Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-21
BY the Associated Press


tigntors detailed on the case of vii.
liam Desmond Taylor, film director.
shot down in his home here three weeks
ago, were working today along lines
brought out as n result of an amplfied
statement taken yesterday from Henry
Peavey. Taylor's houseman.
They were trying to locate another
Negro said to have roomed with Peavey
have known him here. They also were
checking through Eastern sources to de-
termine whether Taylor carried any
. bank accounts in New York or other
large Eastern cities. The investigators
were silent about any progress they
were making. but said nothing Of i'm
portance had been developed in the last
few days.
A woman who claims to know of a
bitter quarrel between another woman
and Taylor. a few days beS,re he
was slain. was summoned to the Dis
trict Attorneys Office yesterday to tell
her story, which was expected TO fur
nish new clues in the investigation Of
the mysterious crime.
Precautions were taken to keep secret
the identity of the woman witness. as
she Informed Chief Deputy District
Attorney W. &. Doran she would not
appear unless she was assured she would
be shielded from publicity and that
her name would not appear in connec-
ton with the investigation.
The woman told Doran that she
l. hnth 70 In
an. with whom she said Taylor quar-.
relied several days before he was slain.
, The quarrel. according to the woman.
occurred Mt Taylor's home ana worried
the director considerably.
Deny Peavey Confession
1t was said that II the woman's story
warranted the move the woman who
quarreled with Taylor would be located
and questioned by District Attorney
Woolwine.
Additional information IS expected
from a Pittsburgh pawnbroker who re-
ported Saturday that n man giving his
name and address as George +. Sands,
404 Is. South Alvarado street. Los An.
geles," left jewelry at his shop re-
Gently.
Mabel Normand remained in strict
seciusion at her new home In Alta
dena, where She moved from her West
Seventh street apartment last Friday
night. Four guards have been STA
toned on the grounds TO prevent callers
from approaching without first stating
their business.
4 According to Miss Normand's mana.
ger. the move was made 70 enable her
I to have q more complete rest and to
recover from the nervous breakdown
which followed her collapse at Taylor's
funeral.
Watch Clue Fails
The report that detective has been
employed by big motion picture man
TO gum up the investigation Of the
murder of Taylor has now gained cir.
culation.
The detective has been working inde-
pendcntly On some angle of the murder
mystery. but has been working with the
investigators on other phases, 1t il said.
and he has been paid not 10 help find
the slayer, but to protect certain in
terests from becoming involved.
\ watch. owned by Taylor. taken into
the custody Of the public administrator
the day the body was found, had stop
that It be learned definitely whether the
watch had stopped at go o'clock in
the evening or at that hour the following
morning. In one case it was stopped
probably when n spring was broken
perhaps when Taylor fell dead. In the
other c0Se II had simply run down.
The detectives made no effort to take
the watch to an expert to determine
/ whether it had run down or had been
| broken until Saturday afternoon. They
, decided to act the first thing Monday
morning. Then it was learned the clue
was yalueless. Many people had handled
the watch since it came into the public
administrator : case. 1t had been Jug
gled and examined by almost everybody
In the office.
Chicago, Feb 81. - Mack Sennett,
! motion picture producer and employer
Of Mabel NOrnand. expressed the
opinion yesterday that William y. Tay-
lor. the director who was recently SHIN
In Los Angeles, had been killed by
( "s0mebody with grudge.' Sennett
was on his way from Los Angeles to
/ New York.
Taylor was not killed by n woman,
at least woman in the movie profess
sion" he continued. ~ knew Taylor
/ we'll and ! know who his intimares were.
Mabel Normand was not in love with
him. Taylor was cultured, refined
gentcel. lie WAS beloved by all the
! young women in the movie profession
! who knew him.
"Rut love--it's out Of the question.
Taylor was not killed because OF love
/ affair ~