“PERFECT CRIME."

Gisborne Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6321, 25 February 1922, Page 5

“PERFECT CRIME ."

GIGANTIC PLOT TO DESTROY EVIDENCE. MURDER OF W. D. TAYLOR, DOPE PARTIES AND LOVE CULT. VANCOUVER, February 9. A message from Los Angeles says that the District Attorney, Mr. Thos. Wool wine, in a statement declares that the police had been bribed, witnesses silenced, and evidence destroyed in a gigantic plot engineered behind the scenes in filmland. Meanwhile the Cinema Producers’ Association has issued a .statement on the murder of Director W. D. Taylor, saying that it is “a perfect crime from a criminal’s standpoint, and probably never will he solved.”

A curious development is supplied by the policeman who was first on the scene 01 the crime. He says that the body of the dead director was laid out carefully. The arms were arranged and a chair was overturned across the legs. Mabel Normand suffered a complete collapse. A. package ox hed letters and telegrams was found in Taylor’s bungalow during the night search, together with a lace handkerchief initialled “MALM.”

Telegrams between Mabel Normand and Taylor were exchanged when the former was filming “The Slim Princess,” while Taylor was directing Mary Miles Minter in “Anne of Green Gables.” The District Attorney has ordered an investigation into the so-called dope parties and into a love cult, which included the Taylor clique, and was steeped in Oriental mysticism. The rituals of the cult are said to have affected the devotees to the point of fanaticism.

Altogether the ease is unique. The picture interests realise that developments may cancel the drawing power cf several stars, and perhaps cripple the industry.

Several leading newspapers are demanding an immediate investigation into the moral conditions of Hollywood. the great motion picture centre, by Mr. W. 11. ITsvs. the new emperor of the picture industry, who recently vacated the position cf PostmasterGeneral to manage the largest film producers’' company in the world, at a salary of £30,000 a year. Mr. Hays'" position is similar to that of Judge Landis, who occupies a itositicn controlling basehall.

| IMPORTANT CLUB. FORMER BUTLER SUSPECTED. j STORY OF HIRED GUNMEN. j A message from l.os Angeles stares | that a most important clue has been unearthed in connection with the in- : quiry into the death of William Dts- ! mond Taylor, the movie director, i The clue again turns suspicion agj ainst Edward Sands, Taylor s former 1 butler, as the murderer, j Charles Carson, a retired master ! mariner, told the police that Sands, j three months ago. hired two friends of I Ills, who were gunmen, to shoot a "moi vie magnate named Taylor.” Carson ! that he forgot the incident until I the murder occurred. A message from New York states ■ that Mabel Xormand has wired her father front Los Angeles that the atti thorities have absolved her from any i possible blame for Taylor's death arm have returned her letters. ! An earlier message from Los Anf g-eles stated that the police had turned i their attention to the cross-examining of Peavey. Taylor’s colored servant, j who they are certain has not told all ! he knows. . It appears that Peavey and Davis (chauffeur to Mabel Normand) «oni versed with a mysterious third person j while Mabel NorntanA and xa>loi i were inside the bungalow. Another collection of letters tremi * women lias been found amongst Tay- ■ lor’s effects. Some detectives hold ' the theory that Taylor was killed by a i dope-crazed man. who was the mstruj menfc of cocaine-sellers infesting Hoif lvwood. against whom Taylor was . known to have felt enmity because a i girl movie friend of his was being supj plied with drugs by them.