Winthrop Clavering a mystery writer, is continually ridiculed for the fiction of the crimes he depicts, so he decides to solve a case himself. To that end, he determines to find the slayer of Pedro Alvarez, who whispered before dying that his assailant was a woman. At the City Refuge for Homeless Girls, Clavering obtains the assistance of Margaret Holt, the sister of Victor Holt, the district attorney. Margaret, it is revealed, was abducted by Juanita, a member of a gang of white slavers led by Alvarez. After escaping from a brothel, Margaret became Alvarez' stenographer, hoping to gather secret information on his gang. While searching for evidence, Margaret was surprised by Alvarez, whom she killed. Finally, Clavering captures the gang, clears Margaret, and encourages her romance with cub reporter Jack Howell. This film is presumably lost.
A man and two women, suspected of stealing bonds, are traced to a country hotel. While Judith, one of the women, is out horseback riding, the other two, Walter and Vera, are arrested. When, during a storm, Judith is injured in a fall from her horse, Boone Pendleton comes to her rescue. Soon the river becomes impassable, and they are trapped in Boone's cabin, where the two fall in love.
After serving fifteen years of a twenty-year prison term for embezzlement, Joe Moore is released early for good behavior. In New York, he finds Matthew Owens and James Horton, his former business associates, and demands that they pay what they owe him.
Wealthy spinster, Rachel Innes rents a country house with her niece and nephew for the summer, only for a series of strange occurrences and a murder at the house's circular staircase to lead to shocking revelations about the home's owner and the family secrets within the house.
Guido, an artist, is obsessed with the desire for the death of Clavering, a rich man who has entered into a forced marriage with Margaret, the girl whom Guido loves. The thought accompanies him in his work, his sleep and fills his every moment. One night, he awakens from a dream in which he has murdered Clavering. The next morning, Clavering is found murdered and Guido labors under the uncanny feeling that he is the murderer. Hoping to relieve Guido's fears, Margaret induces him to paint the picture of his dream. Clavering's butler sees the painting of his dead master, and is so horror stricken that he confesses to murdering Clavering for his money.
While touring India, noted English criminologist Richard Duvall saves the life of a Buddhist priest who rewards him with the presentation of a wonderful crystal globe. By gazing in it the priest demonstrates that Duvall can fall into a cataleptic state and his astral body is released and is free to roam at will. Shortly afterward he uses the orbs powers to help his lady love Grace Ellicott solve the murder of her aunt and restore her fortune.
When Harlan Carr inherited his Uncle Ebenezer's "Jack-O Lantern" house and too his bride there to live, he found himself the unwilling host of a score of hungry relatives within a week. Soon, strange things began to happen. A black cat made the house his headquarters, unexplained sounds could be heard and a shadowy figure floated through the halls at night.
Chaney plays two roles: mad scientist Arthur Lamb and Lamb's "experiment", known only as the Ape Man. This hideous creature was the result of Lamb's attempts to transplant animal glands into human beings. A lost film.
Young London realtor Leonard Tavernake becomes involved with two sisters, one good and one evil, which leads to much melodrama but things work out in the end.
A man assists a woman to dispose of the body of her stepfather....
A doctor who cannot figure out what is wrong with his patient refers him to a detective, whom he hopes will be able to discern the cause of his mysterious illness.
After coming under suspicion for a computer technician's murder, six hackers team up to try to find the real killer.
Much-married and once successful writer Henry T. Aythecliff, now heavily in debt, summons his three ex-wives to his mansion, planning to extort a sizable amount of money from each. When he is discovered dead, clues indicate that each of his four wives had motive and opportunity to murder him, and a young detective must sift through some ingeniously devised evidence.
A murdering skyjacker parachutes to safety and poses as a novice monk in an isolated New Mexico monastery.
Wife of wealthy ladies' man Challis Wrandall, Sara, is called to a roadhouse to identify her husband's body and told that he was murdered by an unidentified woman. On her way home, Sara rescues a young woman who is about to drown herself. Believing the woman, Hetty Castleton, to be the murderer, Sara offers her employment in the Wrandall home as her companion. Because her husband and his family treated her so coldly during her married life, Sara seeks revenge by arranging a romance between her brother-in-law Leslie and Hetty, but the latter has fallen in love with artist Brandon Booth and refuses to marry young Wrandall. Sara threatens to expose the girl, but just then a detective appears and accuses Sara of the crime. Hetty confesses, explaining to the family that Challis had lured her to the inn and attacked her. The Wrandalls forgive her, and she leaves her home in Booth's company.
Having been rejected by Phyllis Leigh in favor of wealthier suitor Peter Lester, Hugh prevents Elinor Ashe from drowning herself. Hugh recklessly marries Elinor, but they occupy different wings of his house. Lester and Phyllis arrive as guests, and a new manservant favored by Elinor is hired. When Lester is murdered, the servant is charged with the crime, and Elinor admits to Hugh that he is indeed her father, recently released from prison. While in the company of Marcia Marshall, Hugh discovers her husband Harley dying in a Chinese opium den. He confesses that, victimized by Lester, he killed him. Elinor's father is released, and she reconciles with Hugh.
This silent mystery is considered a lost film.
Cordelia Marlowe comes from a society family that has lost its fortune. She falls into the clutches of D.K. Franklin, a crooked lawyer who specializes in blackmail, and finds herself involved in Franklin's scheme to extort money from a family friend. She sets out to protect her friend's money and expose Franklin for the thief he is.
Pursued by two suitors, James Brunton and Bob Standing, Grace chooses James followed by a sumptuous wedding at his family home. Suddenly a shot rings out and James’s father is fatally wounded. Just before dying Mr. Brunton makes James promise not to apprehend the murderer. Later trouble arises when Grace suspects James of an involvement the young Helen. Crushed, Grace leaves home settling in another town. Shortly after James has a car accident and is taken to Grace's nearby house. When Helen and Bob arrive, it is revealed that Helen is James’s sister. Mr. Brunton had abandoned Helen's mother Alice years before and it was Alice who fired the fatal shot. James and Grace are reconciled.
Sherlock Holmes solves a murder rooted in the Mormon trek of 1850.