The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-02-10
TAYLOR MURDER is
STILL A MYSTERY
District Attorney and Police
Making Little Headway Toward
Clearing Up MIDDLE.
tey The Associated Press,

Los ANGELES, Feb. "a new and
circumstances surrounding the slay-
ing of William Desmond Taylor, noted
film director, was under way here to-
day, directed by the district attorney.
J Yesterday and today the district at
/ torney gathered into his hands the
scattered threads of evidence that had
| been drawn out by the police the
lsheriff's office and independent ir-
vestigators, and tonight he was at :
| tempting to weave them into som e
sort of pattern that would disclose
what took place. just before Taylor
| lost his life
| One item gathered for this prospec-
tive fabric of fact and deduction was
a packet of letters written by Mabel
Normand, motion picture actress and
which disappeared from Taylor's home
after his death. These letters We're
a e-discovered yesterday concealed
among Taylor's effects. Their con-
tents We're not disclosed and Miss
Normand. who was in seclusion today,
declined to comment on the new turn
/, of events.
Witnesses questioned today in the
F! investigation, which it was announced
would be complete, and would take
other inquiries into consideration only
so far as facts learned by them might
lfbe helpful, included Charles Eyton,
general manager of, the Famous Play
ers-Lasl<y studio here, at which Tay-
/ Tor was employed as a director. Mr..
Eyton testified at the coroners in
quest that he was the first to suspect
that Taylors death had been caused
| by other than natural events, and it
was his insistence. according to his
statement at the inquest, that caused
discovery of the fatal wound.
Mr.. Eyton had conference today
with the district attorney, Thomas L.
Woolwine, and another one today in
which w. C. Doran, an assistant dis
trict attorney, as well as Mr.. Woolwine
participated.
Others summoned to the district at
torney's office today and questioned
included Mr.. and Mrs. Douglas Mac
Lean, whose home adjoined that of
Taylor, and who had given statements
at the inquest and to the police: Hen
ry Peavey, Taylor's houseman. How
ard Fellows, chauffeur for Taylor, and
Harry Fellows, brother of the chauf-
feur and an assistant director were
questioned fully. The district attor
ney declined to disclose the results of
these interviews.
Another development today was
well defined rumor that some person
had found a revolver, possibly the
weapon with which Taylor was slain,
shortly after the murder became
known. This rumor was brought to
the attention of the district attorney
and the police, both offices disclairn-
ing any direct knowledge of the pur-
ported discovery, but both saying that
cognizance was being taken of the
rumor and efforts made to prove or
disprove it.
While these local developments kept
the officials engaged, word came that
the San Diego authorities believed the
body of a suicide lying in the morgue
there might be that of Edward f.
Sands, missing Iouseman, against
whom Taylor swore out warrants for
grand larceny and embezzlement, and
who has been sought earnestly 10y Of
ficers eager TO learn what he knew of
the murder. Investigation, however,
developed that the dead man was not
Sands.
1t also was announced today that
the public administrator was search
ing for a second deposit box held by
Taylor. One was found and opened,
ITS contents being negligible. There
was no direct evidence that he had
another box, but the authorities said
many men divided their documents in
two or three boxes, and it was pos
sible that the search would yield
something. Inventory of Taylor's
estate so far located has disclosed lit
tie except some automobiles, personal
effects, and a small amount of cash.