The New York herald., 1922-06-02
Says Tragedy Resulted
From Attempt to Trap
Baking Man.
TIP FROM AN EX-CONvICT
Police Get Trail of Charley
Ross and Jack, Long
Sought in Case.

James j. Cunningham, a race tracl
man Who formerly worked for Com
mander j. X. l.. Ross, Canadian turf
man and owner of Sir Barton, was
locked up in the Westchester count,
Jail at 1880 o'clock last night as {
material witness in the Walter S
Ward shooting mystery. According
10 a statement made by Frederick e
Weeks. District Attorney, of West.
chester county. Cunningham professe.
to have knowledge Of the shooting o.
Clarence Peters and the wounding o
another man in the home of Walter s
Ward in New Rochelle, and not on the
road near the Kensico Reservoir a.
stated by Ward. The statement of the
District Attorney is as follows:
THE New York American has turned
over to the Sheriff a man who tells g
story concerning the Ward case. Thi:
man had been trailed for three days
following the receipt of an anonymous
letter.
Believe He Is Holding Back.
THE man first told one story, bu
when confronted by the Sheriff and tn,
District Attorney, and upon their ques
tioning him, he changed this story. New
ertheless he said that the second mar
said to have been wounded by Ware
was former private detective. II,
states that a short time after the shoot
ing the wounded man was brought in a
touring car to hic (Cunningham's
mothers home in The Bronx. The mar
evidently knows more about the case
than he has told. He says that the shoot
Ing grew out of an effort to trap Wal.
ter S. Ward. His name is James J
Cunningham"
The District Attorney said that Gun
ningham was difficult person TO ge
any information from, and that he wa.
evidently concealing and Withholding {
considerable part OF his knowledge o
the Ward case. The man finally admit
ted however. the District Attorney
said. that he had talked with CharleS
Ross and Jack, the two men prom
nently mentioned In connection with til,
alleged attempt to blackmail Ward, anc
that il was from them that he got his in
formation. Mr.. Weeks said that th'
Pinkerton detectives and the detective.
OF the Sheriffs offices have received In
structions to search all hospitals in Con
necticut, New Jersey and New York II
an effort to find the second man sait
TO have been shot by Ward.
Gives No Definite Address.
Cunningham. when booked at tn,
county Jail, gave his home as New Yorl
city but did not give any definite stree
address, and II Is understood that he hac
refused to tell the Sheriff and the Dis
trict Attorney where his home Is. II
some quarters this is taken as an indica
ton that the second man alleged to have
been shot by Ward still lies i'll at the
Cunningham house. Cunningham is 1
man of about 2S years of age, with
brown hair and brown mustache. Ht
Is suave and well dressed and the Dis
trict Attorney said that the only char.
acterization that he knew that would N
the man was that he is a Smooth duck.
Cunningham told the District A'tor.
ney that he was an Investigator for !
private detective. The details of how the
New York AmericuH found him an,
turned him over to the Sheriff were no
told to the District Attorney, but agents
of the newspaper had probably had hin
under surveillance for some time II v
known that they had him in room a
the Hotel McAlpln all day yesterday
and that the Sheriff and the District At
torney were summoned to the conference
there late yesterday afternoon.
The questioning of the man by thes-
officials was done at the hote, and afte.
they had talked with him they con
cluded that his knowledge Of the cas-,
was so important that he should be de
tanned as a material witness He wa.
accordinrly locked up.
Cunningham at White Plains last
night was examined only briefly. and
will get a thorough examination this
morning by Sheriff George Werner
Cunningham's statement will be checked
UP, and II 1t conflicts with the confession
OF Ward stronger charge may bc
lodged against the latter.
This man is only held as a materia
Witness" said Sheriff Werner. There
Is nothing definite about this fellow. He
has talked two different ways. In other
ways we haven't had real chance tc
talk 10 him. He was committed to tn,
county jail on the Coroner's order as a
material witness"
known About Race Tracks.
The detentionApf Cunningham and his
statement that at one time he worked
for Commander Ross recalled TO rae.
Ing men last night that a year or two
ago man of the same name, who an.
swered the description or the Cunning.
ham arrested last night. was very con.
spcuous about the tracks. This man
who has since been ruled off the turf
and barred from every track operated
by the Jockey Club. said then that hs
worked for Guy Bedwell. one time
trainer for Commander Ross.
The Cunningham. who said he worked
for Bedwell, has a criminal record as
hotel beat, and a warrant Is said to be
out now for his arrest on a charge OF
beating the Hotel Emerson at Baltimore
lie was arrested once in Syracuse for
Continued on Page -Four.