The New York herald., 1922-06-15
CASE AGAINST WARD
WEAKENS AS FAMILY
REFUSES TO TESTIFY
Brother of Confessed Slayer
Is Upheld by Justice in
Defying Weeks.
FATHER STAYS AWAY
Hope Lies in Jack and
Charley Ross Who Can.
not Be Found.
CUNNINGHAM ON STAND
Wards Lawyers Continue to
Resent Being Forced by
Public Clamor.'
CUNNINGHAM ON STAND

After trying for four days to pene-
trate Walter S. Wards secret the
Westchester county Grand Jury in
vestigating the death Of Clarence
Peters knows AS little about the case
now as 1t did when it started it's in
quiry. Wards story still stands.
Wards younger brother, Ralph, was
eliminated as a witness when he testi-
fled that whatever knowledge he had
Of the blackmail plot. which. accord
ing to Walter Ward, resulted in the
shooting of Peters. came to him second
hand. Ralph Ward said he received
his information from his father, who
got 1t from Walter. Ward. Sr., is in
Williamsport. Pa, beyond reach of a
New York Grand Jury subpoena.
The only other witnesses from whom
the prosecution hopes to obtain infor-
nation that might upset Wards alibi
are the missing Jack and Charley"
and the Westchester officials are making
every effort to find them. with the odds
against their doing so. Unless 1t can be
proved that Ward lied when he said he
killed Peters in self-defense it Is un-
likely that there will be an indictment.
Hopes to Force Ward. Sr.. Back.
District Attorney Weeks hunted
through the statutes last night in the
hope Of discovering some way OF forcing
- taf a
and testify. That seems now to be
the only chance the prosecution has oi
unraveling the mystery. The presence
of George S. Ward before the Grand
Jury Is essential to the cause Of justice,
Mr.. Weeks said.
Ralph Ward was a reluctant and al
times a defiant witness. He knew there
was a possibility that IL he refused to
answer questions he might be thrown
into jail for contempt of court, but he
insisted that the knowledge he had
OF his brothers case was only what he
learned from his father and Justice
Morschauser ruled that he could not be
compelled to divulge It.
Three other witnesses were examined
after Ward left the stand. one was
Palmer F. Tubbs, Walter Wards secre-
tary in the Ward Baking Company
office in The Bronx. Tubbs is also one
of the Police Commissioners OF ne"
Rochelle and a neghbor OF Ward.
Alfred E. Blute. whose name tirst
entered the case four days ago wnen
the authorities found letter written
hv Walter Ward to him under date OF
Nav 16. the day Peters was killed, tes"
titled concerning Wards race track
connections. District Attorney Weeks
was the fourth witness. He was on the
stand for only two minutes, when an
adjournment was taken to this morning.
Many witnesses UP To-day.
To-day. It was learned. every avail
able witness will be called. Among
them will be James J. Cunningham, for
mer privata detective, who was In jail
AT White Plains for eight days as a
material witness and Is out on $500
bail; Elwood Heffner. Blute's messen-
ger. at present in the New Rochelle
Jail on another charge. and Earl Hardy,
Peters's uncle, a soldier In the United
States Army, who will be brought from
Camp Devens. Mass. where he Is
stationed. Cunningham called on the
District Attorney yesterday.
The only new development yester-
day was the appearance of Mrs.
Adams. whose place in the story has
not yet been fixed She went to White
Plains to see the District Attorney be-
cause she once knew Walter Ward
or thought she did-and knew Clarence
Peters. She said she would call again
and tell a story which would throw
light on the killing OF Peters
District Attorney Weeks said she had
not been subpenaed to appear before
the Grand Jury. Three weeks ago, he
said, the same woman in the Office of
William A. De Ford. lawyer In New
York. told a more or less rambling story
TO Walter Ferris. Assistant District At
torney. but Mr.. Weeks did not think II
had much bearing on the case.
BaIk mt Alleged Coercion.
When Allan r. Campbell and Elwood
NJ. Rabenold, representing Ward. were
ut Newburgh three weeks ago arranging
for the release of their client on $50, 900
bail Mr.. Weeks pleaded with them 10
disclose the complete story of the black
mail plot. His exact words were:
'Why not tell the whole thing and get
II over7'
The substance Of the reply was: I'VE
will not be forced by public clamor TO
disclose anything
Since that time Ward himself and
every member of his family and house
hold have stuck firmly to that position.
Onicials of the New York Telephone
Company declared yesterday that an
investigation had disclosed no evidence
Of tapping. the telephone wires running
into the Westchester county court house.
where District Attorney Weeks has his
office.
WrLLrAMsPoRr, Pa, June 14--George
s. Ward of New Rochelle. N. Y, who Is
in this city in connection with a civil
suit OF the Ward Baking Company. was
still uncommunicative to-day on his in
tentions regarding the subpoena TO appear
before the Westchester county Grand
Jury. which is investigating the Staying
OF Clarence Peters. to which his son,
Walter s. Ward. has confessed.
photographer who attempted 10 snap
Mr.. Wards picture as he stepped from
an automobile to enter the Federal
Building was frustrated by Mr.. Wards
wife. who pulled her husbands hat over
his face.