The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-02-04
Mystery UnsoIved

Los Angeles, Cal, Feb. 4-Mystery
surrounding the death in his Holly
wood home of William Desmond Tay-
lor, motion picture director, whose
true name, it is alleged, was William
Dean-Tanner, remained unsolved to-
day. Police working on the case since
the body was found Thursday morn
ing claimed, however, they possessed
a number of possible clews. and that
suspicion was directed chiefly toward
a young motion picture actress whose
name they withheld, and through her,
toward another film director likewise
unnamed by them,s
NsvengS witH jealousy as. the prob
able direct cause was confirmed in
the minds of some detectives. they
said. as the motive for the killing.
The closer the dead directors life
was scrutinized, the detectives said,
the more they were led to adhere to
their original theory.
The latest motion picture actress to
be drawn into the investigation, said
at one time to have been intimately
associated with Taylor, was said to
be out of the city and the police gave
no intimation as to her whereabouts
or of the director whose name linked
with hers in the stories told the de-
tectives by number of persons at an
inquiry standing over several hours.
While efforts we're being made by
the officers to locate the actress and
the director, it was understood the
latest angle to the investigation would
not cause them to relax their search
for Edward F. Sands, Taylor's former
butler.
Their review of Taylor's friendships
and activities was said to have
brought the police into close acquaint-
ance with his companionship with Il
number of motion picture actresses,
including, among the most prominent,
Mabel Normand. Mary Miles Minter
and Glare Windsor.
Miss Normand is said to have adj
mitted, as did Nova Gerber, another
film actress, thai Taylor once had
been engaged to her. while Miss Min
ter also is said to have enjoyed the
directors close friendship at one time.
1t was only week before his death,
however, according to Miss Wind
sor's mother that the latter took her
first automobile ride and dinner with
Taylor. The police plan to interview
Miss Windsor as they have the other
actresses, in their search for possi-
BILE clews, as soon as she returns from
a trip into the country, where she is
said to be ''on location" with Marshal
Neilan, director.
Taylors Daughter
At variance with the opinions of
others was the belief expressed today
by Mary Miles Minter, film actress,
that Taylor had not been married,
and had no daughter.
However, official search of Taylor's
safety deposit box in a bank here, dis
closed letter to him from the daugh-
ter, Ethel Daisy Taylor, postmarkcd
at Mamorenock. n Y.
The public administration also said
he had found her exact address in
Taylor's apartments, but was keeping
it from the press at the girls request.
This was contained in telegram re-
ceived here today from the girl in
answer to one from him.
It is believed the directors entire
estate valued at approximately $780,
900, as revealed by a search of the
deposit box will go to the daughter.
The box also contained iewelry be-
lieved to be worth about $1,500.
Coroner Begins Search
The coroner began a search for Tay-
lor's former wife, which it was said
might lead to England.
Among reports given to the police
was one that recently Taylor, solely
for the purpose of obtaining "atmos-
phere" had attended what they de-
scribed as two or three "hop" parties,
where all but he had either smoked
opium or taken drug in some form.
In giving publicity to this latter re-
port. the Los Angeles Examiner de-
port, the Los Angeles Examiner de-