The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1959-11-06
NO INDICATION OF
MYSTERY I'M WARD
CASE UNRAVELING
Grand Jury Action Taken Last
Week Offers No Further So
luton But Plenty of Expense

Coroner James M. Vannote says
he plans to hold another inquest
into the death of Mrs. Grace Gas
kill Ward, S3, who was found dead
on February 9th, in her home near
Manteo. This action is based on a
recommendation m a de by the
Grand Jury of Dare County two
weeks ago.
The puzzling circumstances sur
rounding the death of Mrs. Ward
are no more mysterious than APP
pears the action Of the grand jury,
for there is wonder, why, if the
Grand Jury, had new evidence, and
having full power, didn't go ahead
and order the indictment of such
persons as the evidence might in
dictate.
So far as we have been able to
learn, no new evidence was brought
to the grand jury, and it now APP
pears that the Grand Jury was try
ing 10 get off a limb where so
many complaints had been made to
them. and passing the buck back
to the coroner, and actually to the
taxpayers, for this next inquest is
bound to be costly.
In the first inquest, the coroner
picked UP six men to serve in Feb
ruary some two weeks after the
|. death. This inquest resulted in dis
agreement, four wanting to give
one verdict; two wanted another.
|. By error last week, this newspaper
stated the jury found Mrs. Ward
died by suicide. 1t is now hoped this
win stand corrected.
But the inquest in February ap-
peared to be a farce. There was a
half-hearted attempt,-and that is
the best can be said of it, to bring
out the facts. John Ward, husband
of the dead woman gave a forth
right account of having left home
early, leaving his wife alive. Later
he was informed of her death. He
said she was mortally afraid of a
/ pistol, and that his pistol was dis
senbled, and its parts separated
in dresser drawer.
Evidence tended to show that the
pistol had been put together; that
it had been fired five times, three
of the bullets striking Mrs. Ward.
Once in the wrist, twice in the
chest, and that she died of bullets
H from this gun. Testimony was Of
fered that one bullet was fired into
a folded bedquilt, going through
two tf1iclu.esses.
There were three children in the
home, and with a TV set going,
none of them had heard any shots.
Springing out of doubts that a
person could shoot herself three
times, particularly one bein g
afraid to touch a gun, and perhaps
not qualified to assemble gun,
wild rulmor began to circulate. The
gun had been wiped clean of fin
gerprints. Who would wish to wipe
the gun, and why? One conjecture
is that some of the relatives first
arriving on the scene could have
careaessly picked up the gun, then
afraid that his fingerprints might
show, wiped it off. Another is that
some "do-gooder" took it on him
sci TO "take care" of somebody.
When Coroner Vannote arrived or
the scene, he put the gun in a
paper-bag and turned it over to
the Sheriff's office or safe-keeping
Sheriff Cahoon was at Hatteras at
the time, and got back next day
Meanwhile, the first thing thought
Of was to call in State agent
Usually, an alert sheriff who
knows all the people can more
easily pick up the essential facts
from his friends who know ane
trust him but who, on the Other
hand will clam up and tell nothing
when an outside investigator come.
m, and this may be the reason sc
c. MVCTEDV Daro U,or