The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-03
By M WALLACE SMITH.

fN\Opyr1ght 1SfI by 1nternatona News Service Copyright 1922 by ! Los Angeles, Feb. 3-Through the lsafvered screen on which the moving
 for their millions of admirers. detec-
 etves plunged today in a desperate
 effort to solve the mystery. in the eaaying of William D. Taylor. one
 land. Behind the screen they rip
 ped into the public, and private lives ko spare no person, however mighty if their investigation promised to clear the tragedy that stunned the world of movies when Taylor was found shot to death in his South All varado street bungalow.
 Q He was slain, detectives believe less than half an hour after a visit by Ma bel Normand, screen favorite to whom Three moving picture actresses whose names are household words were spit ted over fire of close question by the detectives as they carried on their in vestigation of the faster moving movie set of Hollywood.
 The detectives pointed out that scores of smiling photographs of film beauties smiled down at the ugly scene of death and that a larger one, Beautifully framed, must have gazed at the raw crime.
 sg The detectives sent into Hollywood 10 run down the slayer of Taylor were 1nstrUcted to overlook no whisper of gossip that might bring answer to the saidd1e of death. They were told to in- quire especially, it was stated about a tTecent party where dope, ether, CO., kcaine and morphine took the place of ftvtne and whiskey. The party ended R9n savage brawl. it was declared. in which two fnfuriated women attacked seach other as men fight until their clothes were ripped off.
 Both of them, the report insists, swere prominent actresses whose ; u,o lcr1o f0 the nOliCe They were to be questioned during the ' day.
 shoxne of Taylor after the tragedy had , been revealed was Mary Miles Min ter. who had been directed by Taylor in several pictures. Accompanied by her mother she hurried to the tragic , eoene. She became hysterical and 1t E Aras several minutes before she was ax,le to speak.
 'He was a. wonderful man." she i him loved him don't know of an 1 enemy he had in the world" Edna Perviance, once leading wom- an for Charley Chaplin. who lives home at midnight.
 'sT saw the lights burning in Mir. Eaylo's study" she said. T thought ea1i rang the bell and knocked on che door. When he did not answer I thought he had gone and left the nights burning. Just think-aIl the lime I was trying the door, he was iydng dead just a few feet from me!'
 Mabel Normand remained in secIu- ss1on today in her dainty rose and old ivory boudoir. There she was per suaded to speak of her friendship with the murdered man.
 There was no affair of the heart between us,' she said, ''in spite of reports that we were engag ged to marry. His friendship for me, I all ways felt, was for girl who liked outdoor sports he liked and whom he wished to help from the great sstorehouse of knowledge he possessed.
 Frankly, I liked to go out with him There was a wonderous dignity and sense of selection in his quiet well bred manner. We were the best of pals. I think that tells 1t better than anything else.
 'sIt seems impossible that such high-minded man should have an 1trerny who would murder. And it seerns horrible that he should die such a death.
 .T regret that my visit to his homo should have interested the police. It seems cruel that I should be question ed about 1t. I have been broken up ell day. But I am in the midst of a big picture and must go back to my work as best I can"