ward was calm when she went
into the Grand Jury rooi.' anu ca'i
,rnen she emerged. 1t was reported that
sha gave no sign of being disturbed by
.nv of the questions OK District Attorney
weeks. IL also was reported that ne
2xnects to have her recalled, possibly
Co. the next session of the jury, when
is ,o begin at 10 o'clock Tomorrow morn
!, h,,t weeks would give no hint OF
lie nrorram nor OF anything that
vent ON behind closed doors in yester-
d,v,s examination. His only reply wnen
he was asked. did you make mucn
rroeress to-day was, WEI. we nad
number of witnesses tninK eish' M
together" ,;,, not
.,aish ita investigation tais week. II
.,,axy ba at II all next week too. 1t Is
i,aiieved that the authoritiec VIII ask the
i,,rv 10 indict Ward on a charge OF
,.,,rdor In the first degree unless evil
denca comes to hand that tnty have not
now got.
HI. story Not Dirproved.
1I,s story of shooting Peters In SELF
aatsnso has not been in any way uis-
nroved. on the other hand II mas not
been in any way corroborateu anu there
seems 10 be a feeling In Westcnesoer
county that the evidence one way ol
the other could be brought out oest ny
an indictment and trial.
Mrs ward. driving over from New
pocbe,Ie. reached the Court House IN
White plains at $3.50 A. NJ. with her
r,aid Amy Mild, and the two children's
nursa. Lulu Barrows. Allan X. camp
hell. one OF the lawyers acting TOT
Ward, was with them.
IL was raining hard and the curb
stone sentries barely had time. as the
party hurried into the court iouse, 70
ace that Mrs. Ward wore long gray
coat trimmed with gray fur. gray
fslt hat and rainy day shoes. They
went TO the District Attorneys office TO
"a wait the summons to the room where
the holdover May Grand Jury was sit
ting.
once before the Grand Jury Mrs.
Ward readily answered tne prehinihary
questions establishing her identity as
the wife OF Waiter Ward. but the me-
ment she was asked what took place at
her home on the night of May Is she
refused to answer. by the advice Of
counsel. she said For nearly three
quarters of an hour this went or. Then
the District Attorney and Attorney
Campbell applied to Justice Mors-
chauser for ruling as TO what tesu-
mony the witness might be required TO
give.
A pertinent section of the penal law
is section 2.445. and reads:
The husband or wife OF q person in
dicted or accused of a crime is In all
cases a competent witness. on the ex-
animation or trial of such person: but
neither husband nor wife can be COM
palled to disclose confidential COM
municatlon made by one to the other
during their marriage
Jutice Morschauser said that Mrs