The Topeka state journal., 1922-02-04
MOVIE MYSTERY
MURDER VICTIM
HAD TWO NAMES
William ID. Taylor Had Yan-
iShed From New York.
Two Film Actresses Now
Linked With Tragedy.
POLICE GUARDING ALL CLUES
Chauffeur's Wife Says Former
Secretary in Los Angeles.
Many Screen Celebrities Are
Gathered for Inquest.

Gathered for Inquest.
Los Angeles Feb. death by a
gunshot wound. inflicted by a person
unknown to the jury. with homicidal
intent. was the verdict of a coroner's
jury here today in the inquest over the
remains of William Desmond Taylor.
nationally known motion picture di-
rector, known in New York prior to
1908 as VIM. Desmond Deane-Tanne-.
art connoisseur. He was slain We'd
nesday evening in his home here.
The inquest was unexpectedly ter
minated by the coroner after only five
witnesses were heard.
| Los Angeles. Feb 4.-Disciosures
made early today to officers investi-
| eating the mysterious murder of Will
| liam Desmond Taylor noted film di-
rector. now identified also as William
| Desmond Deane-Tanner of New York.
! resulted in the linking of two film
| actresses with some phase of the
| tragic shooting, which occurred We'd
| nesday night at the directors home.
| Detectives at work on the battling
case would say nothing further than
| that one of the actresses involved is a
| star of recognized magnitude, while
! the other woman occupies a less
prominent position in motion picture
| circles.
Police today were said to be at
| taching considerable significance to
| information given by Harry Fellows,
Taylors assistant director, and Mr..
and Mrs. Earl Tiffany. Tiffany was
the slain directors chauffeur. These
three persons were questioned several
hours last night and probably will he
subjected to further grilling today.
Former Secretary Seen.
The detectives rigid questioning of
these three is said to be prompted bv
the feeling that they may be able Il,
shed some light on events leading t1p
to the fatal shooting because of their
close association with the slain man.
Mrs. Tiffany is credited with the
statement that she saw Edward F..
Sands, eX-secretary-vale of the muir
dered man, on the afternoon of the
day before the murder was committed.
Sands has been sought by the police
ever since Taylor was slain in hopes
that he might be able to throw some
light on the tragedy. Sands also IS
reported to have threatened Taylor's
life.
Interest in the case today was
| marked by speculation regarding Tay-
| lor's past life. following the disclosure
here and in New York that the screen
directors real name was Deane-Tan-
ner, art connoisseur of Gotham. who
disappeared under unexplained cir
cumstances in 1908. Following that
disappearance, the man came to Los
Angeles and assumed the name OF
Taylor.
Screen Celebrities Gathered.
Prominent celebrities of the screen
! world were assembled this morning
for the coroner's inquest. Among
these was Mabel Normand, who was
at the directors home a short time
I Ia mi
Mary Miles Minter. a friend Of Tay-
lor who was one of the first OF the
film colony to reach the scene OF the
murder; Jesse Lasky, head of the film
corporation by which Taylor was en-
ployed, and Charles Eyton, west coast
manager for the Famous Players
Lasky corporation.
The hour of the inquest was
Ichanged to 10 o'clock this morning be-
icause of the number of witnesses sum-
moned to testify. A coroner's jury Of
well known business men has been
lsubpoenaed.
While police were making every ef-
fort to apprehend Sands. the former
secretary valet. who is charged with
having robbed his employers home
several months ago. the shadow Of a
4 woman continued to retain a promi-
nent position in the official investiga-
ton of the case
Woman in the Case.
! IJeLECUEtS At WOTk Oh NlS mystery
are unanimous I'm the belief that final
isolution of the crime will reveal that
a feminine influence played a big part
in the Staying of Taylor.
| Officers today are planning 70 ques-
tion Mrs. Ada ID. Deane-Tanner. sis
ter-in-law of the slain director. To
newspaper men. late last night. Mrs.
IDeane-Tanner, at her humble home in
Monrovia, reluctantly told Of her re-
lIationship to the murdered man. She
told of his assuming the name OF
Taylor after disappearing from New
York in 1908, and said he denied his
family name when she called to see
him few years ago at a Hollywood
motion picture studio
Mrs. Deane-Tanner said she had
called on her brother-in-law 20 in
lquire II he knew the whereabouts OF
her husband. Dennis Gage Deaue-
Tanner. who nysteriously dropped
/ from sight in New York four years
after his brother had disappeared and
took up the name Of Taylor. Mrs.
Deaue-Tanner said she never has
appearance.
All Ciues Are Guarded.
; She stated that her husband and
William Desmond Deane-Tanner were
members Of a prominent English FAM
lily Of means. The woman is now liv-
ling in humble circumstances ana
claims to have been receiving monthly
! allowances from Taylor.
8 Police are guarding with utmost se-
! crecy clues said to have been OBJ
j itained by detectives early today They
stated that startling developments
may be expected within the next
twenty hours. but held in abey-
J lance any further statement until the
coroner's inquest has been concluded.