The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-18
Writer Says He Will UnraveI Mystery of Murder if Guar anteed Immunity From Prosecution on Charge of EmbezzIement
By Associated Press

Los Angeles, February 17-Tmmun- ity for Edward F. Sands from prose cution of charge of embexzlement preferred against him last August by William Desmond Taylor. murdered film director, was promised tonight by Thomas Lee Woolwine, district at torney. provided Sands proves his in- nocence of the staying of Taylor and can "untangle this murder mystery.
 MT. Woolwine's promise to the missing former butler-secretary to Taylor was made in a letter he ad- dressed to Edward F. Sands, through the publishers" in answer to a letter he received and which purported to have been written by Sands.
 The letter which was signed: "E F. Sands was dated February II. The writer declared he was living in Los Angeles and inquired whether if he surrendered and established his innocence of the murder of Taylor he would be freed Of the embezzle- ment charges.
 A verbatim copy of the letter pur- porting to have been written by Sands, as made public by Mir. Wool wine. follows:
 Los Angeles, February If, 1922.
 MT. Woolwine:
 Los Angeles, California,
 Dear Sir: This letter will prob ably surprise you when you read is. l am taking this liberty to write you to make rhatters more easy for you. In the first place I am Mir. Sands, although a friend of mine is writing this letter under my dictation Mr. Woolwine you need not look all over the world for me for 1 am living right here in Los Angeles. and am reading the papers every day, con corning the Taylor murder. I will be frank with you Mir. Woolwine, I haven't had any peace of mine since the murder and l have come to the conclusion that the quicker this thing is settled the better off we will all be Now MT. Woolwine, in the first place I did not murder Taylor, but 1 know who did it, but what assur- ance have l from you to know that you will accept my story. None.
 Therefore I want guarantee from you that if I surrender myself into your hands and if l establish my innocence of the crime you will set me free.
 If you will do this MT. Woolwine I can untangle this murder mystery for you. You may answer me in any of the Los Angeles papers. Thank you. F. F. SANDS"
 WoOlwine's Reply
 MT. Woolwine's reply follows:
 ITO Edward F. Sands, through tte public press:
 T am in receipt of letter dated February 14 1922, postmarked Los which. by its language, pur- ports to have been dictated by you.
 ''I have no present means of know ing whether or not the letter is gem uine, as I receive vast numbers of bogus communications. but I intend to treat it as genuine for the pur- pose of this letter.
 '"rhe letter states: T did not mur- der Taylor but I know who did it and inquires in substance that if you come forward and surrender your self and establish your innocence of this crime whether or not I will set you free.
 The letter further states: If yoa will do this MT. Woolwine, can un- tangle this muIder mystery for you. ' ou may answer me in any of the Los Angeles papers.
 Tn answer to this communication I wish to state that if Edward F. Sands will surrender himself to any of the police authorities or to me and establish to my satisfaction his inno- cence and give me information as to who committed this crime and un- tangle this murder mystery to my satisfaction as district attorney of Los Angeles county I will move dismissal of the case of embezzie- ment now pending against him and set him free.
 THOMAS. LEE WOOLWINE,
 District Attorney, Los Angeles 
 Mir Woolwine stated that the let ter purporting to have come from Sands was postmarked February 15 but came to his attention only today. He said that when he realized its im- portance. in case it proved genuine, he called a conference of police de- tectives and his own special investi- gators assigned to the case and that the unanimous conclusion was that it would be best to answer the letter on the chance it was genuine and might result in the solving of the mystery. 4