The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-03
LOVE CULT MAY
BE CLUE SOUGHT
IN MOVIE CRIME
Wierd Tales of Drug Parties
Told in Taylor Case.
Slain Director Hunted "LOcal
Color" for Screen Plays.
BELIEVE WOMAN IN CASE
Burglary Theory Is Ruled Out
by Detectives.
Now Believe Mysterious Killer
Wanted Revenge.
Slain Director Hunted "LOca
Color" for Screen Plays.
BELIEVE WOMAN IN CASE
Now Believe Mysterious Killer
Wanted Revenge.

Los Angeles, Feb. 3.-Giving great
est consideration to a theory that he
was slain in a love vengeance plot
presumably by a man, at the instiga-
ton of a woman who was Jealous over
the attentions he had showered on a
widely known screen actress, the po-
lice department today bent its every
energy toward solving the mysterious
murder of William D. Taylor, famous
motion picture director.
Among the various phases of the in
vestigation was a report that Iaylor
had attended several so-caled snow
parties at which narcotics were served
from tea wagons for the purpose OF
obtaining local color for some of MS
pictures The Staying, one detecuVe
pointed out. may have been an after
math of such party.
Love Cult Is Whispered.
Weird narratives of a mystic love
cult also entered into the investigation
when reports to the police linked Tay-
Iol-s name with the Strange life of the
cult leaders. The weird love, whlch
was said 20 have existed as a part OF
the cult, may have inspired one OF
the women members to have caused
Taylor's death, according to another
detective. who spent considerable
lllnE III 0tlNlHB 4illh ll4C my s'tA~A-AA-
and entanglemeuts of the coterle
The police. it is said, have prac-
ticuIly eliminated the theory that Tay-
lor may have been slain by a burglar
whom he found at work in his apart
mont.
1t is understood most of the de-
tectiVes and other officers working
on the case. which is one of the most
battling that has come to the atten-
tion of the local police in many years,
are agreed on three theories as to the
motive for the staying. These are Cd
revenge; CD jealousy; (3) burglary.
Woman in the Case?
And behind the first two of the
theories the investigators say they be-
Eeve turks the shadow of a woman.
The theory of revenge is given
greatest importance because it is sug-
gested the director may have been
killed by some person who held
grievance against him for something
he had done in his professional work,
or in his private life.
The theory Of jealousy is based on
the supposition that he may have been
the victim of a discarded suitor of
some woman to whom he had shown
considerable attention, professionally
or otherwise.
The theory of burglary is based
on the suggestion that burglar may
have crept unawares into his apart
ment and been surprised by Taylor
while at work, then shot the director
and escaped.
Visited by Actress.
At 6:45 o'clock Wednesday night,
Taylor ate dinner alone. At 1905
Mabel Normand, a film actress IA
1nfliar to movie" audiences for thir-
teen years. entered his apartment
Her chauffeur waited outside. Miss
Normand told the police she called
to get a book. At 7:40 she says she
returned to her automobile, escorted
by Taylor, who chatted for a few
minutes and then went back into his
home.
A few minutes before s o'clock, Mrs.
Douglas MacLean, wife of a film star
living in an apartment across tho
bungalow court, heard a pistol shot.
Mrs. MacLean saw a man leaving the
Taylor home. He wore cap and
muffler He hesitated about leav-
ing the apartment and started to walk
in again. Then finally he closed the
door and disappeared thru an alley
instead of going into the street en-
trance Of the court The police are
of the opinion that it was this man
who probably fired the shot that killed
the director.
Fatal Bullet Found.
1t was .Ss-caliber steel-nose bull
The bullet. was found last night by
Autopsy Surgeon Wagner. 1t had
penetrated the back beneath the left
shoulder blade and after piercing the
heart. taken an upward course into
the neck. where it had lodged. 1t was
first believed Taylor had died from a
hemorrhaEe.
The police are of the belief that
whoever attacked Taylor, did it after
he returned to the apartment on leav-
ing Miss Aormand. The director is
thought to have sat down at a desk
to work and was possibly bending over
when the assassin fired.
In connection with the burglary
theory. it is suggested that he heard
noise and turned about to see an
intruder at work, then started to rise
and seek a revolver when shot down.
Had Been RobBer Victim.
Taylor was the victim of robberies
and forgeries during 1921 that
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