The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-06
Or
Of.
TRIANGLE
Police Believe Love SnarI End
ed in Death Of Movie Man
( in Los Angeles
by international Nsvs Service.

by international News Service.
LOS ANGELES. Cal. Feb. g.
Out Of a maze Of clues, CLEANED
from the stray ends oftthe tangled
skein Of William Desmond Tayior's
life, detectives today are center,
ing their investigation of the film
rdirector,srDurder "a information
that revolves around q triangular
love affair, in which the slain
man, q popular screen actress, and
a scion of a wealthy Eastern fam
lily are said to have played the
leading roles.
Trails Lead to Underworld.
Other phases OF the police invest.
CATION, some OF which hint OF
scandal. delve into the underworld.
involving drug traffickers and other
denizens OF the criminal realm. Still
other angles of the official probe OF
the remarkable mystery reach out
toward the circle of stardom in the
film industry.
The love triangle theory projected
itself strongly into the case today
when police announced they had
learned that a wealthy young New
Yorker, at one time reported en-
gagged to marry q leading actress OF
the film world, had mysteriously
dropped from sight the day fol-
lowing the murder of Taylor.
Other investigators learned that
the actress in question was close
friend of the murdered man and
are proceeding on a theory that the
former fiance. discovering the close
friendship existing between the
screen star and director. may have
been driven to commit murder by
his rage following this revelation.
Identities Kept Secret.
Police today refused to disclose
the identity OF the two persons in
question. Announcement was made,
however. that Investigators have
been detailed to trace the move
ments of the young man who
checked out of one of the leading
hotels Of the city the day after the
murder and has not ben seen by
friends since.
Police are acting on the report
that the suspect fled to San Diego
in hopes of escaping across the
border into Tia Juana.
the immediate attention Of the score
OF officers trying to solve the mys-
teriOus crime, IL is known that sew
eral other persons are under sus-
picion.
The extremely rsti'"nt nature Of
the murder man and the surpris-
ing revelation OF his real identity as
William Dean Tanner admittedly has
hampered the officers In their at
tempt to run down the murderer.
Drug Pedd!er Sought.
One man who is being sought by
police is a known dope peddler, who
is said to have moved in certain SET
tions Of the local motion picture
colony. Detectives state hat their
investigation has proved that Tay-
lor was not addicted to the use OF
drugs in any form. But it is also |
known that several of his friends
in molten picture work, Including
one or two women, are ,.ddicts.
1t is said that Taylor shortly be-
fore his death had attended several
dope" parties for the purpose OF |
obtaining atmosphere. Police are
giving attention to tAis underworld |
phase of their investigation in hopes |
that tangible clue to the mystery |
might be found tnere.
An intensive search still Is being |
conducted for Taylor's forTlcr secre- |
tary.valet, Edward +. Sands, who
disappeared some months ago, after |
he is alleged to have stolen several |
thousand dollars worth Of valuables |
from his employers home.
AS a result 70 the fact that this
man, in pawning goods Unidentified
as belonging to Taylor. gave the |
name of William Deane Tanner
leads investigators to believe he may
have known the slain director prior
to his disappearance from New
York in 1908 or that he was so close |
to Taylor while in his employ that |
he learned many generally unknown
,Centinued ON Para 4. Co3.U>> -