Arizona republican., 1922-02-09
FILM COLONY
KEEPING MUM
IN HUNT FOR.
MURDERCLUE.
Officers Centralize Efforts
To Break Conspiracy Of
Silence" On Part Of
Motion Picture F o k
[RepubIican A. p. Leased WireJ

[Republican A. p. Leased Wire1
LOS ANGELES, Feb. S.--A state
ment that the body of William Des-
mond Taylor slain motion picture
director, had been placed in order be-
fore the police arrived to investigate
the tragedy was made by F. Parsons,
member of the flying squadron of
police which answers hurry calls, the
police allowed it to be known today
The report Parsons gave his su-
periors said the body had been care
fully laid out on the floor of his
apartment, and a chair overturned
across his legs" His report is said
by attaches of the district attorneys
office to have interested them very
much.
Parsons with Detective Thomas
Zeigler reached the scene before any
other officers.
Further investigation OF the kill
ing is to be centralized in the dis
trict attorneys office, it was an
nounced.
1t was believed the Capitalization
would result in the breaking down of
the conspiracy of silence" the police
declared existed on the part of the
motion picture people concerning de-
tails essential to the apprehension
of the assailant.
William c. Doran, chief deputy dis
trict attorney, announced late today
he would be at the head Of the COM
bined attempt to solve the mystery
and that the investigation would be
far more sweeping than any possible
to any one of the three forces in
volved.
To Quiz Movie Folk
1T was stated every person who is
believed to have the slightest connec-
ton with the affair or the slightest
information bearing upon it would be
subjected to the most rigid question
ing. This would mean motion picture
people from the humblest TO the high
est, it was said and would result at
least in the dissipation of certain
minor mysteries, as for instance. the
whereabouts of letters said to nave
been written by actresses, including
Mabel Normand and Mary Miles
Minter, to the dead director
The decision for a decentralization
of activity was reached after con
sultation at the district attorneys OF
flee Of his agents, the sheriffs dep
uties assigned to tire case and the
members of the city detective bureau
who have been working on it from the
beginning. 60
The search for Edward f. Sands,
TavIor's missing former butter secre-
tary. is proceeding unabated, as IN
formation the detectives still consld-
cred good is to the effect he was
IN or near the Taylor apartments
about the time of the murder
A new search Of Taylor's apart
ments made by the public admins
traitor, aided by police detectives, to-
day disclosed a bank book that be-
longed to Sands, ii was stated.
Estate Valued at $4,000
The administrator took possession
of all articles owned by Taylor tnat
the detectives did not need Tor thelr
investigation.
NThe estate. once valued at as much
as $50 900 will not amount to more
than $40. 900, the public administra-
tor stated, unless unknown bank ac-
counts are located. The adminlstra-
tor said he had heard a runor Tayior
had a large account in New York
bank. but had been unable to verlfy
it.
Miss Ethel Daisy Tanner OF New
York. the directors daughter, is the
only claimant to the estate, it Is said.
Among the directors effects were
found several hundred Cancelled
checks Many were drawn in con-
nection with loans, it was said, ana
were indorsed by prominent person In
the film colony.
The administrator took possession
of Taylors library, wardrobe, phono,
graph, piano and jewelry and stated
he would hold them until the estate
was settled.
Sheriffs deputies have announced
t-I1A In
thing to do with the Staying of Tay-
lor and said tonight they had three
"leads" involving persons of the film
world. They said they hoped to make
an arrest tonight or tomorrow.
Among the persons named as like
ly TO be called by the district attor-
ney are Mabel Normand. Mary Miles
Minter. Neva Gerber, Claire Wind
sor, all film actresses; Mrs. Douglas
MacLean, wife of film actor; How
ard Fellows Taylor's chauffeur; ana
Henry Peavey, his negro houseman'
Miss Afinter will be called because
of her close friendship for Taylor;
Miss Normand because she is one or
the last persons TO see him aliYe;
Miss Gerber because she was once his
fiancee and Miss Windsor because
she had been associated with him.
Fellows statement as to his call
at his employers apartments the
night OF the murder shortly after the
departure of Miss Normand, was eX-
pected to fix the time of the murder.
Peavey found the body. He is eX-
pected to be questioned at great
length 1t is said that the in private
conversation he has added many de-
tails to the testimony he gave at
the coroner's inquest and to the
statements he has made to the police
and sheriff's deputies.
The police continued to concentrate
their efforts upon the search for Ed
ward F. Sands, former secretary and
butler for Taylor. missing since Tay-
lor made a charge of grand larceny
against him last August. Captain
David l.. Adams, head of the detec-
tive bureau, reiterated that "there is
no one else we want, and we have
discovered nothing that would indi-
cate a motive for the crime, except
that of ayerting prosecution on the
grand larceny charge.
More Have Message
Late today the detective bureau
received through the sheriffs office
a message from the sheriff at Tue
son. Arizona. TO the effect that a man
resembling Sands was seen al Lowell,
Arizona, February 4. three days af-
ter Taylor was slain. Walter Peter
son of Tucson, according to this mes
sage, saw the man. Peterson said the
man he talked with professed to be
deserter from the British navy had