Arizona republican., 1922-02-05
MISSING LETTERS GIVE
FIRST CLUE To MOTIVE.
FOR MURDEROF TAYLOR
Mabel Norn,and Declares Package OF Letters
Written By Her To Taylor Are Missing
From His Apartments; Detectives See Pos
sibLe Motive; Continue Search For Butler
TRepubIIcan A. p. Leased WIre1

Los ANGELES, Feb. 4. - Miss
Mabel Normand, the motion picture
actress who was with William Des-
mond Taylor shortly before he was
shot and killed ir mis- home here lasA
Wednesday evening, tonight stated
that a package of letters written by
her to Taylor at different times was
missing from his home. Miss Nor
mand said the letters were there a
few weeks ago.
The letters, she said, were friendly
in tone, and there was nothing in
them to be ashamed Of" but she was
unable to account for their disap-
pearance. The police detectives
placed much weight on this develop
Ynent saying it was the first real sign
of any description pointing to pos
sible motive for the shooting.
Miss Normand went to the Taylor
home late today with police detect
ives and there re-enacted the occur
rences Of the hour she spent with Mr..
Taylor before his death "Wednesday
night After she had done this she
told Captain Adams of the detective
bureau. she wanted to look for her
letters. Search failed to bring them
Miss Normand told the officers
that she was sure the letters were
there not so long ago, because after
MIR. Taylor's home was robbed a rev
months since, he showed her over
the place and told her how drawers
had been emptied and various recep-
tacIes looted and in showing her TINS,
pulled out a drawer and showed nef
a. packet Of letters and kilograms sne
had sent to him here from New YORK,
and that she had sent to him in New
vrhan she was
here. u
This turned attention Of the OIL
ficers to the fact that very few per-
sonal letters or papers have yet been
found. save those in Mr.. TaylorS safe
deposit box, which chiefly related to
Investments. 1t resulted in their
sending out men to locate a former
business associate Of Mr.. Taylor VINO
has been active in the investigation
following his death, in the nope thaI
this man could throw some ngnt on
the location of Miss Normands cor
respondence and other private papers.
The associate was not az ms roonls
AT q downtown club and officers were
left to ask him to visit police head
quarters when he returned. Inc
nolice said they had no charge TO
place against him but wanted TO see
what light, if any, he could throw
on this development.
Check All Movements
Miss Norrnand said she was IN the
Apartments about As minutes all tne
time being passed in the living room
where Taylor's body was found tne
next morning. She pointed out the
nogitions of the various pieces of tur-
nitlIre in the room and indicated
where she and Taylor conversed.
Taylor walked with her TO her auto
mobile and conversed with ner cnaul-
fe1Ir and herself for few moments
She explained further, leaving the
front door of his apartments open.
His only servant had left about 10
minutes before, to be gone Tor the
night. 4,,o,,+
11nor the movements of several per-
sans wednesday night, it was stated
~ Dolice headquarters, at least enc
~ these being a man connected with
the motion picture industry. 1t was
also stated that another important
witness had been located and might
be questioned tonight.
THE entire force OF detectives IN
x,estigating the staying of WI nam
cunningham Tanner was seIt
ont later today on mission, ehe
nature Of which was not olVulgeu a'
Dolice headquarters. ..-4s
In to this time the Investigators
.aid they were still unable TO express
an opinion concerning the ldentlty u
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