New-York tribune., 1922-02-03

". ID. Taylor, Vino Super.
Vised Important Pic
lures, Shot After Chat
ting With Miss Normans'
Dies inspecting His
Cancelled Check .
Quarrel With Employee
Over Moncy Matters l.
Given as Possible Cause
c,,o,o,


Los ANGELES, Feb .. William Dee.
mond Fay lor. q leading director at the
'amous Flaycrs-Lasky moving picture
studios in Hollywood, was murdered
last night as he sa, at desk in the
study Of his home here His assassin.
apparently not socn by Taylor, fired Que
Snot from behind. and the victim top
pied to the floor with tho bullet IN hiz
heart upscttiuc his chair. On the desk
vas a rilc OF cancelled checks which
taylor apparently had been c1amin-
lng when shot. The bod was found
aoout 5 O'Clock this morning. b. Ecnry
Peavey, negro valet who with sudden
cries Of "Murdcr, musdcr..' aroused
Nei1hbors and the police.
Tao police believe that Taylor was
Sho' by formcr employee with whom
he had had dispute over checking
account. This was hotnc oct b., Mis-
Mabel Normand, moving picture ac-
ircss, who told tho police that shc had
called at Tayiors nome yesterday eve
ming end had tailed with him sbou. q
NV pisN. Snc said chat Taylor in
thc'r conversation had told her Of feel
nG prsmonition Of something wrong
and that he feared this employee who
lad boon dismissed
Robbery Not Suspected
Robbery apparently was not =. mo
tive, aa i7S IN Che pocket Of Taylor's
orat was untouched and nothing was
p oNces could ascertain
1t WAS learned that twice IN the last
eight months Taylor's home had been
ronhe1. and that on the second occa-
non tho tilm director received an
a,nonymous note saying: "Thc next
iim' We viii get you This note was
signed "aiias Jimnly v"
The police believe ths, the writcr OF
the note. tho thicl and the murderer
arc the same nerson and that Che
CRIME vas an act ol veureancc.
After tho first robbery Taylor com
plaincd 20 The poll regarding the dis
charged employee. Sp|dining that ti1tc
man had forged h'. name TO check
! he police a,e be,tinr every effort to
'inG this man.
Miss Nosmand. Edna ruryiancc.
Douglas Maclcan and Mrs. Douslaz
NacLean, all screen stars, who 1.-Two in
tho ci@hborhood, were questioned by
the police. Miss Normand cxplaincd
that Taylo, bad escorted hor to her
automobile after their ta!i 1t about 9
O'Clock. He VAS to telephone her his
decision on the nov play later in the
evening. but did not, she said Miss
Normand's ) chauffeur corroboratcd her
testimony.
Miss Normansi's Account
Miss Normaud's statement to the po-
lice follows in full:
II had my chauffeur drive out 10 Mr.
Taylors home last evening. n. we had
Il number Of business matters to dis
cuss. ! should judge arrived there a
LITTLE before Z O'clock. It was while |
was there that VIC again discussed the
case Of q maM who had bccu in Mr. Tay-
Iors employ and who stole from him.
al asked Mr.. Taylor 'vha. he intended
doing win the lnan if nc was caught.
prosecuted We then discussed a ccv-
tain scenario | had written and a
scenario a friend Of minc had written.
while VIC were talking. William
Peavey, Mr.. Taylor's valet. was moving
about IN the Two rooms. II was then
also that Mr.. Taylor told ne that Wi
liam was in some little trouble. He
said his servant had been arcrstcd on
a charge of vagrHncy and that he had
been forced TO go down 10 the police
station and deposit $500 bail for him
He said he intended appearing in
police court in the afternoon and said
he would do what he could to aid his
servant if he was convinced that the
man was not guilty But he seid that
If Peavey had been guilty of doing
anything hc would be forced to dis
charge him
Promised TO Phone
"Afte~ WE bad discussed other trif-
ling matters. Mir. Taylor asked me #
would remain and have dinner VITA
him. | excused mvseli and told him !
must hurry to ny home. He then
asked INC If he might visit me later
that night and told him | should be
glad ii he would come over to my
house He promised to call ne on the
telephone some time about 9 O'Clock
Mir. Taylor then accompanied no
from his house 10 my automobile. My
chauffeur. William Davis, was seated
in the machine and heard Mr. Taylor
bid me good night. Mr. Taylor and /
were talking when saw Peavey leave
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