South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-05
Uncover Hidden Chapter.

the life OF William Desmond Taylor,
motion picture director, who was
slain in Los Angeles Wednesday
night were described here Saturday
by friends, who said they knew him
we'll
Prior to 1909. as William Deane-
Tanner. an art connoisseur, Taylor
was manager for a prominent New
York firm OF art and antique furni-
ture dealers and had a wide circle Of
friends, il was said.
Married "F1oradOra' Girl.
In 1901, he secretly married Miss
Ethel May Harrison, "a member OF
the original Florodora company. and
they had a child, Ethel, now I 4 years
old. according TO Chicago friends
IN 1905 he suddenly disappeared in
mysterious fashion, and his wife was
unable 10 Civ any clue 10 his where
abouts or 20 assign and reason tor
his actions. and several years later
obtained divorce and since has
married a prominent New York
merchant. according 10 this source
About two years later Tanner sur
prised several old acquaintauces by
geles and is reported 70 have said he
had been shan haied at night i'm
lower Broadway New York, and
taken aboard a sailing vessel bound
around Cape Horn. lie said he
reached a port on the Pacific north
west coast several months later, went
10 work for tho TranScontnental
railroad and subsequently sought
employment ir a mine after which he
went 10 Los Angeles
Dropped Name OF Tanner
He never was known As Tanner IN
Los Angeles.
Tn 1910 DEE left Los Angeles and
IL was assumed he was going 70
work lie had not been successful
in the former city. He returned 70
Los Angeles about 1918 and soon
obtained a position with a motion
picture concern AT Ions Beach.
To his friends he explained that
he had played i'm theatrical stock
companies during his absence from
Los Angeles and this stage expert
ence they believe. was the founda
tion Of his success iu the MOTION
picture field
The chequered career Of the slain
director. actor engineer pioneer,
soldier and student Of physchology.
known for years 10 his most intimate
friends as a bachelor living alone
in q luxuriously furnished dwelling
rlace and often visited by actresses.
Saturday reveals that ne has been
living under a changed name. has
81 daughter l. years of age was di-
yorced and POSSIBLY had been mar
ried and divorced "a second time.
The statement tha- Taylor's name
really was William peane-Tauner
came from woman calling herself
Mrs. Ada Deane-Tanner OF Monrovia.
near here, who also describes herself
as tho deserted wife OF Dinnis
Deane-TayIor. the directors brother
She said the director had given her
an allowance Of $50 a month for the
last six years. during which penud
she had seen him only once. how
ever.
Mrs. Deane- Tanner has two chill
dren She declared their father
Dennis Deane-Tanner. an interior
decorator. deserted her after the
birth Of the Younger, Muriel. now >
years old Her maiden name was
Brennan. Sh- added.
She had little information con-
corning the life OF the dead director
She asserted he had been married
but was divorced and that his form
er wife lived IN New York. She said
the last check she had received from
the director was about Jan. 20. 1922.
She came 20 MOnVovia nine years
ago and six years ago appealed 20
the director for help, she stated. add
ing that ever since he had sent her
"a regular allowance.
FORMER WIFTrS STATEMENT
NEW YORK, Feb. AIRS. r. L.
C. Robins. former wife OF William