The New York herald., 1922-05-24

again. begging them for delay In order
TO consult his father. George ). Ward,
president of the Ward Baking Company.
and they replied to the same effect as
before. This was the second letter
which was shown TO the District At
torney.
The letters were in envelopes bearing
New York postmark. but the time OF
mailing was blurred. n On one of the
postmarks the figure was visible.
No attempt has been made. so far as
known, to try to trace the writer OF the
letter by identifying this typewriter.
This has sometimes been done with sue
cess in criminal Investigations.
The fact that no descriptions OF the
missing Charley Ross and his comrade
Jack had been given to the police or
the press appeared TO mystify Mr..
Rabenod lie said he thought that this
had been done that Sheriff Werner had
the descriptions and why the Sherin
had not distributed them broadcast M.
Rabenold did not know.
On Mon -av. when MIR. Ward told of
the shooting OF Peters and was held in
$4,000 bail 10 await the Coroner's in
quest. observers in Westchester county
received an impression that Wards plea
of self-defense would be speedily ac-
cepted and that he would be quickly re-
leased.
But yesterday the westchester officials
took the view that there was a great
deal of investigating to be done. The
District Attorney was described as
sitting tight" and awaiting TO make use
of such information as the countys in
vestigating agency. the 'Sheriffs office.
might turn up. Mr.. Weeks said:
The full story must come out IL Mr..
Ward is to be exonerated."
Police Haxy on Details.
1t became known also that neither
the District Attorney nor the police were
fully acquainted with the story Of
blackmail or the reasons why Ward
should go out on a lonely road at night
to meet the blackmailers. Ward and
his attorneys. following their policy
agreed upon in several conferences that
followed the shooting and preceded the
surrender OF Ward. told the authorities
just enought to warrant the District
Attorney. as he thought, in rocom-
mending the nominal bail of $4,000,
upon the giving of which Ward was re-
leased on Monday by Justice Seeger
Careful inquiry in White Plains
brought the information that the only
shell seen by any of the investigators is
now in the hands of Sheriff Werner.
Duncan Rose. White Plains drug
clerk, who found the body of Peters or
Tuesday morning a few hours after the
shooting. saw no shell, but the State
policemen, Lieut.. f. c. Collins and
Troopers H. A. Green and r. B. Col
Inns, found the one the Sheriff now has.
1t lay about ten feet from the body of
Peters. and, for all that Is Known to the
contrary may have been the one which
Peters emptied at Ward as the latter's
narrative runs.
The troopers and the Coroner and
Sheriff, who reached the scene later,
saw marks in the road indicating, they
then thought, that Peters had stood in
one position for some time before fall
ing. His gun was not found az all. One
possibility which may be Investigated is
that somebody went along the road in
the early morning and, seeing a dead
man lying with a pistol near him, appro-
priated the pistol and safd nothing.
The inquest may be delayed until
after next week. Coroner Fitzgerald
wants to see what comes of the search
for Charles Ross and Jack. The Cor
oner in Westchester county is the sole
primary judge in homicide cases. He
has no jury, but himself decides whether
n defendant shall be held for the Gran
Jury on CnaTSeS ranging lToIn iliSt
degree murder to third degree man.
slaughter or be set free.
Early yesterday Fitzgerald was quoted
a believing that Ward would be quickly
exonerated. but he appeared to those
who talked with him in the afternoon
to be moving cautiously. The Coroner,
like everybody else, is asking: where
is Peters gun? Where are the shells
from Wards automatic pistol?" The
Sheriff was questioned about rumor
that the Peters gun had been taken frori
the scene of the shooting in Wards
car but he wouldn't confirm it or talk
about guns at all.
"If the Coroner exonerates Ward what
will you do?" District Attorney Weeks
was asked.
Has Confidence In Coroner.
"I know the Coroner will do his duty
and give a verdict according to the
evidence" AIr. Weeks answered. The
Coroner's decision is not binding on the
District Attorney.
One of the Nestchester officials said
ne had been told that while George S.
Ward was at sea his son asked him by
radio for $4,000. explaining enough of
his predicament to indicate his pressing
need of money. The reply from George
mot one cent for blackmail.'
With this avenue closed, Ward. it is
said, went to the rendezvous with the
blackmailers prepared to tell them that
they could bleed him no more and that
their demand for $4,000, which was TO
have ended their assaults on his pocket
book. was hopeless.
1t was remarked in White Plains
yesterday that on the Tuesday OF the
shooting when Sheriff Werner and the
Coroner returned TO White Plains after
viewing the body Of Peters they said
they had seen the tracks of one automo-
bile in which they thought the man then
dead had reached the spot where he was
killed. They said nothing az that time
about the tracks of a second car.
John J. Roach. former member of the
Police Commissioner in New Rochelle.
explained yesterday his statement OF
Tuesday night that Ward had double
crossed" him soon after Wards ap-
pointment to the commission several
years ago. f. II. Waldorf. a Democrat,
was Mayor at the time. Mr.. Roach said.
Roach is a Democrat and he recon-
mended Ward for appointment despite
the fact that Ward was a Republican.
This wa1 toward the end of 1919. Soon
afterward. when Harry Scott. Republi
can. had become Mayor. the question OF
the appointment of two police lieuten-
ants came up. Roach said he and Ward
agreed upon two men.
The third member of the commission,
a Republican, was opposed to their
choices. When the decisive meeting
came, Roach said. Ward suddenly an