The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-09
MYSTERIOUS CARD PARTYAT WARDS
 HOME EXPLAINED
Note Found in Car Belonging to Wards Neighbor-MrS. Hook Tells of Auto
 Accident
By Associated Press

Wmle. flalnS, IN. ., June o.-OlS- covery of a note in the foot of a car taken into a garage for wash lifted the curtain of mystery surrounding the card party held in the New Rochelle home of Walter s. Ward the night he shot and killed Clarence Peters.
 At the same time, the westchester county grand jury conferred with Dis trict Attorney Weeks over newspaper reports of it's activities and the ne- cessity for greater secrecy during the inquiry. When the jurors adjourned until next Tuesday after examining five New Rochelle policemen, nothing could be learned regarding the nature of their testimony.
 The note-the latest clue in the mystery which has been puzzling de- tectives since May 1s-was turned over to the county authorities by Benjamin Kendall, an employe in q White Plains garage He said he found the letter, addressed to Mrs. Charles Dubois of Atlantic Highlands, N. J.. in car belonging to J. Frank lin Burke of Scarsdale.
 According to Kendall, the note read, in part: Fran was there when It happened and left at 10.30. The glass that they found in the driveway was not from Wards car at all. It came from mine Walt didn't arrive until s:3o, although Beryl was waiting"
 Lives Near Wards
 Communication was established with Mrs. Alfred IT. Hook, who lives across the street from the Wards, and who is a sister of Mrs. Burke. Mrs. Hooks first name, Frances, is abbre- viated into Fran" by her intimates.
 Asserting that her sister had told her of losing the letter. Mrs. Hook. who said she attended the Ward card party the night of the shooting, said that Mrs. Burke referred to 1t' to the breaking of the glass in the wind shield of her car when it crashed into another on the Ward driveway. Mrs. Duboise, she said was a close friend, and Mrs. Burke wished to let her know that the broken glass on the drive did not represent the pane which Ward said had been punctured in his coupe in a pistol battle near the IcSeTVOlT with feIeTS and a Dand of alleged blackmailers.
 According to Mrs. Hook, her sister had left the Ward home and had neglected to take a wheel lock off before starting her car. This caused it to crash into another. She add ed that neither she nor Mrs Burke had considered the accident impor- tart, and had not reported it.la
 Decided on Porlxer Party
 Mrs. Hook said that on the night of the shooting. she went to the Ward home to take a walk with Mrs. Ward. but Mrs. Ward decided to get up a poker party
 MT Hook was i'll and did not at- tend, according to his wife who said she left at 10:30. About dozen guests were playing at that time, she said. She declined to name the guests but asserted they were our own set,' No disturbance occurred in the Ward home while she was there, she continued and she heard none later. Ward was not at home and she did not see Peters in the house.
 District Attorney Weeks declared the explanation of these broken glasses was the first hint he had heard that an accident had occurred on the Ward driveway the night of the shooting.
 Burke. who was understood to have met Mrs Burke and his sister-in law in New Rochelle today, telephoned Sheriff Werner that he wished to see him.
 Cunningham, who first was re- ported to have been called before the grand jury, remained in Mir Weeks office.