The Washington times., 1922-05-25
SESSION
FOLLOWS.
TALK WITH
J Us 7 ICE
Sheriff and District Attorney
CIoseted With White
Plains Panel.

NEW YORK. May 25.-Follow-
ing a. conference with Supreme
Court Justice Seeger today, Sher-
iff Werner and District Attorney
Weeks, chief figures in the in
vestigation of the confessed kill
ing of Clarence Peters. alleged
blackmailer, by Walter S. Ward,
millionaire baker, were closeted
with the grand jury now sitting
In White Plains.
New and startling evidence in
the mysterious Staying was forecast
today when District Attorney Weeks
expressed himself as being skeptical
Of the story OF the shooting.
Ward claimed that Peters had
blackmailed him and that he killed
him in self-defense.
Story Not Convincing. !
You can say in a most emphatic
manner" said the prosecutor OF
Westchester county. that / am not
satisfied with Wards story of the
killing of the alleged blackmailer.
Don't think for a minute we have
swallowed his story hook, line, and
sinker."
Mrs Ward is certain, she said, that
the plot did not involve women. She
continued:
you may state absolutely that
no woman is involved in this case.
The blackmail statement did not I'm
any way involve me- did not know
the shooting, and I have discussed
the matter but very little with my
husband.
There is absolutely no truth in
the reports that l had expected to
sue for divorce.
my husband and I both regret
that we cannot divulge the true cir
cumstances about this deplorahle af-
fair. 1t could be cleared up in five
minutes were the real story to be
told, but upon advice of counsel, we
must decline to say anything about
it."
Series Of Queries Asked.
The following is a series OF dues-
tions asked Mr.. Weeks and his re-
plies:
Q.-Can you recall a single case in
which a man admitting a killing pre-
sented a defense of blackmail and
was charged with manslaughter in
stead Of murder, and was released In
$40. 900 bail without the full facts
Ine DldChlIldll bdNlHB LIT 81
been thoroughly Investigated by the
authorities?
Al don't know Of any case just
now, but do not consider the action
in this case extraordinary.
Q.-Have you any information
that would indicate that Ward can
prove he paid money to the alleged
gang Of blackmailers.
Al have not and do not know
what he is able to prove.
Q.-Do you know whether Ward
can produce witnesses to any Of the
alleged meetings with Charley
Ross" or the mysterious accomplice
of the dead man he and his attor-
neys refer to as "Jack?"
A.-You will have to ask them.
do not know that.
Q.-Is II a fact that Ward or his
attorneys made an agreement with
you that Ward would be granted i'm.
munity after his story had been in
vestigated.
No Agreement Made.
A.-There has been no such
agreement and there will be none.
Q.-Why was a charge of man.
mitted assassin instead of a charge
of murder?
Award is not held on a man.
slaughter charge, but is simply
held for examination by the cor
oner. A specific charge will prob.
ably be made later.
On view of public demand for
facts in the case, would 1t not 5e
possible for you to go right ahead
and present your evidence to the
grand jury?
Ayes, that would be possible,
but am not going to proceed that
way. l will insist that everything
be out in the open and would OBJ
ject, in view OF the circumstances,
to a grand jury investigation.
The district attorney said that
he received an unsigned letter to-
day, mailed In New York, that
might be Of great aid to him N
solving the cause OF Peters shoot.
ing.
The letter was on two penny
postcards, but the exact nature OF
the contents was not revealed.