The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-02-09
TURN CAMERA
OF LAW
TO HOLLYWOOD
Will Try to Gain Information
From No;ed Persons IN Film
World in Effort to Solve
Mystery.
SEARCH IS CENTRALIZED
tBy associated Press,

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8.-The cam
era of the district attorneys office
was turned today toward Hollywood
to imprint all the information that can
be obtained from noted actors, ac-
tresses, producers, directors and 9TH
ers in order to find a solution of the
mystery of the death a week ago last
night of William Desmond Taylor,
noted director, formerly known as
William Cunningham Deane-Tanner,
who was shot to death in his home.
District attorney Thomas Lee Wool
wine, it was announced, turned the
case of Madelynne Obenchain on trial
for murder over to his chief deputy
and devoted his attention to the Tay-
lor tragedy.
Complex angles of facts that oc-
Cured since the murder, which inves-
tigators say give strong indications of
connections with the murder itself
were placed under exhaustive scrut-
my.
Method of Investigation.
They include recovery of a packet
of letters, including some written by
Mabel Normand. This packet was
| found late yesterday al the murder
| house in boot in closet on the
| floor. above that in which the MUIR
| der was committed.
Centralized Probe.
The centralized investigation will be
| carried out as follows:
| Questioning of several wealthy and
| influential producers, one of whom
/ had been questioned before in the
f, case.
| Questioning of number of film di-
! rectors, two of whom have been ex-
| amined by police
! Questions of at least four motion
| picture actresses in an effort to de-
velop further information concerning
the theory of a woman being the mo-
tive for the Staying.
Questioning of two men. not con-
| nected with motion pictures alon,,
lines of jealousy, as a motive in the
case
Close examination of former en-
ployes of the slain director, in order
to reveal intimacies of the past that
came under their observation.
Those 10 Be Questioned
Among those who will figure in the
investigation are: Mabel Normand
Mary Miles Minter, Neva Gerber and
/ Claire Windsor, motion picture act
| reSses, the first three of whom have
been reported to have been parties to
love affairs with Taylor; Henry Pea
vey, negro houseman, who found the
| body; Howard Fellows, former chauf-
feur of Taylor Charles Eyton. man.
ager of the famous players Lasky stu
dios, in which Taylor was employed:
Mrs. Douglas Mclean, wife of a mo-
tion picture actor neighbor of Taylor,
who saw stranger leaving the Tay-
lor doorway after hearing shot there
on the night of the murder; and num-
erous others concerning whom bits of
information have come to the inves-
tigators.
: Police authorities here are keeping
close check on steamship passengers
leaving this port to Illustrate, they
said any attempt on the part of Ed
ward Sands, former butler of Taylor.
to escape across the Pacific Author
tiles believe he may attempt to get
to the Far East by steamer from San
) Francisco.
There have been no developments
in the search for a reputed brother
of Sands, reported to have moved
from Los Angeles to San Rafael,
Calf, recently.
Outlines Procedure.
1t had been previously announced
evidence in the ease from all sources
whether gathered by city police de.
tectives or by deputies of the sheriff
would be turned over to Mr. Doran
and all forces including detectives as
signed to the district attorneys Of
i flee, would pool their energies In try
ing to solve the mystery
Miss Normand, who once searched
the Taylor apartments for her letters
ana who is said to be i'll as a result
OF collapse al the Taylor funera
: Iuesday, has been quoted as sayins
her only desire to regain possession
of the letters it was founded on feal
!, that some of the phrases in then
y would be misunderstood. She sait
8 she felt a strong friendship for tn,
: : director, but there had no serious loy,
! affair between them.
second handkerchief found It's
way into the investigation when abou
the same time the detectives said the,
found the letters in boot in close
? IN the Taylor apartments, Henry Pea
= vey. Taylor's negro houseman, as sud
. denly found handkerchief bearing
Q the initials M M. NJ"
Grand Jury Probe
q. A handkerchief previously reported
e found near the body shortly after tn,
+ murder was discovered, but since salt
IL to be missing, was alleged to have
r borne the letter~"S." 1t is regarded
as improbable that a complain
charging murder will be issued agains
any person in connection with thi.
case until after the whole affair has
been presented to the county grane
u jury which has not yet been I'm
iii paneled for 1922.
Meantime although the sheriff,
deputies profess to scout the theor,
~ that Edward F. Sands, former butler
q secretary for Taylor, could throw an,
- light on the case, the police detective
~ remain firm in their announced belle
~ the mystery will not be solved unit
- he has been found.
&c LOS ANGELES, Calf, Feb. g.
le Army records and papers found toda
ey In the home of William Desmond TIA,
lor, prove according to officials OF th
70 Famous Players-Lasky company tina