Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-03
Arbuckle Jury Can't Agree, Is Discharged
Rip Into Private Lives
of Screen Idols in Effort
to Solve TaylOr's Murder

promised TO clear the tragedy that
stunned the world Of movies when Taylor
was found shot to death in his South
Alvarado street home.
He was slain, detectives believe, less
than half an hour after a visit by Mabel
Normand, screen favorite to whom Tay-
lor was once reported engaged. Three
moving picture actresses whose names
are Household words were spitted over a
! fire of close questioning by the detec-
. tives as they carried on their investiga-
! ton Of the faster moving picture set Of
Hollywood.
The detectives pointed out that a score
Of smiling photographs of 1lm beauties
smiled down at the ugly scene of death
! and that a larger one, beautifully framed,
must have gazed at the raw crime.
| The detectives sent in to Hollywood
! to run down the slayer Of Taylor were
instructed to overlook no whisper of
gossip that might bring the answer to
the riddle Of death. They were told to
| inquire especially 1t was stated, about
a recent party" where dope, ether, CO.
caine and morphine took the place Of
= wine and whisky. The party ended IN a
savage brawl, IL was declared, IN which
| two Infatuated women attacked each other
and fought as men fight until their
clothes were ripped off. Both hf them,
, the report insists, were prominent ac-
! tresses whose names are known to the
police. They were to be questioned dur
! ing the day.
! One Of the frst visitors to the home
| Of Taylor after the tragedy had been re-
vealed was Mary Miles Mlnter, who had
been directed by Taylor In several pic
lures. Accompanied by her mother she
1 I'm 70 b.. crtR hn-
came hysterical and It was several min
utes before she was able to speak.
He was a wonderful man." she ex-
claimed, and every one who knew him
loved him. l don't know Of an enemy he
had in the world"
Edna Puryiance, once leading woman
for Charlie Chaplin. who lives near the
Taylor residence, returned home at mid
night.
/ Il saw the lights burning in Mr.. Tay-
I lor's study" she said. Il thought J
would Just pay a friendly little call.
rang the bell and knocked on rae do n
: when be didn't answer l thought he
had gone and left the lighss burninS
Just think-all the tine / was trying
/ the door he was lying dead just a few
/ feet from me"
/ Mabel Normand remained in seclusion
today In her dainty rose and old ivory
boudoir There she was persuaded 10
speak Of her friendship with the muir
! dered man.
! There was no affair Of tho heart be-
! tween US" she said; lin spite of reports
that we were engaged to marry. His
I friendship for me, l alwS cit. was
! for girl who liked the So )o- sports
! he liked. and whom he wished to help
/ from the great storehouse Of knowledge
/ he posaessed.
Frankly. / liked. to go out with him.
/ There was a wondrous dignity and sense
7 Of selection In his quiet, well bred man
ner We were the best Of pals l think
that tells 1t better than anything else.
ut seems impossible that such a high
! minded man should have an enemy who
would murder And 1t seems horrible
! that he should die such a DEATH
/ Il regret that my visit to his homo
should have interested the police 1t seems
cruel that l should be questioned about 1t.
/ have been broken up all day. But / am
In the midst OF a big picture and must
go back to my work as best ] can"