Chapter 19 ~ The Disappearance of Ann Toth
No Publicity
Ann Toth remains a mystery in the Black Dahlia story, in part because she disappeared after the investigation by the district attorney.
Ann was questioned by the Los Angeles Police Department shortly after the murder was discovered. She and Mark Hansen went to see homicide detectives as soon as they heard that authorities were looking for an “Anne Todd.”
A document from the district attorney files, entitled, “EVIDENCE AND DECLARATIONS TENDING TO CONNECT OR DISCONNECT MARK HANSON WITH THE MURDER OF ELIZABETH SHORT,” says, in part:
“On January 16, 1947, after investigating officers had received information that Elizabeth Short had a friend, supposedly by the name of Anne Todd, they attempted to locate this person. At approximately 11:00 a.m., officers received a telephone call from Anne Toth, who stated she was a friend of Elizabeth Short and was living at 6024 Carlos Street and that Elizabeth Short lived there with her, and that she was probably the friend referred to as Anne Todd. She appeared at the office of the Homicide Detail with Mark Hanson shortly after noon of the 16th. At that time she gave an account of meeting Elizabeth Short; that Elizabeth Short had lived at the address on two occasions where she was living and where she moved. Most of the names she could think of were friends of Elizabeth Short.
“Mark Hanson verified her statements at that time, but declined to talk where there was any chance of newspaper reporters being present, or any chance of any publicity. When Mark Hanson and Anne Toth came into the office there were approximately twenty reporters and photographers in the office. Anne Toth identified herself and was photographed and talked to by news reporters. Hanson, on being asked his identity by reporters, stated he was nobody — he was merely her (Anne’s) chauffeur.”
Another time, Ann remarked to D.A. investigators that Mark didn’t want his name mentioned. “Well, he used to get provoked at me about mentioning his name, he, at that time, to the papers, and one thing and another, which I didn’t. Only they found the address book and, of course , they got his name, but I didn’t mention his name or anything.”
Ann was also interviewed several times by investigators for the grand jury. She made it known that she did not want publicity. She telephoned Sgt. Finis Brown in 1949 to ask if two men who contacted her were actually from the police department, as they had indicated. When Ann told Brown their names were Wagner and Ahern, Brown told her to “go ahead and talk with them.” Brown said Ann told him, “I have a lot of adverse publicity in this case and I don’t want to take any chances – .”
Another time, when Ann gave her telephone number to Lt. Frank Jemison during questioning, she asked, “None of this will be in the paper, will it?”
Later, Jemison asked, “Everything that you are telling us can be used confidentially, of course, in our secret files?” Ann replied, “I insist it be that way.”
After the grand jury disbanded at the end of the year, the active investigation of the murder of Elizabeth Short began a descent that led to cold case oblivion. The last known time that investigators interviewed Ann was in 1950.
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Many central characters in the Black Dahlia story disappeared over time. Ann Toth, possibly Beth’s closest friend in Hollywood, disappeared as well. Trying to follow her story is like chasing clouds.
