The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-06
OFFICIALS BELIEVE MAN TRIED ID SELL
 DRUG ID ACTRESS
Woman'S SiIken Night Dress, Missing From Apartment, Thought Involved
 in the Case
By Associated Press

Los Angeles. February b---
 Search for drug peddIer, upon
 whose trnil the police said they
 were getting warmer" and the
 absence of wOman's silken
 night dress, said by Henry
 Peavey, coIored kOuSeman, to he
 missing from the apartment Of
 William D. Taylor, slain film di-
 rector, were the outstanding de-
 VeIopments here tonight of the
 search for his slayer.
 The police were reticent as to the details of their search for the man, peddler, who was believed to have sought patrons for his contraband drugs among the employees of motion picture studios but they intimated their belief he had attempted to make delivery through Taylor 10 an actress who found 1t difficult to make her purchase in person.
 The exact importance of the miss ing night dress, which was pink, was not made plain. Peavy, however, was firm in his declaration that it had d regular place in Taylors apartments and equally firm in his assertions that since his employer was slain, he had been unable to find it.
 After the announcement of the search for the drug peddler deputy sheriffs left for an unnamed destina- tion on what they termed the most definite clue thus far discovered in the Taylor murder mystery"
 They said they were going to in terview "a certain party" and pos sibly make an arrest. This was the first active participation of the sher- ifs forces in the case.
 Tending to show the alleged feel ing of Taylor toward Edward r. Sands or Edward FitE Stra thmore. his former butler. whom the director had charged with a felony, was | further statement today by Henry Peavey, Taylor's negro houseman.
 Not long ago., said Peavey. T Was showing MT. Taylor coat had bought. That looks like one Sands stole from me. he said. Oh, f | could only get my hands on that fel= low"
 Played In New York
 Melbourne Mcdowell. actor. bus band of the late Fannie Davenport. looked over an old scrap book t1da. and then gave 10 the press his belie6 that Taylor. under the name of Gun ningham Deane. played with the Fan nia. Davenport company at the ftta Avenue theatre in New York m tSs4s and later In Boston aud during tous of the country in 1895 and 1896.
 Taylor's body. dressed in the uni form of British officer, he wore m the World war, was viewed today b. many friends and others at an un- dertaking establishmeut. where it will lie until the funeral services Tuesday at St. Pauls Episcopal pro cathedral.
 Many flowers were sent there. too. to await transfer, after the services to the cemetery vault where the body will be held until the arriva cf the directors daughter, Ethel Taylor. who has been in schot Marmoronock. N. Y.
 PaIlbenrers
 Pallbearers will be: Willia DeMille, Frank Bela. George Ms Arthur Hoyt, James Young, Loyd, David Hartford and Eyton, all widely known in n pictures.
 Members of the British ov' club will attend the funeral 4 squad of former soldiers will salute over the casket.
 Lester Wing. Chinaman f chauffeur for Taylor, said todd director once told him; "l really loved but one woman was my stage partner. wa gagged to her. But she died Il we could be married-and I'll marry another woman.
 The only woman whom T7 called upon often during Wings ice with him was Neva Gerber, actress, who said here Friday she Taylor once had been engaged married.
 But, while he and Miss Gerber together two or three times W according to Wing, Taylor pa most of his time alone.
 Report Ridiculous
 Winifred Kingston, film actress night characterized as ''ridicule the report she had been engagef marry Taylor, a rum8r that spi after 1t was discovered the framed photograph found in the rectors apartments was one of he
 Miss Kingston and Taylor had acquainted, she said, fact she attributed to their b being of British birth She said told her something of his dome affairs.
 sI also learned something of San the butler" said Miss kingst When Edward Knoblock was liv at Mir Taylor's home, Sands. at rious times, bought considera
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