The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-02-10

en- from a Sante Fe train Wednesday
answers to the description of Edward
r. Sands, former secretary and valet
to William Desmond Taylor, the mur.
dered moving picture director, Under
Sheriff Carlson declared today.
Los Angeles, Feb. 10.-A new and
comprehensive investigation into TIN
circumstances surrounding the slay-
ing of William Desmond Taylor, not.
ed film director, was under way here
today, directed by the District Attor.
ney.
Another development late today
was report that some person had
round a revolver shortly after the
murder, possibly the weapon with
which Taylor was sla n. This rumor
was brought to the attention OF the
District Attorney and the police, both
offices disc aiming any direct knowl.
edge of the purported discovery, but
both saying that cognlzance was be-
ing taken CT the rumor and efforts
made to prove or disprove II.
One item gathered for this prospec
tive fabric OF fact and deduction was
packet of letter written by Mabel
Normand mot on picture actress and
which disappeared from Taylor's
home after his death. These letters
have been discovered concealed
among Taylor's effects. Their con,
tents were not disclosed and Miss
Normand, wlO was in seclusion de.
clined to comment on the new turn Of
events.
Unexplained circumstances sun.
round movements of the letters,
Mabel Normand. who was in com.
pany with Taylor until 1880 o'clock
on Wednesday night week agof
within an hour of the time which in
yestigators Ak as the time OF the
murder, visited TIE house the follow.
ing morning and sought these letters.
She said they might be misinterpret,
ed II read by the public, but denied
that a love affair existed between
Taylor and herself.
These letters, she said, were kept
by Taylor in the drawer OF a desk in
the room in N,lich the shooting oc-
CURED. He showed them to her sew
eral weeks previously in discussing
a robbery of the house, mentioning
that the letters had not been taken,
Two days ago reports were prevail
ent that the letters had been return
cd to Miss Normand and other let.
ters written by Mary Miles NJ inter-
had been returned to her. State.
ments we're issued in behalf of each
actress denying that any letters we're
returned to them.
Removal of Taylors effects has
been started and Louis p. Waterman,
representing the public administla'
tors o flee, was present in behalf OF
that office.
Captain OF Detectives Adams said
no report was made to him as to
what detective found tde letters or
where they were found. The letters
were turned over to the District At.
toineys Office He announced this
morning that he had the letters and
had been informed they were found
in the Taylor house He said he did
not know who found them and that
he attached no significance 10 the
fact they were found IN boot
Whether the packet had been dis
turbed or any letters removed was
not revealed by investigators.
Peavey, the negro houseman, who
found the body on the morning after
the shooting, was brought into police
Headquarters tor further examination
by detectives.
He was present at the Puplic Ad.
ministrator's removal of effects from
the Taylor house and during the pro-
gress of the removal announced that
he made a find.
Here's the handkerchief al you
boys have been bothering about" he
said. It was dainty woman's hand.
kerchief with the initials M NJ, NJ"
in corner.
This was the first ment'o on of this
handkerchief in the case. Another
handkerchief which police say Is
missing was one, a. mans, with an
initial "S", which a detective picked
up from the floor Of the room, In
witch the murder was committed.
1T disappeared, the detectives said,
The investigators did not believe II
twas one belonging to Sands, but
probably to an individual of promi-
nence.
William c. Doran, Deputy Distr ct
Attorney, into whose hands the let
ters from the boot in Taylors house
were delivered said that he rad not
opened the packed and would not
get to that probably for a couple OF
days" He would not make known
whether there were any letters 9th
er than letters from Mabel Normand
IN the packet.
Army records and papers found to-
day in the home of Taylor prove, ac
cording to officials of the Famous
! Players.Lasky Company, that the
murdered film director was at least
a Lieutenant. II not a Captain, as re
ported, in the British forces during
the world war. Among the records