The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-29
WARD ACQUITTED. IN MURDER TRIAL
Millionaire Sons And Wife Weep For Joy At Jury'S
 Verdict
BY HARLAN S. MILLER (By Leased Wire To The Age-Herald)

| WHITE PLAINS, N. Y, Sept. 2S.-
 Walter S. Ward, son of New York's
 bread millionaire, is free-acquitted
 of the murder of Clarence Peters, all legged blackmau plotter.
 After the Jury room door had swung open to permit 12 Westchester
 county citizens to report the Verdic-
 of his innocence, it slammed shut for
 ever on the Ward family skeleton,
 which has rattled for release through
 out the strange trial.
 Safe in the bosom of Ward him
 self, and known only to his faith
 full wife, his brother, his father and
 his counsel, the secret which the ac- cused would not reveal even to save his life remains hidden from carl l ous community.
 The tension and air of uncertain- ty always evident when murder
 trial jury comes forth with its yer dict was first relaxed when Justice | Wagner, the presiding judge, broke into a broad smile. A judge does not
 smile when about to render notice of death upon convicted men. Ralph D. Ward, whose brotherly constancy at the side of Walter has featured the trial, sprang to Walters side, grasped him by the shoulders ana kissed him upon the cheek. They were still in each others arms when the verdict was read. Outside in a little room of the court chamber, Mrs. Ward, faithful through the months in which her husband had been held up to bitter excoriation, ridicule and attack, waited, alone for news of the verdict. Wife Hysterical
 o 0 O | Suddenly there was a commotion
 outside and Ralph Ward rushed into | the ante-chamber, shouting at the top Of his voice:
 Not guilty"
 The fragile little bit of feminity Jumped from her chair and ran into his arms sobbing hysterically: My God-oh-I'm thankful.'
 When Ward heard the verdict his long restrained nerves fairly hurled him into action. Jumping from his chair with a broad smile, he crashed over several chairs and nearly tore
 men who had freed him at last from
 the agony of suspense that dogged him for months.
 He nearly crushed the hands of the jury foreman and then thanked each
 If the jurors in turn.
 The crowd by this time was surg | ing about the freed man. Women
 rushed up to kiss him and shake hands. Finally, with the aid of deputy sheriffs. he was fairly carried through the jury entrance of the court and there met his wife. She was weeping. There was a long em- brace, many kisses and then Mrs. Ward. lifting her handbag to cover her face, whispered some thing to her husband. The momentary hysteria and emotion passed. Mrs. Ward
 dried her eyes and both smiled hap pily.
 Visits Jail Again.
 Ward then paid his last visit to the county jail which held him for weeks,
 received certain articles held by the jailor during his Imprisonment. and
 was driven away with his family In | their waiting machine. New York, scene of many unsolved
 murder cases, has seldom experienced
 one with such atmosphere of mystery
 as the killing of Clarence Peters. eX-
 marine. A year ago, Peters body was found along a highway in Vest chester county It was identified in a few days and then, as the detective machinery of the whole state was ap-
 piled to search for clue, Walter s. Ward. police commissioner of the county, emerged from his beautiful
 home and the quiet of his family to announce that he had shot the man.
 Walters admission shocked the community-he was clean cut, stalWart man or 3l ana the heir Of. George Ward, who had made millions
 baking bread.
 He claimed he had shot in self de- fense when Peters, accompanied by two other men, attempted to extract blackmail toll from the Ward for
 tunes.
 After a futile search for the two other men" Ward was indicted by grand jury. But was freed upon the. indictment when the state failed to open prosecution proceedings. But the mystery was not to be dropped there. From several quart CTS an agitation started to have Ward
 brought to trial. Finally the mother of Peters made a personal appeal to Governor smith, who ordered a spe-
 cial investigation and as result,
 Ward was again indicted and this
 time brought to trial.
 George Ward, the father. kept him
 self outside the jurisdiction of the state, and other members of the Ward household, including servants, sud- denly got out of reach of the authori- ties.
 AS a result there is still pending another phase of the curious case. A grand jury investigation has been un- der way for some time to determine whether there is evidence of a con- spiracy to obstruct the law in the fail
 ure of certain persons to remain within the jurisdiction of the courts here.