Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-11
GREAT PLOT BALKS
F|LMDEATHPROBE,
DETECTIVES CLAIM
Motion Picture Dealers As
ISOLATION Expresses Belief
That Crime Viii Never 30
Solved q

, t y !.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10.-Police
have been bribed. witnesses silenceu,
evidence suppressed in, a g1gantio
plot engineered from behind the
scenes in FINLAND to defeat the ends
of Justice in the Taylor murder mys-
terry, county and city police charged
ursday. These sensational
charges were under investigation by
District Attorney Thomas Lee Wool
wine, hurriedly summoned from his
vacation.
Meanwhile, the Motion Picture
Dealers association has issued Q
statement eclaring the murder OF
Taylor to be the one perfect crime
from the criminals point Of view. IN
They announce their belief that
the mystery surrounding the SHOOT
ing of the director on the night OF
February W. never be solved.
Financial agents backing the
film industry and stars whose repu-
tations are imperilled by impending
disclosures in connection with the
staying of the director have taken
steps to suppress evidence when
would incriminate prominent motion
picture people, county and police Oh
ficers charged.
~. Gun Clew Found
The gun, with which Taylor was
slain is reported in possession OF 9
milk man who found it near tines
scene of the crime.
Detectives Of the district attors
news Office and other agencies in
vestigating th9 murder are hunting
for the milk man.
This man is said to have taken the
gun home with him after f1ndlng
between Taylor's bungalow and ms
garage, deciding to forget apout ~
for fear of being implicated.
discovered.
Chief Deputy District Attorney
Doran admitted that he had heard
the runnor but denied a report had
been made to him by his detectives,
who were credited with picking up
the clew. -
gun, it is not my m despite tnese
stories, ~ Doran insisted.
Mystery surrounding the Staying
Of Tayl6r was deepened today by
statement of f. Parsons, member
Of the 'flying squadron" OF the dis
trict attorneys office, first man 70
reach the scene of the crime a1ter
it was reported.
Parsons declared that when ne
reached the room where the dead
director lay, the body had been
"carafully laid out. the arms
ranged, and a chair overturneu
across the legs" 1t was his peheIt
he said, that this setting had been
carefully arranged to throw the m
vestigators off the scent.
~ Tod a
ted they have suddenly found q
blanl wall on every side. Evidences
q. .ce tangible, has been removed or
dtorted by well-paid agents OF the
film interests, they eclare.
A strange lethargy, it is also stat
ed, has affected certain members o.
the police department since the fnd-
ing of pink silk night dress among
Taylors effects.
District Attorney Returns
The situation had become so se-
rious that the sheriff's office here
wired to District Attorney Wool
wine, who had been taking his vaca-
ton in Ventura, Cal Woolwine
rushed back to the city and today
was closeted with w. c.. Dorgan. his
chief deput. at the sheriff's Office.
A grand jury investigation of the
charges that certain witnesses, in
GLIDING film stars who talkel freely.
have .een suddenly siienced. Is plan
ned.
The real truth of what happened
at Taylor's YVES. Lake Terrace
bungalow on the fatal Wednesday
night a week ago when he was shot
through the back, is known to this
secret wire pulling combine behind
~ M q
being concealed because of the emf
arrassmeht to huge financial inter-
ests which disclosure would involve.
The attempt to throw the guilt
directly upbn the slain directors
valet, Sands, who has disappeared,
w seen by invest gators who are
convinced the murderer was hired
by. a jealous, woman as an attempt 70
sLield the real culprit.
The secrecy attitude of the big
guns" Of filmland was believed to
have been the outcome of the secret,
closely guarde midnight meeting
at the home of Mary Miles Minter.
petite screen star, whose love for
Taylor is now freely admitted.
Mabel NOrmand COllapses
Mabel Normand, the other film
actress most prominent in the case,
I. suffered an almost complete col
lapse. Her condition was rendered
more serious by a report spread that
her letters to Taylor had been found
hidden in the to of one of the slain
directors boots.
Another theory upon which GER
tain of the investigators proceeded
today was that Taylor was shot in
the back by a woman he was en-
bracing, and who had her arms
around, him. This woman, they say.
burned with "a I.erce hatred for Tay-
Ior, who had scorned her love.
The colored wallet of the murdered
director, Henry Peavey, has not told
all Rthat he could, sferiffs believe,
ana he yesterday was subjected to
his first we're gri1ling.
With the police Claiming they are
blocked at every turn, action in the
dramatic murder. case which has
pIumbed to their depths the Aecrvt
passions Of the motion picture world
has slowed down. to a snaiPs pace
today.
Due either to interference, or to
the natural slenderness Of the trail
left by the slayer, developments in
the search had been retarded until
they registered like film projected
at one-seventh it's normal speed.
Probe Moves Slowly
Each detail of the man hunt-or
woman hunt as it may prove to be
was dragged out in painful OBJ
viousness until the case was robbed
of the interest aroused by the swift (,
action and startling developments of
the opening days-the throw bach"
as they call it in film land to the
drama of the dead mans past and
the passionate story of love of two
prominent actresses for Taylor.
Today, police, detectives and the
district attorneys office followed
each their tortuous trail; the first
believing woman did or inspired
the deed; second, group IN wide
spread nnan-hunt for the former