Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-01
NEW CLUE TO THE MURDER
 OF WILLIAM DESMOND TAYLOR

tor, lis solved, if the story told by Mrs. John Rupp in connection with the ar- rest here today of six drug peddlers is correct" tonight declared Detective Ser geant Herman Cline, one of the police squad assigned to the case.
 When Sergeant Cline, head of the po- lice homicide squad made this state ment. Mrs. Rupp, who told the police she had kept house" for the men, had been rigidly questioned by two detec- | tives of the district attorneys office. Off, fcers said they would check up every detail of her statement Another witness, new in the case, and whose exact connection with it and whose name was not made public offi- | cislly was taken before Thomas Lee Woolwine district attorney, to whom he was said to have told very inn portant story" This witness is called 'Frenchy George" by the detectives, who decline further information.
 "Frenchy Georges ,Nory, however, was believed to relate to the arrests of the six men, who were accused of hav- ing sold drugs and liquor to motion pie ture actors and actresses and others in the Hollywood district.
 After "Frenchy George" had conclud- ed his statement, detective attached to the district attorneys office said officers would pay another visit to Mabel Nor mand. film actress, who is recovering from what her physician recently de- clared was a severe attack of influenza and nervous breakdown. Her present physical condition is said to be ap- preaching normal.
 While officers declared the develop ments in the Taylor case were encour- aging. they suffered one misfortune in | +l,o dow from pneumonia of Earl Tiffany, for mer chauffeur to Taylor, and declared to have been of the utmost import ance" as a source of information con- corning Edward F. Sands, missing for mer butler-secretary to the film direc- tor.
 The felony charge pending against Sands was said to have been the result of information provided by Tiffany. who was employed by Taylor while Sands also served the director.
 The Six men in custody gave their names and ages as William East, 36
 Walter Kirby 23; John Herkey 25 Ray Lynch: 26; George Calvert. 25, and Harry Amorhetm. 27. Police were hold ing them incommunicado tonight.
 According to the police Mrs Rupp d. rectly charged two of the men with the murder of Taylor.
 The officers quoted her as declaring
 Kirby and Calvert had made threats against Taylor in her presence. assert ing that the director had injured their
 business" She declared they showed nervousness the night of February when Taylor was murdered. were away from her house for a time early that night. and, returning, stayed up al night"
 The police stated Kirby and Calvert , were no strangers to them. Mrs Rupr
 was said to have staled that the si1 came here from Chicago several month!
 ago and had been engaged in peddlins
 contraband drugs and liquors. I Mrs. Rupp, who is 40, formerly re | ! sided in Canada, but has made Los An
 geles her home for some time" the DO
 lice said she told them.
 The police stated East said he was - | lahorer; Kirby, property man at motion picture studio; Herkey, a shee l metal worker; Lynch and Calvert. ga : filters, and Amorheim, a chauffeur
 Each declared he was prepared to of
 fer an alibi.
 v Mrs. Rupp, who is said to be Ill i - bed Is guarded by the police at he home. The detectives said they ha 2 previous acquaintance with her, Ser = geant Baldridge declaring she was "a if eccentric" and had once attemped sui V eide after 8 quarrel with a sweetheart
 The officers said that in ,investigatin v her story, they were also taking int I account the possibility she might b if actuated by a motive of jealousy 1 Shortly before Taylor was slain, ac Y cording to the police restatement st Mrs. Rupp's story, two of the six me
 returned to her home, and told her: E. He double crossed us; wouldn't pa y, for the booze we brought him. We le get the -. We're going to ki e. him"
 le The name of the director was n, IS spoken however, it was stated SC Mrs. Rupp said she dismissed u al threat from her mind until the day a e. ter the murder. Then she said, whi n- she and the two men were at dime a she suddenly cried out to- one of then v- ou are the man who killed Taylor al He turned perfectly white and sal h. ged in his chair" Mrs. Rupp was quo g. ed. Then he said: Good God dor
 say that again, don't ever mention th
 again."
 T never did" Mrs Rupp was said
 have continued, "but during the ne A' two weeks, one man would frequent
 come running into the house and hi G in his room. Once he said to me t, nu bulls are after me. Help me hide |"
 The arrests today revived the theo en brought forward several times and .on often to have been discarded that Ia ,Sv .. Tor was slain because of his alleged a 4&o & tivities against narcotic ring. It " rt- even declared that the officers had pra
 tically proved the directer once engag L%nu % in physical encounter with a dr 'no peddler he caught negotiating with
 actress friend of Taylor.