New-York tribune., 1922-07-06
Mrs. Ward Says
: She Heard of No
Blackmail Plot
In Testimony Before the
Grand Jury She Denied
Ever Seeing Peters; Re-
buffed Vanderbilt, Jr.
Slayer Declared Unsound
Brother Asserted He Was Not
Normal at Time of Kill
ing: Father Held Secret

Testimony given by Ralph D. Ward,
brother Of Walter S. Ward. before the
westchester County grand jury, which
indicted Walter on n charge Of murder
in shooting Clarence Peters. was made
public yesterday.
Ralph Ward testified that he knew
nothing Of the blackmail plot which
Waiter Ward says was the cause OF
the shooting, except what he had heard
from his father. lie testified that his
brothers inattention 10 business for
some time prior 20 the shooting OF
Peters had convinced him that Walter
was not normal during that period.
Mrs. Ward denied a report tnat she
had said she could clear up the whole
case il called upon 10 testify. She denied
also the truth Of story Of the case
r by Cornelius Vanderbilt ~. in The
New York Journal that ner husband
had visited her at their home when he
was thought 70 be in the county jail
at White Plains.
Wife Never Saw Peters
Ralph Ward was at the house at the
time and Mrs. Ward intimated that Mr.
Vanderbilt might have been led TO be-
lieve that IL was her husband who
was there. Her husband, she saic,
did not get home until almost o'clock
in the morning the day Peters's body
was found. She said she never had
seen Peters.
She and some friends. she said.
played cards. until about midnight the
preceding night, and u was about 1
a. m. when tho lights were turned out.
70 Mr.. Vanderbilt, she said, sent card
in TO her. on which he had scribbled
line or two 10 say that he had deep
81. sympathy for her and would like TO
/. talk 10 her for a few minutes.
"He was very persistent" said Mrs:
Ward, "in telling my nurse that, OF
course. Mrs. Ward would understand
and would see Mr.. Vanderbilt, and
that fused me. because | already had
sent out word that | wouldn't see any
body. So ] sent a message back very
decidedly would see no reporter. Inc
gentleman closed the door and, as far
as I know, went down the steps, and
few minutes after that must have
passed Mr.. Ralph Ward. my brother
in-law, and Mr.. Rabenold (Ellwood NJ.
Rabenold, counsel for Walter Ward),
who came to get the suitcase | had
packed for Mr.. Ward.
"He insisted that Mr.. Ward was
there. The nurse just as insistently
told him that she had nothing TO say,
and ! don't remember whether she said
Mr.. Ward wasn't there or whether he
wouldn't speak to him, but she had in
mind Mr.. Ralph Ward and, after two
or three minutes of rather heated con-
versation between the nurse and Mr.
Vanderbilt, she closed the door and he
l.. TL~4 al hara
was to it,"
- Couldn't Clear Up Case
"There was a statement in one pa
: per that you said you could clear this
thing up If given a chance?' suggested
District Attorney Weeks.
This was quite false. The re-
porters did get into my house by send
ling UP very obnoxious story TO me.
III was resting and was awakened from
my sleep and vent downstairs and
they confronted me with the rather
; horrible story, and womanlike and
wifelike ! refused TO listen and came
upstairs. The only remark made was
that there was no woman In the case.
and ! suppose ! must have said /
iivould like 20 talk, but had been ad-
vised by Mr.. Wards sttc-neys not to-
"Mr. Ward didn't come home TO din
ner that night, did he?" Mr.. Weeks
asked.
"No, he didn't"
"He telephoned?'
"Yes the maid took the message
"Was Mr.. Ward in the habit Of COM
ing in late in the morning, as he did
this particular morning." Foreman
Cordner, Of the grand jury asked:
h "Not as late as that" Mrs. Ward
answered.
3 "That was an unusual occurrence p
n "Yes, cir"
Ralph Ward said that he saw his
brother the afternoon Of May 10, the
date that Peters was shot. His brother
was IN the Office that afternoon, the
witness said, and was still there when
he left at $3.50 p. m. He also said he
never had seen Peters. The night that
Peters was shot, he said. Walter Ward
did not mention having any engage
ment.
Never Mentioned Threats
"Did he ever tell you that any one
was threatening him or trying 70
blaekmsil him." asked Mr.. Weeks.
"He did not"
l "Did he come TO you at any time
previous 20 the 18th Of May and ask
you for any large sums Of money!"
He cid not.
"Did he ever tell you a gang was
trying 70 blaekmail him?"
"He did not"
"was your father in Europe during
April spd May"
ayes, sir"
'Your first information came from
your father"
yes. sir"
@How often did your father speak
10 YOU in regard to that bunch"
Il don't know how many times We
have talked about II on a good many
occasions since he first told me Of Il.
"was that many months before this
shooting"
"That is since
sNever spoke 10 you before?"
81 don't believe he knew that II ex-
sisted"
sRsve you access TO the books in the
business
"Yes. sir"
~z-d the bsnkbooss :"
Yes, sir"
sr,- your brother a salsried ofaeer|
~Yes, sir"
= Prisoner Neglected Business
~wss your brother attending to busi-
mess in a satisfactory way during the
last two months!'
"You had occasion 70 criticize his
manner OF attending 20 his job?"
81 did
"what NAs the subject Of critieism;
l.