A PERFECT CRIME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16668, 25 February 1922, Page 10

A PERFECT CRIME.

THE MURDER OF TAYLOR. VANCOUVER. February 9. A message from Los Angeles says that the District Attorney, Mr Thomaa Woolwiue. 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 Kinema. 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 be solved.” A curious development is supplied by the policeman who was first on the scene of 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 of her letters and telegrams was found in Taylor's bungalow during the night search, together with a lace handkerchief initialled “ M.M.M.” 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 done 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 cf fanaticism. % Altogether the case is unique. The picture interests realise that developments may cancel the drawing power ot 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. H. Hays the new emperor of the picture who recently vacated the position of Postmaster General to manage the largest film producers’ company in the world, at a salary of £30.000 a year. Mr Hays’s position is similar to that of Judge Landis, who occupies a position controlling baseball. A message from New \ ork states that Mabel Normand has wired her father from Los Angeles that the authorities have absolved her from any possible blame for Taylor’s death and have returned her letters. An earlier message from Los Angeles stated. that the police had turned Their attention to the cross-examining of Peavey, Taylor’s coloured servant, who they are certain has not told all he knows. Tt appears that Peavey and Davis (chauffeur to Mabel Normand) conversed with a mysterious third person while Mabel Normand and Taylor were inside the bungalow.