Imperial Valley press., 1922-02-11
MABEL GIVES
D j | H { R
S TORY
Miss N0rmand Makes Full
Statement of Her Even
ing at TaylOr's
JUST FRIENDLY CALL
Repartee, Pleasant "Good
Night" and Next Morn
ing Hears of Death
By MABEL NORMAND


Famous film star and last woman
known to have seen Taylor alive.
Written for the United Press)
Copyright, 1922 By United Press)
LOS ANGELES, Feb. l1.-This is
my own story of just what happened
on the night of my last visit to Will
lam D. Taylor, the evening of Febru
ary /.
In response to a telephone call left
by Mr.. Taylor at my home during the
afternoon of the day he was killed, ]
stopped at his house between z and
7:15 in the evening.
| The purpose of my call was to
pick up a hook which Mr.. TAYLOR had
purchased for me that afternoon.
knowing particularly that I wanteo
it. He had already sent one book to
my home, but he'd requested me to
stop for the one, which | assumed he
had purchased later.
Upon my arrival l was let into the
house by Henry Peavey, Mr.. Taylor's
valet, who informed me that Mr.
Taylor was conversing with some one
over the phone. In a few moments
after my arrival Mr.. Taylor said
good bye to the party with whom he
was conversing and left the tele-
phone.
He greeted me. He had just fin
ished dinner and his man had cleared
away the table, but ne asked me if
would not let him have something
prepared for me or go out to dinner
with him later. / declined, explain
ing that was tired and that 1 had
an early studio call to make the next
morning.
l said that intended to 60 home
early, have dinner and go to bed. Fo,
25 minutes Mr.. Taylor and sat dis
cussing various BOOKS and photo
plays. AT about 20 minutes to 8
prepared to start for home. Mr.
Taylor walked with me to where my
car was parked at the curbing.
There was a copy of the Police
Gazette" in the car, which he noticed
He chided me for having it in my
possession, remarking that Freud
Haeckel and Nitzsche We're hardly
compatible with such literature.
After an exchange of repartee for
a few minutes, finally bade him
good night and directed my chauf
feur to drive me home.
Before l left Mr.. Taylor promised
to phone me at my home within an
hour. He never did.
AS William (my chauffeur) pulled
away from the curb, l looked back
and saw Mr.. Taylor standing there,
gazing after me. waved my hand.
That was the last time / ever saw
Mr.. Taylor alive.
Within few minutes | was at my
home. ! Immediately retired, having
dinner served to me in bed about
8:15.
The first knowledge / had of Mr..
Taylor''s death was when Edna Pur-
Vance phoned me the following
morning abiut 1880. She told me that
Mr.. Taylor's valet had peen seen
rushing from Mr.. Taylor's home,
screaming that his master was dead.
/ have no idea who killed Mr.. Tey-
lor or what was the reason for his
death.
would only be too proud to AN
nounce the fact had l been engaged
to MIR. Taylor. but such statement
would be an absolute untruth.
| held Mr.. Taylor in the highest
esteem, regarding him as very
learned, cultured gentleman, with
whom any woman might be proud to
associate.
Mr.. Taylor and had much in COM
mon and during the long period of
our friendship he aided me material
ly in my study of the French lang
uage and philosophy, in which had
been interested for some time. / am
also interested in these things now
So far as revealing the contents of
any letters written by Mr.. Taylor to
me or by me to Mr.. Taylor is con-
cerned, have no reason to fear any
consequences which might result
from such disclosures except the ma
tural embarrassment of having per-
soral correspondence revealed to the
public gaze.