The New York herald., 1922-02-03
|FILMDIRECT0R SLAIN
| BY MYSTERIOUSFOE
| AS HE HAD FEARED
w. D. Taylor Shot in Los
Angeles Home When
Seated at Desk.
WAS ROBBED TWICE
Discarded Suitor Of Woman
Friend Considered by
the Police.
LAST SAW MISS NoRMAND
Mary Miles Minter, Weeping
Historically, One of the
First on Scene.
WAS ROBBED TWICE
LAST SAW MISS NORMAND

uoU VII SCCuCs
Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
Los ANGELES, Feb. with a bullet
wound in the left breast the body of
William Desmond Taylor, one Of the
best known motion picture directors
in the world. was found to-day beside
his desk in his home, in 404 South
Alvarado street, where he had fallen.
the victim Of an unknown assassin.
The body was found by Henry Peavey,
his negro valet.
Robbery was clearly not the motive
OF the crime. "A purse containing $7S
and valuable watch were found on
the body. There was no indication any
search had been made Of the house for
valuables and nothing was found to be
missing when careful check Of the
effects were made by Charles Eyton.
manager of the Lasky Studios and a
close friend Of the dead man.
Charles Maigne, friend Of the dead
man, told officers he was positive Tay-
lor believed that some time an enemy
might return and doehim harm.
Miss Mabel Normand, famous conedi-
enne, Miss Edna Purviance and Douglas
MacLean, all prominent In the motion
picture world. were interviewed by the
police. who then announced a nationwide
search had been ordered for Edward r..
Sands, formerly employed as secretary
by Mr.. Taylor 1t is believed that Sands.
who had an intimate knowledge Of Tay-
lor's movements and associates. may as
sist the police in solving the murder.
One OF the first persons on the scene
this morning was Mary Miles Minter. the
movie star. She wept hysterically.
Home Twice Robbed.
Six months ago Mr.. Taylor returned
to Los Angeles after a tour OF Europe
and found an employee had "raised" per-
sonal checks and had stolen suits OF
clothes. He reported the robbery to tho
police and a search was being made
when Mr. Tayior's house was entered
again and several suits and articles OF
jewelry, taken. ~
1t was after this second robbery that
Mr.. Taylor received letter. 1t read:
Dear Mr.. Taylor--So sorry to In
convenience you, even temporarily,
also observe the lesson OF the forced
sale OF assets.
(Signed) ALIAS JIMMIE V.
From Miss Normand and other per-
sons the police learned that Mr.. Taylor
had often expressed fear that some time
this man would return and do him bodily
harm.
IT,. c,r~ :, =,,srro.xas .,a..n. ,~.,1.xs
gators last night located four witnesses
who saw the man before and after the
tragedy.
Actuatcd by motives Of revenge or
jealousy the murderer fred the fatal
shot as near, as can be calculated
few minutes before 7:45 p. NJ. as Mr..
Taylor was seated at his writing desk.
Between z AS and $50 p. NJ, just
after the report OF the revolver was
heard. Mrs. MacLean, wife Of Douglas
MacLcan, the actor, saw man leaving
the Taylor apartments. He was de-
scribed as being. about 5 feet or 10
inches tall. medium build, roughly but
not shabbily dressed in dark clothes and
a plaid cap. ~
Just before s o'clock a man answer
ing this description stopped at the Hart
ley service station, corner of Sixth and
Aivarado streets, and inquired where
w. d. Taylor resided. Floyd Hartley
and L. A. Grant, in charge Of the sta
tion. were In the place at the time.
1t Is believed that excepting the rnur-
derer Miss Normand was the last person
to sec Taylor alive.
Mabel yormaild's story.
Her statement to Detective Sergea nts
Winn and Murphy follows:
II had my chauffeur drive out to Mr..
Taylor's home last evening, as we had
a number OF business matters 10 dis
cuss. I should Judge I arrived there
little before o'clock. 1t was while
was there that we again discussed the
case of man who had been In Mr.. Tay-
lor's employ and who stofc from him.
II asked Mr.. Taylor what ne intended
doing with the man II he was caught
and he said he would see the man was
prosecuted. We then discussed GER
tain scenario had written and
scenario friend OF mine had written.
while we were talking. Henry
Peavey. Mr.. Tayior's valet, was moving
about In the two rooms II was then
also that Mr.. Taylor toldl\c that wili-
lam was In some little trouble. He said
his servant had been arrested on a
charge of vagrancy and that he had
tcen forced TO go down to the police
station and deposit $500 bail for him.
He said he intended appearing IN
police court at o'clock this afternoon
nnd said he would do what he could to
aid his servant II he was convinced that
the man was not guilty. But he said
that IL Peavey had been guilty of doing
anything he would be forced to dis
charge him.
After we had discussed other trifling
Mr.. Taylor asked me IL I would
remain and have dinner with him. ex-
cused myself and told him must hurry
to my hones He then asked me n he
might visit me later that night and 1
told him l should be glad IL he would
come over to my house. He promised TO
call me on the telephone some time
about O'Clock.
Mr.. Taylor then accompanied me
from Ills house to my automobile. My
y Continued on Page Six.