Evening star., 1932-05-15
MLEAN PLANNING
TO COME HOME TO
TESTIFY IN SUIT
Publisher of Washington Post,
Now III in Paris, Hopes to
Appear in Court.
ATTORNEY is DIRECTED
TO PROCEED WITH CASE
Defendant in Wife's Custer Action
Faces Possibility of Sentence
on Contempt Charge.

II Paris physicians will allow him
Edward Beale Mclean, publisher of the
Washington Post, who is reported i'll
In the French Capital, will run the
chance that he may be jailed on a
contempt of court charge to appear in
his estranged wife's suit to oust him as
co-trustee of his fathers estate, OPEN
ing tomorrow in District Supreme
Court.
Julius I. Peyser, McLean's attorney,
last night said Mclean has cabled him
to 60 ahead with the case and he will
come to the United States in time to
appear in it If he is able.
Mclean was adjudged in contempt
Of the District Supreme Court following
the receipt by Mrs. Mclean, at Christ
mas time, of a Christmas gift package
from Riga, Latvia, which, when opened,
was found to contain a summons for
Mrs. McLeans appearance in the Lat
Wan divorce proceeding filed by Nc
Lean. Mclean previously had been en-
Joined by the local court against enter
ing any divorce action in Latvia.
May Face Sentence.
While the defense that Mclean may
make to the contempt charge has not
been definitely outlined, it is believed
he will plead that the necessity of his
appearing here in the civil action in
stituted by Mrs. Mclean forbids the
court from sentencing him for con-
tempt in another action. The fact that
Mrs. McLean's action is civil and not
o criminal one leaves some room for
debate as to the Jeopardy in which
McLean's appearance would place him.
There Is ample precedent that man,
called to appear in criminal action,
cannot be sentenced on a contempt
charge growing out of another action
The case, which is expected to bring
the domestic difficulties of the McLeans
into bold and sensational relief, will
be argued before Justice Jennings
Bailey. and is expected to consume the
better part of month in trial
The suit was fled by Mrs. Mclean in
an effort to prevent the passing of the
Washington Post. which is included In
the publishers fathers estate, from the
hands of the Mclean family. Mrs.
Mclean has been represented as being
anxious to save the Post for her three
children, John R., ID, II; Edward B.,
jr., II, and Emily, 10.
A petition for the sale of the Post
was before the District Supreme Court
last June after offers for it had been
made by David Lawrence, publisher of
the United States Daily and president
OF the Consolidated Press Association,
and William Randolph Hearst, pub
Usher of the Washington Times and
Herald. The petition was vacated by
the court when Mclean, as co-trustee
of the John r. Mclean estate an
nounced that he would exercise his
veto power provided by his fathers will
and block the sale, which had been
tentatively approved by the American
Security and Trust Co., the other
trustee.
Means Is to Be Witness.
The suit is expected to bring out
sensational testimony from varied
group of witnesses, which include Gas
ton B. Means, whom Mrs. Mclean since
has accused of swindling her out of
more than 100000 on the assurance
that he could effect the return of the
Lindbergh baby to its parents. Mrs.
Means also has been subpoenaed.
Means is under $4,000 bond following
his arrest on Mrs. McLean's complaint
A total of Is witnesses has been called
by Mr.. Peyser. Mrs. McLean's at
torneys, Frank j. Hogan, Nelson T.
Harrison and Albert w. Fox, have sum-
moned 81 witnesses.
Mrs. Eleanor Patterson, editor of the
Washington Herald, is another on the
list of witnesses Subpoenaed by Mr.
PeySer. Others are Mr. Fox, former
political writer for the Post and now
one Of Mrs. McLeans attorneys; maids
and nurses at Mrs. McLean's home at
2020 Massachusetts, avenue; Miss Eliza
beth Poe, writer on the Post, who is
requested to bring all cablegrams,
radiograms and letters in her possession
from hnfh Mr. and Hrc rT
cashier of the Bethesda Bank, who is
requested to bring the contents of a
safe deposit box in the name of Edward
Beale Mclean; Peter Reynolds, super
1ntendent Of the extensive Mclean
estate Friendship" on Wisconsin ave-
nue., described as a former agent of
Scotland Yard; Mrs Bertha Martin,
former society editor of the Post, and
o "Mr. Landis," described as a former
Pinkerton detective.
Actress Sister Called.
Prominent on the list of witnesses
called by Mrs Mclean is the name of
Rose Davies, sister of Marion Davies,
famous motion picture star. Rose
Davies is reported to have been on the
same ship as Mclean on a trip to
Europe
Others called by Mrs. Mclean are:
Corcoran Thorn, president of the Amer
ican Security & Trust Co; Arthur D.
Marks, business manager of the Post;
Aubrey E. Taylor. managing editor;
Ernest S. johnson, advertising man
ager; Frank l. Williams, auditor; T. B.
Kingsbury, superintendent of the West
ern Union Telegraph Co.; Thomas P
Dowd superintendent of the Postal
Telegraph Co., and Frederick P Guth-
RE, manager of the Radio Corporation
Of America Paul Block, New York pub
Usher; Norman Baxter, former man
aging editor Of the Post, and Ira Z.
Bennett, editor of the Post
She also has subpoenaed a number of
other employees of the Post.
She has called for the report also of
L. c. Wheeler, private detective of
Hollywood. Calf.