Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-02
CONFESSION RUMOR
IN TAYLOR MURDER

LOS ANGELES, March lone OF
two men named by Mrs. John Rupp
as the slayersN of William Desmond
Taylor has confessed, according to
an unconfirmed report from police
headquarters today.
Activities among detectives who
have been grilling the six men under
arrest, indicated that some impor.
tant new development had occur.
red.
The suspects were put through
the third degree" throughout the
night, it was reported.
1t was known that valuable infor-
nation touching on the murder has
been obtained fro none of the sus-
poets.
Detective Cline, head of the i1omi-
Of the. case which, it was beloved,
will connect the statements obtain
ed from the prisoner with someN OF
the previous clues in the murder
mystery.
Pursuing this new angle, Cline was
in secret conference with Mabel
Normand, film Coincidence, who was
the last friend to see Taylor alive
Miss Normand, sufficiently redov-
cred from an%attack of influenza
to make the trip, came to Los
Angeles from her rest cure home in
Altadena, and met Detective Ser
geants Cline and Murphy.
Georges Romier, teacher of
French, was meanwhile questioned
at the district attorneys office.
Ronier told of q visit, the day
Taylor was shot, he and Miss Nor
mand made to a jewelers. to have a
French motto inscribed on a ciga-
rette case.
The six men taken in yesterday
raid, are held incommunicado \ at
the police station. No officials who
had been Questioning them would
corroborate "the confession" which
persistent rumorS at headquarters
said had been obtained.
Mrs. Rupp accuses Harry Lynch,
member of the gang of six, under
arrest charged with peddling iduor
and narcotics.
According to Mrs. Rupp, Taylor
was shot by Lynch following a dis
pute over bootleg liquor he had pur-
chased. She told the police she ever
heard threats made by the gang
against Taylor, and later, details
Of the killing.
When she, accused Lynch of the
murder, she said, he exclaimed:
"My God, keep quiet about that"
Other members of the gang under
arrest today were John Herkey, Will
liam {, Kirby, George Calvert, Will
liam East and Harry Amorheim. AL
though the men are merely held on
a technical. charge involving boot
Logging, the police today admitted it
was because of Mrs. Rupp's charges,
duplicating them in the Staying of
Taylor, that they were detained.
The woman's story is being close
ly investigated. She is known to
have quarreled with Lynch, the man
She accused.
Mrs. Rupp is. said to have told her
landlady, Mrs. Edith Splitter, the day
after the murder, that she knew
who killed Taylor"
The police practically confirmed
reports that a witness called by
them "Frenchy George" summoned
before the district attorney, was a
reputable teacher of the French
language, who had been called into
consultation by Mable Normand, film
actress, when she wanted an in.
scription in French engraved on a
cigarette case. It was not disclosed
what other information the witness
had given the officials. 1t was stat
ed, however. that another question.
ing of Miss Normand, who was one
of the last persons to see Taylor
alive, was planned. She is at Alta
dena, a suburb, recovering from in
fluenza and a breakdown, follow
ing a fainting spell at the Taylor
funeral