BLACKMAILERS' WOMAN HELPER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3129, 7 August 1922, Page 8

BLACKMAILERS' WOMAN HELPER.

An extraordinary complication in the case of Air Walter Ward- —who confessed to murdering a blackmailer named Clarence- Peters —was revealed in New York when the police announced the arrest of James Cunningham, known in racing circles as “Jimmy the Rat,” as a material witness. Cunningham, who was found owing to an anonymous letter written to th~ New York American, informed the police that the real blackmail victim was not Walter Ward, but his multimillionaire father, Mr George S. Ward, head of the Ward Baking Company. Cunningham says that- Mr Walter Ward was getting money from his father to pay the blackmailers, and was dividing the money with them. The blackmailers learned that he was withholding part of the money, and then started to blackmail him by threatening to reveal to his father what his son was doing. This situation, according to Cunningham, led to the murder of Peters. Cunningham declared that Peters and another blackmailer, Joe Jackson, called at Mr Walter Ward’s homo and revealed their designs. Mr "Ward killed Peters, and seriously wounded Jackson, who, Cunningham says, was removed secretly to a neighboring hospital. Peters’ body was taken to a. lonely wooded spot, where It was found later. Cunningham claims that he was employed as a race-track investigator. He found evidences of the black made is were victimising wealthy men, and thus discovered the facts of Mr Ward’s case. “These blackmailers,” he said, “used lor the business beautiful women and detectives who could keep their mouths shut. Their motto was ‘Von can always got a. man by means of a woman/' “Women of country-wide repute were employed: by the blackmailers'. Some of them were prominent stars: of the screen and stage. Tine blackmailers got into their toils not only millionaires, but also young men belonging to wealthy families of good social standing. “I met Walter Ward first on the race track. I knew that his personal! income was small, despite the fact that he had a multi-millionaire father. Nevertheless. lie seemed always to have the funds he wanted. I got (suspicions, and began to 'dig.’ “What 1 discovered astonished me. Some powerful obstacles were thrown in my way. I was threatening the stability of racing by threatening flic graft of men who ‘fixed’ races and used them beautiful decoy women to trap men. “My license as a private detective was taken away, i was told to make myself scarce. J. refused. I ‘stuck,’ and got a clue. Efforts were made to remove me. Throe attempts were 1 made on my life, lint they failed.’’ The police found contradictions in Cunningham's very first version. He said that he was present at Mr Walter Ward's house on the night of the murder, but later denied it. He saUl that one bullet fired by Ward struck the woodwork in the room, but the police found no truce of it. The police also failed to find Joe Jackson, despite Cunning’s slatemcnf that he was in a hospital near-by. The police arc convinced that Cunningham knows more about the ease than In' has revealed. Meanwhile Mr Walter Ward is at liberty in CIO.OIIO bail. The only evidence the police possess is his own statement that he killed Peters for blackmailing. He ref uses to reveal further details:. Legal experts say that lie cannot be placed on trial as the case now stands, because he cannot be forced to testify against himself, and there is nothing) else Hi the police case. 'Phis phase makes the affair unprecedented in the criminal annals of New York.