New-York tribune., 1922-02-09

-Four Actresses, Directors
and Others in Screen
Colony TO BE Ques.
toned i'll New Inquiry
District Attorney
Takes Up Evidence
contradictory Stories Put
Under Scrutiny; Hired
Cunman Sought in Case
Special DisrascA to Tie rrso.src


Los ANGELES, Fob Many lln
stars Will be submitted to searching
Interrogation tomorrow when District
Attorney Thomas Leo Woolwine under
takes a thorough Investigation Of the
circumstances in the murder Of WILL
IAN D. Taylor in his bungalow apart
mcut the night OF February l. Tho
prosecutor was called upon to uso his
most eyectlve means Of drawing facts
from unwilling witnesses tonight.
after Z week of work in the film colony,
both police and shcritf's investigators
had failed to uncover even the primary
facts concerning tho mysterious movcn
that preceded the firing &c tho fatal
shot in Taylcv's homo.
IT Is known that -Four women stars,
several directors and loag list of
persons connected with tho screen VIII
be subjected to crosse examination a!
The hands Of the district attorney.
WoolwiNc hos refused TO d gcuss his
plans or make public his roll Of wit
ncsscs. II is known. however. that
the police have placed all o. the .tor-
les, involving numerous contradictions
and discrepancies of the part of those
who originally told them, in b 8 hands.
Murder Warrant May Follow
II is considered certain that Miss
Mabel Normand, Miss Marv Miles Min
ter, Miss Claire Windsor, Mr.. and Mrs
Douglas Mac1can and several we'll
known directors viii be among thc first
Witncsso questioned The prosecutor
expects to call for a murder warrant
Immediately at the conclusion OF his
informal hearing. Investigators frorl
his office. who have been working
secretly on tho case for forty ight
hours. make it plain that not only viii,
, the personal activities Of Taylor be un-
der the scrutiny Of the prosecutor. buv
the entire film colony, as far as it may
relate to Taylor's recent life, will be
Scrutini7eC.
in learning whether any person in
VOWED in the case is responsible for
the disappearance OF Mabel Normand =
letters and tclerrams to tie dead di-
rector, the pink silk nightdresscs and
the monogrammcd handkerchief that
were seen but permitted to disappca
from the Taylor bungalow before the
arrival OF the police WHO since have
guarded the place
Reports Of the sinister influence Of q
ring Of drug and liquor dealers also
arc being nyestigatcd. Although il
has been known that the police were
Investigating such rumors, it is not
believed that tangible evidence con
Meeting the bootleggers with the mur.
der mystery has been uncovered
Police to-day arc seeking a profes-
siuNal runman Of several aliases and
many accomplishments or the theory
that Taylor was The victim of cold,
blooded murder by proxy. Evidence
uncarthcd III the last twenty-four
hours seems to prove couclusvely
that the murder, accomplished with
out the slight slip on the part of the
mind that planned it, was not executed
! by a novice, or even a man actuated BY
motives Of personal vengeance, but b.
hircliug schoolcd in the handling o.
, { revolver
Expert Gunman Disappears
II has been learned that gunnar
cN-conyct and crook OF much versa
tility, disappeared from his haunts two
hours before the shooting of Taylor 6
week ago tonight. He has not since
been seen in or about Los Angeles
IS he had expressed no intention OF
quitting his rooms herein fact. left
part OF his belongings is thought
certain his flight was decided upon il
great haste. and without desire 20,
publicity in connection with it.
Questioning OF Howard Fellows, Tay-
lor's chauffeur, revealed that he prob
ably was the mysterious man" seer
just outside The front door Of Taylor's
homo lew minutes after the firing
OF the shot that took the life Of the
director
Follows, in his statement to-day &c
/ Captain David l.. Adams, OF the Detec-
tive bureau. said that he had expected
10 arrive at the Taylor home st 1886
o'clock on the night OF February
when Taylor was killed. but did not
reach there until 1865 p. III. Tapping
on the door he failed to elicit f re
sponsc. All the lights were burning II
every room en- the lower floor Of The
house, he said. The chauffeur con
tirued to rap on front and rear doors
but not arousi.lg Taylor, departed.
1t is obvious. the police assert. tla
Taylor already had been shot and tina
his body was lying on the floor Of hi:
study at this time. Mabel Normena
The last known visitor at T'aylor's house
fcontinued on page four