The New York herald., 1922-07-06
Tells Grand Jury Of Poker
Party and of Wander
bilt Visit.
BIG SECRET Is NOT Barred
Brother Says Slayer Of Peters
Had Not Been Normal for
Long Time.

Wdltei .. WdIQ lawyers Will ASK
Justice Morschauser in the Supreme
Court at White Plains to-day to dis
miss the indictment handed down June
is by the May Grand Jury charging
Ward with the murder of Clarence E.
Peters. They will contend that the
evidence does not warrant the charge.
District Attorney Weeks Of West
chester county will ask time to pre-
pare his argument. and it is probable
that the case will go over until week
from tomorrow. Meanwhile Ward
must remain in Jail
An examination Of the Grand Jury
minutes, made public yesterday.
showed that the question Of Wards
guilt or innocence hinges on the So
called confession he made May 22-
six days after the shooting-in which
he declared he killed Peters in self
defense as he was being blackmailed.
1t is,apparent that the Grand Jury
did not believe Wards story. and it is
the opinion Of those familiar with the
Ward case that the court will uphold
degree.
Grand Jury witnesses.
The official record of the Grand Jury
contains the testimony OF about twenty
witnesses including Lulu Barrows. nurse
of the Ward children DR.. John F. Black.
Coroner's physician; Amy Mild, Wards
maid; Mrs. Ward, George Lohr who
found Peters's body on the roadside near
ell nix~. nd
Collins of the State police; Frank
Adams, farmland Chief Cody of the
New Rochelle police Ralph d. Ward,
the defendants brother, Palmer F. Tubbs.
his secretary; Alfred ]. Bute. race
track follower: Earl Hardy, Peters's
uncle. and Elwood Heffner. Blute's mes
senger.
The testimony that probably will de-
eide the argument for dismissal is that
of Mrs. Ward, Ralph Ward and Chief
Cody. Wards wife said her husband
had told her two weeks before the
shooting to watch the children and
intimated that he feared kidnapers. :
Ralph declined absolutely to tell the
blackmail secret even when told that
his silence might cause his brother to
be indicted for murder. He testified
also that Walter wasn't normal and
suffered constantly from headaches"
The prosecution will capitalize the tes-
chelle. Walter Ward was president of
the board of police commissioners of
Now Rochelle, and Cody testified that
he had given Ward two pistols; "one
was small blue gun and the other
was an automatic
Cody was confronted with the pistols
Ward brought back In his car after he
shot Peters. one Of which Ward said
was his own and the other the mur-
dered mans. ~
Cody admitted 4''they resembled the
guns he gave Ward
Mrs. Ward Tells Her story.
Mrs. Walter S. Ward n, her testimony
told of her husband returning on the
morning that Peters's body was found
Speaking of the poker party in her home
on the evening of the killing, she said a
Mr.. Stolz and Mr.. Pagel two neigh
bors two of the players. helped her tidy
up after the party
Mrs. Ward denied she ever had said
she could clear up the case IL she got
chance. She did not know that her hus-
band owned a pistol
what time did Mr.. Ward come in
that morning?" Mr.. Weeks asked.
Between 1880 and O'clock" Mrs
Ward replied.
Mr.. Weeks showed her a photograph
OF Peters and asked IL she ever saw him.
mo, have never seen him." she said.
Poker Party mt House.
There was little party at the house
that night?"
Several friends stopped in to see us
for the evening and started playing
cards about s 80 or o. They might have
gone into the dining room little earlier
to play cards. Some of the people went
home during the evening. but Mr.. StoIz
Mr.. Pagel. mother and myself played
cards until about II 80 or IL. The lights
were all out by | o'clock. Mother and
sat downstairs in the pantry and In her
bedroom about an hour"
THAT night did any New Rochelle
police come Into the house "
mo"
Mrs. Ward was then questioned about
an article In the New York Journal
written by Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., to
the effect that Ward. after being lodged
Sn the White Plains jail. went home one
night before he was released In $50, 900
bail. She fatty denied her husband was
home
do you recall this Vanderbilt epi-
sode?" Mr.. Weeks asked
'Yes.' Mrs Ward replied
Vanderbilt Incident Related.
"Some one had phoned that Mr.. Ward
would be detained In White Plains. and
was told to get a bag ready for him.
which I did. and / was talking and the
! doorbell rang. I thought, naturally II
was "A reporter and his card came In,
Mr.. Vanderbilt. Jr.'
mot knowing Mr.. Vanderbilt was a
reporter thought Il was simply a way
OF getting In to see me. so | sent n
message that didn't know Mr.. Wander
blt. and the card came back with a
little note written across the back ask
ing wouldn't please see him. he was
in great sympathy with me and would
like to have a chat with me. Apparent
" there was another younger gentleman
With him.
He was persistent in telling my
nurse that. of course. Mrs. Ward would
understand and would see Mr.. Wander
bllt and that fused me because I had
already sent out word I wouldn't see
anybody. SO ] sent message back
very decidedly I would see no reporter.
THE gentlemen closed tn door and,
as far as know. went down the steps,
and a few minutes after that they must
have passed in the pathway Mr.. Ralph
Ward. my brothcr-in-law. and Mr..