Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-02-08
EVIDENCE
FEAR OF
RESULTS
Unnamed Influences
Put Obstacles In Path
Of Police In Effort to
Prevent Damage

Los Angeles, Cal. Feb. S.-In-
lcations that powerful influences
4 IN the motion picture world were
tadeaVoring to direct the inquiry
about the murder of William Des-
nOnd Taylor into certain lines,
and to prevent it's extension in
vther directions were reported to-
day by officers employed on the
case.
Taylor was shot and instantly
killed here last Wednesday. The
officers said today that ever since
their Investigation got under way
they had been meeting unexpected
Obstacles, and that these were
growing more evident day by day.
Letters Are Gone.
Included in these obstacles was
The disappearance of bits of evil
dsnCe, including letters written to
Mr. Taylor by Mary Miles Minter
and Mabel Normand, and which
we're believed to have been in his
home when he was shot. These
letters were gone after the shoot
Ing and reports were they had
been returned to the writers by
some unofficial agency.
Miss Normand denied that she
hadF received her letters. Miss
Minter was in seclusion, her resi-
denee guarded by detectives, but
denial was issued for her also.
Would Quash Publicity.
Another disappearing clew was
handkerchief initiated rs" but
which the police did not believe
was the property of Edward F.
Sands, former nouseman, now
sought in connection with the
case The police said they be-
leVed this handkerchief belonged
10 motion picture producer, and
'aey wanted it so they would have
tangible with which to
confront him as a basis for inter
Former efforts to end the wide
given the case and those
with it were also inten-
'lliea yesterday, representatives
" MISS Minter especially seeking
" " prevent publication of the fact
mat her home was under guard.
n, Night Dress Gone
me disappearance from Tay-
VI nome Of a woman's pink silk
nsnt dress which was said by
'enry Peavey, houstma to have
'eea Kep. there, was another item
a the list of occurrences deter
ent to the Investigation, and Wig
'ous efforts were being made to
ilu out what became of it.
oaptain David j.. Adams, who
~ eharga OF the investigation
M ~ l know nothing about any
INK l night dress, or any letters
TO actresses. I have sew
.Si letters, four or five of which
~ y newspapers have not seen and
,ulcn they will not see. They are
:. .Oh Iaylor's mother and daugh-
:, ana others and are not con-
ected with the case"
Sheriff Also Probing
summons of Peavey by repre-
IIu'atlyes of the sheriff's office,
10y SAID, was to go over in detail
- occurrences on last Wednes-
y y night at Taylor's home Just
'lor TO the time the investiga-
Ua indicates the murder occur
~ Belief was expressed by dep
y sneriffs that Peavey holds the
Ost important key to the motive
= the murder of the director.
l. was said that he Will be ask
! IN detail concerning the visit
mabel Normand on that night,
- what occurred Just before his
,parture when he left Mabel
, vrmand alone with his employer,
~ was shot and killed, investi-
-'ors say, within an hour or
.poshly within half an hour of
lis time.
Passion Lester Printed.
Tue Los Angeles Examiner to-
Y !, published another unsigned
.'sr OF passion, written in a
-pie code, and upon stationery