Where did you hear this? Ward lived down the street from my grandfather and was good friends with him so I had many run-ins with John Ward and he had been nothing but kind and visited my grandfather frequently when he became sick. I've been in the Ward home before and nothing I've seen or experienced when talking to him or being in his house would ever hint at anything like this.
that is exactly what I have heard from people who have known him longer than I have been in the world. He is a loyal, and kind person who loves Tennessee and I think his life has proven it