The New York herald., 1922-05-23


Grove street. Haverhill, Mass. His
father is a half-brother of the late w.
Scott Peters, for thirty years leading
member Of the Massachusetts bar and
fors eleven years District Attorney.
The boy was arrested in Haverhill a
year ago and sent to the Shirley refor-
matory>.for completely in the theft of an
automobile in Boston. He had been
expelled from the navy for bad conduc.,
but when he left home again three
weeks ago, his parents supposed that he
would enlist In the marine corps. Is
mother received letters from him, dated
April 80 and May /, az Paris Island.
5. C., naval training station, saying
that he was well.
identified BY Navy Prints.
They thought he was still at Paris
Island until last THURSDAY. when the
body found near Kensico Reservoir was
identified as his. There are 575.45o sets
of finger prints in the navy records a.
Washington, but the identification was
made within twenty-four hours after
Sheriff Werner sent Sthe youths prints
to Washington. The Sheriff wired to
Haverhill. and an uncle of Peters. Earl
HaTdy. went to the morgue in White
Plains and -clinched the identification.
The body was sent to Haverhill.
Charley Ross, the managing director
of the band of blackmailers who figure
in sthe narrative of Walter Ward, is
said TO be about 20 and better dressed
than his two companions. Peters is
pictured as having been employed as a
gunman for the outfit, and Jack was
the chauffeur who could do tricks with
an automobile Whether others joined
in 1the demands for money was not
divulged.
The whereabouts Of Charley Ross
and Jack seemed to be as much of
a mystery to the Westchester county
authorities yesterday as that of the
other Charley Ross who was kidnapped
Fas a boy many years ago On the
theory that they have n hangout in
New York and have tried TO lose them
selves in the big city the New York
police were said last night to be beat
ing the town for them.
Accompanied by Sheriff Werner and
four deputies Ward visited New York
last night and searched the white light
district for Jack and Charley. Detec-
tives Charles Dennison and Joseph Fitz'
gerald of the West Forty-seventh street
station escorted the party up and down
Broadway for two hours. and then took
them 10 the Italian quarter on the lower
East Side.
A man answering to the description
given for Jack was stopped and ques-
toned Ward could not Identify him
and he was let go. The Westchester
Sheriff said he had been tipped off that
Jack and Charley hung out in Times
square At midnight the search was
abandoned.
After Wars and his lawyers ap-
peared before Justice Seeger I'm Su-
preme Court in White Plains and the
nj WI the
assent of District Attorney Weeks,
Ward took the required sum from a
roll of bills and gave cash bond.
The grand jury Is in session now. but
has several cases in hand and propabiy
cannot consider the killing OF Peters
until the last of next week.
Lawyers Give Wards story.
After Ward appeared in court. Raben-
old e Scribner and John F. Brennan,
made the following statement:
"We have appeared this morning be-
fore District Attorney Weeks 90 make
a complaint on behalf OF our client. Mr..
w. s. Ward, against a gang OF black
Amailers The known members of the
gang now at large are Charley Ross
and the man known as Jack A third
member of the gang. known as Pete,
now dead has since been Identified as
Clarence Peters. and has, we have
learned a criminal record and bad
conduct discharge from the navy. II Is
not known whether they had other con-
federates.
These men sought 60 extort money
from Mr.. Ward by threats In various
forms, including threats OF death TO
himself and his family.
"Mr. Ward at first tried TO quiet them
by payments. but finally they demanded
lump sum of SIS. 900. They set the
night of Monday, May Is, as the time
for this clean up and getaway.
"'Mr Ward met them. hoping to tenn
porize and put them off lie was in
his own car. but covered by the gun of
Peters. who sat alongside. Ross and
Jack were I'm red Stutz. At the COM
mand of Peters, backed by the drawn
guh. Mr.. Wards automobile was brought
TO a standstil at a lonely spot above
Kensico Reservoir and the other two,
Ross and Jack. parked their car In front
OF the Ward car, partially locking II In
the narrow road.
The order of Peters that Mr.. Ward
leave his car resulted in a grab for the
revolver in Peterss hand. thereby de-
flecting the shot from Peters's gun and
giving opportunity to Mr.. Ward. to re-
turn the fire. Charley Ross opened fire
on Mr.. Ward from the Stutz car. Mr..
NdTQ TetuFHeu lnlS lire ana tne CtutI
car took flight toward Chappaqua. Pc
ters's body was left at the side OF the
road.
''Mr Ward promptly told the story to
his attorneys and laid the facts before
the District Attorney and the Sheriff
OF Westchester county We are now d.
-sct!-.g or e'sor;s 20 finding Charley
Ross and Jack. Mr. Ward was admit
ted to bail upon a technical charge OF
manslaughter'
BinckmniIing for 'severaI Months >
Mr.. Rabenold supplementlng this
statement, said Walter Ward had hoped
TO stave off the new demand of the
blackmailers until his father got home
from Europe, but failed. He told his
father what had happened as soon as
they met and on Tuesday also told his
attorneys. On Wednesday there was
consultation in the office Of Mr. Bren-
nan in Yonkers. and on Thursday they
laid the state Of affairs before District
Attorney Weeks.
In White Plains Sheriff Werner said
that he did not know Il until Saturday,
when Mr.. Campbell ielephoned that M
Ward would surrender himself yester-
day. The Sheriff understood that the
blackmailng began six weeks or two