New-York tribune., 1922-05-25
Purports to Give Motive
for Staying of Black
mailer and Holds Hint
of Underworld Cronies
District Attorney
Doubts His Story
Killer of Ex-Service Man
Loses Jaunty Attitude:
Resignation as Police
Head Is Sent to Navor

Ws'tcr 5 Ward, The confessed s.ayer
q Clarence Peters. former United
states nay enlisted man is 70 be
sssed today If he can identify the
Aandwritng Il an anonymous special
1s'ivery :otter received late yesterday
by Distr.c. Attorney Weeks of West
chester County. The prosecutor is en-
tertaining The theory that the COM
nuncation may have been sent by one
of the two surviving members Of the
nS.Rmaa gang referred to By the
millionaire bakers son in his partially
.s,redted story OF the killing Of
Peers.
Statements made about Ward in TINS
letter, tie writer of which said he was
IN 3X-serv.ce man, are OF nature. IL
Is believed, that would tend to substan-
State Ward story that he paid $4,000
h.acs.a.l rather than have certain
'as or alleged facts, made known.
u; receipt of this letter at the White
- courthouse was one OF the most
important Developments Of day that
saw - complete alteration Of Wards
aithc'ro cocksure attitude.
Resignation Mailed to Mayor
w9sId resign as Police Commissioner
o. New Rochelle Ward clustered that
he never would Quit under ,ivc,' bat
bef-re nightfall Corporation Counsel
Charles A. Van Auken announced thai
of Wards attorneys had tele-
phoaed HIM saying that his resigna
1aa 81 president OF the Board Of Po-
ace Commissioners had been placed IL
te mails and would be in the hands
a. Mayor Scott in the morning. MIR.
N4u Aukcn did not divulge The name
back on the telephone and confirmed
VIZ rSs SoHGsrss Te1f W In o. aa4 FROM his
.mportant public Office may prevent
further develoom euts OF q row that
rad threatened 10 divide New Rochelle
permanently into two hostile camps
The herts of his decision TO give up the
D.st vas . relief 20 certain Of the
policemen In the town, One 90 these
Jsr beat includes the nome OF Ward,
potential witness in any trial
a.a may have 20 stand as the result
lie Killing OF Peters. This man saw
Narl return TO his house in his motor
etVocu 40 ard O'Clock on the
0crr'ng that The former sailor was
.5rra. more than a weeh ago
Qtrrrs of the New Rochelle police
9fcc ire said TO be in a position to
row some light on the statements
contained In the anonymous letter that
s cons dered by District Attorney
Week TO have such import In the case
The letter was mailed at 10 O'Clock
-sterday morning and bears the i'm
7Hnt of tho Times Square station Of
the New York Postofice. 1t was marked
on the envelope "Private; rush; special
telivory"
Promises TO Shield Writer
mere we're two postal cards, written
on Dotn sides, and third slip Of paper
similar size. Mr.. Weeks said that
he Would Ike ,1e writer Of that letter
sho" that he IS extremely anxious
save a confidential talk with HIM
4e Indicated that ne could give the
"IlleF assula0ces that he would not
sJolectec % any annoyance as d
it ot making himself known TO the
u.>trc' Attorney.
Il may be said that the statements
contained in the letter do not conflict
F-I1 young and beautiful Mrs Wards
-ee AF"fions. She said yesterday: "Y OH
ray state absolutely that there is no
woman involved in this. The blackmail
9aeiae did not in any way concern me
'r and It 7volqe any woman"
Ny Weeks Was reluctant to discuss
me letter. He did say. however: "I do
o. regard the communica ton as one
VI ,9e usual crank missives. 1t pur-
p.I's to explain why Ward was tar
se' iol blackmailers and other puzzling
azure q the entire affair
r, me action taken by the parents OF
Ciafenoe Peters in retaining LAWYER
% Investigate their sons death not
Vly ho'ds out the prospect of reveal
Continued on pass MO-