Evening journal., 1922-02-06
MORE LIGHT ON
TAYLOR life
Former Wife Says He Left
Her Seven Years After
Wedding
THOUGHT APHASIA
WAS TOO BLAME

MARMARONECK, L. l., Feb. c.
The first wife OF William Desmond
Taylor, slain moving picture direc-
tor, who divorced him in 1912 on
statutory grounds, was located here
Saturday. She Is Mrs. Edward
l.. c. Robbins, wife of a wealthy New
York business man, whom she mar
ried in the Little Church Around
the Corner, New York, in 1914, and
with whom, and her 19-year-
daughter. she is living happily in a
villa in the exclusive Oriental Point
society colony on Long Island Sound.
The daughter is Ethel Daisy
Deane-Tanner, an art student, tall.
slender and fair, devoted to her
father, who was known to the
motion-picture world as William
Desmond Taylor.
Mrs. Robbins declared she had no
idea what motive lies behind the
murder of her former husband. She
would not speculate as to whether
revenge caused the Staying or
whether the police explanation.
"cherchez la femme" is justified.
Il am not familiar with Mr..
Taylor's mode OF life in Los An
geles," Mrs. Robbins said Saturday.
Il was not informed as to his
manner OF living. nor whom his
close companions were" She spoke
with tone of finality. in an obvious
attempt to have done with matter
that was painful to her.
81 married in December. 1901.
Mr.. William Cunningham Deane-
Tanner, of Dublin, Ireland" Mrs.
Robbins continued. "He disappeared
in October. 1908. We could assign
no reason for his disappearance ex-
cept, possibly aphasia.
I'm 1912 I got a decree in the
state of New York on statutory
grounds and was awarded the Gus
tody of my only child. In August,
1914. 1 was married to Edward l.
c. Robbins. Two and a half years
ago I discovered that William Des-
mond Taylor had been Mr.. Deane-
Tanner. have no further state
ment which would possibly be OF
interest, except that the news of
Mr.. Deane-ranner's death was q
great shock to my daughter and
me-"
Before she married Deane-Tan-
ner, or Taylor. Mrs Robbins is said
to have been a member OF the IA
nous sextet OF the "Floradora" com
pany, known on the stage as Ethe
J May Harrison. Edward L. c. Rob-
bins is treasurer OF the S. NJ. Rob
bins Company Manhattan restau-
ranteurs. He is lessee Of Delmon-
ico's where he maintains an apart
ment.
Tanner in 1901 was connected with
a Fifth avenue antique shop. In
1908 he was said to have Withdrawn
his money from a bank telephoned
his wife that she would never see
him again. though explaining It was
not suicide that he contemplated
and vanished. For months thereaf-
ter ne was sought by the police in
America and by Scotland Yard in
England.
Mrs. Robbins and her daughter
according to neighbors, have made
no effort to conceal their relation
ship to the slain movie director
Ethel has always at school and so
cial functions been known as Mis-:
Tanner. She is at present taking Z
course in a New York art school
which she entered after graduating
from a finishing school at Mama
roneck. She is described as Of thu
home girl type.
She was exceedingly fond OF he
father, her friends say, and when (
telegram arrived announcing hi
death she became hysterical Sh'
corresponded with him frequentl'
and at Christmas received from hin
an elaborate silver set. Souvenir
gathered by him in all parts OF Eu
rope adorn-her boudoir.
Robbins, friends OF the family say
was always averse to meeting "Tay
lor."