Evening star., 1922-02-03
CIGARETTE STUBS
CLUES IN MURDER
Figure in Mysterious Staying
of w. D. Taylor, Motion
Picture Director.
STRANGER BEING SOUGHT
Remnants of Smokes Regarded as
Mute Evidence That Assassin
Lay in Waiting.
BY the Associa ted Press.

ID! the Associated presS.
LOS ANGELES. Calf, February 8
A half dozen cigarette stubs offered
today the key to mystery which for
twenty-fou- hours has been deeper
than any developed in his work by
William Desmond Taylor. noted mo-
ton picture director, slain Wednes-
day night at his home here. These
half-smoked remains, found near the
back door of his luxu-iously appoint
ed residence, according to investiga-
tors. give mule evidence that some
man apparently waited nervously
there on the evening OF the murder.
They link with statements bv Mrs.
Douglas MacLean. wife Of a motion
picture actor. that on the evening of
the murder she heard shot fired
and looking from the window Of her
home, which overlooks that of Taylor.
she saw a man, stranger TO her,
emerge from the front door of Tay-
lor's home. look back through and ap-
parently speak. close the door and de-
part.
Statement by WOrt4nen.
Another link is a statement by EN-
ployes at an oil service station nearby
that within an hour prior to that time
a stranger, whom they describe SINH
larly, asked them where W. D. Taylor
lived. and they directed him to the
place where the shooting later occur
red. The crew of a street car added
the information that at a time closely
corresponding to that which Mrs. Mac
Lean gives as of the departure Of the
mystery man from Taylor's house a
stranger boarded the car at a stop
close by. from which passengers rare
ly boarded Sar. They described him
similarly.
These revelations only served to
deepen the mystery. for Mrs. MacLean
said the stranger was not the former
servant of Taylor, whom she knew
and for whom the police are seeking.
Taylor reported to the police some
time ago this man had stolen property
and money from him. The porch light
of Taylor's home was on and Mrs.
MacLean observed him in its full
glow.
Trace Strangers Movements.
The movements of this stranger
coincide with the visit of Mabel Nor
mand. motion picture actress, to Tay
lor's home on the evening of the mur-
der. Taylor escorted Miss Normand
to her motor car and talked a few
minutes with her there: The front
door of his home was open. Investi-
gators suggest that the stranger. who
had been nervously smoking cigar
cites while waiting for an opportunity
to get at Taylor, apparently entered
the apartment while the door was
open and Taylor was out talking to
Miss Normand.
The time Miss Normand fixed as that
of her departure closely corresponds
to the time Mrs. MacLean fixes as
having heard the shot, an indication
possibly. investigators say, that the
stranger shot Taylor Immediately
after Taylor returned to the house
and seated himself before his desk to
continue work on his income. tax
statement.
Story of Movie Actress.
Miss Edna Purviance, motion picture
actress, who occupies a two-story
bungalow similar to that Of Taylor in
the same court or group of buildings.
informed police that she returned
home about midnight Wednesday and
observed lights burning in Taylor's
home. She said she thought nothing
of it as she knew Taylor to be a
reader who often remained up late.
She said she was awakened the fol-
lowing morning by screams Of Tay-
lor's negro valet. who upon reporting
for work at Taylor's house discovered
the body of his employer and fled
shrieking down the court.
Search for yalet-Secretary.
The search by police for Edward
Sands, former valet-secretary of
TAYLOR, for whom warrants on
charges of grand larceny were OBJ
tained by Taylor several weeks ago,
extends to Fresno and Sacramento,
according to the police, although
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