The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-24
Mabel Normand, Figure in
Taylor Murder Case,
Denied Shooting.
DISEASE RAVAGE GREAT
Noted Coincidence Wasted
by Losing Battle, but
Dies Smiling.
BY GEORGE III. BEALE
United Press staff Correspondent

HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 24.-MabeI
Normand, the greatest of all screen
condolences, died without realizing
the only ambition she had during
the last months Of her illness.
She wanted to hear the confess
sion of the person who killed
William Desmond Taylor, but when
she Succumbed to tuberculosis Sun
day in the Pottenger Sanitarium at
Monrovia, the crime which has
baffIed more than one regime of Los
Angeles county prosecutors seemed
no nearer solution than the day it
was committed.
Hoped to Know
AS far back as a month before
her death, she told district attor~
ney's Office Investigators:
Il hope to God that before I die,
they find the slayer of William
Desmond Taylor.
They say that they know I didn't
do it" she kept repeating, yet
they presumably the detectives) ale
ways want to question me about it."
When Mabel Normand said that
she was in the Pottenger sanitarium
without a chance to recover from
tuberculosis.
She weighed only fifty pounds and
was unable to recognize even her
best friends.
Once the center Of q gay crowd in
Hollywood, she died almost alone.
For many weeks, not even friends
were admitted to her room.
With her when she died at 2:25
a. m. Sunday were Mrs. Julia Ben
son, constant companion for seven
years, and nurse. The actress
husband, Lew Cody, was celebrating
his birthday and was not located
before she died.
Her father, C. G. Normand. died
three weeks ago.
1t was shortly after midnight that
it became apparent that the end
was only minutes away.
Don't leave me alone, please"
she said to Mrs. Benson.
81 won't dear" the secretary re-
piled
That was at 1 a. m. From the
on Miss Normand sank rapidly.
Had Little Charm
Mabel Normand died smiliI as
she had through the mont. in
which it hardly seemed possible that
she ever would leave the sanitarium
alive.
Mrs. Benson knelt beside the bed
and whispered prayer into the ear
Of the girl, who was dying in COM
parative youth, SO years, Then Miss
Normand died.
Miss Normand's mother, Mrs.
Mary Normand, and her sister,
Gladys Normand, were reported en-
route here from New York by rail
and air to help Cody complete fu-
neral arrangements.
1t was in 1922 that the murder of
Taylor put her name in newspaper
headlines. She was the last person
seen with him before he died.
Two years later, Miss Normand
figured again in unwanted publicity,
CORTLAND S. Dimes, wealthy club
man, was shot and seriously
wounded by the actress chauffeur,
Horace A. Greer. Miss Normand
said she did not understand the
motive.
Ban Threatened
There were weeks in which II
seemed that the incident might
cause many organizations to ban
her pictures.
In November, 1924, Miss Normand
lost 100000 libel action she
brought against Mrs. Georgia w,
Church, who had named her in a dia
Vorce action.
Miss Normand was born In Boss
ton. She attended st. Mary's con-
vent at Northwest Port, Mass, I'M
til she was IS. She hoped to have q
musical career. Finally she had 70
quit school to go to work.
In New York she became a model
reputedly the discovery Of Charles
Dana Gibson, then entered the
movies as a side line. She earned SIS
day at the old Biograph studio in
support Of Mary Pickford in The
Member Of the Nets"
1t was 1917 that Mabel Normand
produced her great Mickey"