The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-05-20
new THEORY
TAYLOR MURDER vi: D Err R
CAST ADVANCED |E|:.
Woman Now Believed to Have ave
Slain Movie Director
in Los Angeles
EBY JACK JUNGMEYER.

" 4 81
Los ANGELES, May 2o.-A doz-
en- detectives from the city policc
and district attorneys office are
still at work on the William Des;
mcnd Taylor murder mystery.
Elimination OF official jealousies
and better teamwork are expected
to solve the killing Of the s2.0o0-a.
week movie director shot February
/ in his bachelor apartment in
Hollywood.
Heretofore envy. suspicion and
dissension have hampered the in
tvestigation. g
One BY one, a score of hot trails
have cooled. None Of the 25 per
sons questioned has suggested def
nitely the key to the case. Half a
dozen persons are still under sur
VIGILANCE. No trace OF Edward
Sands, Taylor's missing former
valet. wanted for Interrogation has
been found.
Three Theories Of Crime.
Theories have finally narrowed
to three:
First: That Taylor was killed by
an unidentified soldier Of his over,
seas command because Of some
wartime alteration. Taylor wa
a captain in the Canadian forces.
Second: That Sands, accused of
twice robbing his employer. and by
some investigators believed to be
related to Taylor. can reveal the
murderer.s identity.
Third: That woman relative
of one of the directors girl friends
misinterpreting that friendship.
killed Taylor with the idea that She
was protecting the girl.
All have circumstantial weight.
assert the officers who respective
~ stress them
The first and third theories are
being exploited by Detectives e. g.
King and T. A. Wynn OF District
Attorney Woolwine's forces; the
second has been firmly held from
the first by Captain OF Detectives
David Adams of the city police
Third Theory.
The third is purely deduct1ve.
based on romantic episodes said to
have been confided by Taylor to
one Of his few confidants and by
him related to the police-a situa-
ton which was causing the film
man intense worry. This theor.7
has never before been publicly stat
ed
Taylor was shot apparently with
in a few minutes after he accom-
panied Mabel Normand, famous
screen star. to her car at the curb
Save for the murderer. Miss Nor
mand had been the last to visit
him.
Other young screen beauties, in
Guiding Neva Gerber, once his
fiancee. and Mary Miles Minter. ali
protesting high regard for Taylor
gave police little information as tc
Against Sands he was inexplica-
bly, bitter.
81 a Canadian soldier he had said
to a fellow officer in London
There goes man who swears
he'll get me.
To another friend he had con
fided worry over an ardent 1nfatu
alton with young woman He
had told queer tales of his apart
ment having been invaded by a
prowler during his absence.
A haunted man in a haunted
house. Reticent. fearful, unmistak
ably lonely and aloof even amons
his closest friends. Laid out as Il
! for a bier by the hand that took
his life.
lecture and puzzles as ever cha'
ilenged detective genius!
THAT act Of arranging the body
1.-The hands. the clothes.' hazards De
Elective King. was Characteristic o.
a woman moved to a final show o.
tend rness after the death shot
fired within an inch of his body.
And then funny looking man
swatheF in a muffler, walking
calmly from the door under tbs
ewes OF Mrs. Douglas MacLean.
neigh Dor. leaving the lights burn
ing all night over the CORPSE .
| wasn't that person., asks King
"a woman disguised as a mani