The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-02-07
FIND NOTE 0E MARY MILES MINTER
T0SLAlN MOTION PICTURE DIRECTOR
MMVESTICATl0N OF HIS MURDER
Young Actress Does Not Deny
Authorship of Letter = Tay-
lor Buried as Police and De-
tectiyes Redouble Efforts to
Unravel Mystery, of Murder

Los Angeles, Cal, Feb. While po-
lice were sitting the constantly arriv'
] ing tips on th, case Of the murder of
William D. Taylor from various
sources today, preparations were be-
ing made for, the funeral of the dead
motion picture director this after
noon.
Taylors body was clad in the uni.
! form of captain of the British army
! 1t has BEEN viewed by thousands Of
friends and others.
A scented note dropped from one, Of
Taylor's books while police detectives
were making an examination of his ef-
fects, according to the Los Angeles
Examiner. 1t was ION the butterfly sta
tionery of Mary Miles Minter.
It read:
Decrest-I love you! love you! I
love you! xxx
Yours always, Mary
The last "X" was two inches high
followed by an exclamation point an
inch in height.
Does Not Deny Note
Miss Minter did not deny authorship
of the letter, according to the Exam
iner .
81 did love William Taylor" she
said. D.,
81 loved him deeply and tenderly
with all the admiration and respect
yourg girl gives to man with the
poise and culture of Mr. Taylor" I
Taylor and Miss Minter met at
Santa Barbara. two years ago. He
was her director VA.
Taylor is survived mot only by a
daughter in New York, Miss Ethel
Daisy Tanner. 19, but also by son
Reuben Davis Taylor, 2G in Texar
kama, Tex, according to M. H. Nc
Dowell, editor of Screenland. in an in
terview with the Los Angeles Exam
iner.
Young Taylor is said to be the son
of the dead man and woman other
than any mentioned heretofore as a
former wife of the director.
Actress Questioned
A motion picture actress was sub |
jected to what the police termed a
''long and gruelling" questioning at
her home here last night
= The actress was said TO be widely /
known, but her name was withheld by
the police Two detective sergeants !
questioned her.
What they learned they kept to
themselves but they admitted they !
were se2king to develop the previously
advanced theory that Taylor had been
slain by jealous rival for the affec-
tions of the actress. ...
An unidentified party of men, was
driven to the vicinity of the apart
ments ,of Taylor the night he was
according to q story told
the police today by a taxicab driver.
Still Search for Sands Y
What else, the chauffeur told the
police the latter did not make public,
but it was known that in the search
for the slayer of the motion picture
director, the detectives questioned six
men today
These included Charles Eyton, gen.
eral manager Of the Famous, Players
Lasky corporation, by which Taylor
had been employed, and Henry Pea
vey negro house servant of the dead
directors. '1
The questioning OF the four un-
named men, who included the chauf
feur, was in furtherance of the search
for Edward F. Sands, or Edward Fitz-
missing butler.
The chauffeurs suspicious were said /
To have been aroused after reading Of
the murder and he communicated his !
to the police. He and
were in secret conference !
with the police several hours
Two of the four men were said to
have entered into the investigation
for the first time today.
Normand Letters Missing
Twice detectives working on the
case were called together in confer
ence with Captain tof Detectives David
Adams
Mr.. Eyton had a longitalk with Cap
tain Adams and Peavey also was ques-
toned again. r
Late in the day officials declared
letters known to have been in Taylor's
possession shortly before his death.
in addition to- those said to have been /
written by Mabel Normand, film ac-
trsss, and sought by her in vain at his !
apartments after the body was found,
were missing.
No one questioned by the police so
far has admitted any knowledge Of
their whereabouts Eyton said he had !
not seen them. Miss Normand stated
she had not The public administrator !