The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-06-09
SONS
DEFEND FATHER
Youngsters Blush at Tenor
of Questions; Comedian
Denies Charges
BY FREDERICK c. OTHMAN
UNITED Press Staff CORRESPONDENT

NOhteu ETcSS otdH correspondent
Hollywood, June 9-(UP)-Char-
lie Chaplin prepared today for his
first round in court with Joan Barry
who accuses him of being the father
Of her unborn child.
The multi-millionaire comedian
denying any responsibility for the
condition Of the red-haired Miss
Barry, goes to domestic relations
court tomorrow to protest the pos
sibility Of being ordered to pay Miss
Barry $1,000 month and her medi-
cal bills until her suit goes to trial
probably in the fall.
A week from tomorrow the white
haired Chaplin, who says Miss
Barry's charges have so upset him
no longer can make movies, appears
in another court to answer her suit
in which she asks $4,000 plus $2,50C
month permanently for herself
and child.
The county grand jury asked Dis
trict Attorney Fred N. Howser to
report to 1t on the case. Howser's
investigators are questioning every
one even remotely connected with
the case, including Chaplin's But
Ter, Coma O'Neill and the two teen
gao sons Of Chaplin and Lita Gray
The Butler had little to say. Miss
O'Neill, the 18-year-old daughter of
the playwright, Eugene O'Neill, sent
the officers scurrying for diction-
airy when she announced:
my ASSOCIATION with Mr.. Chaplin
is entirely on the esoteric side. He
Is teaching me 10 be an actress and
he Is truly great teacher"
The Investigators quest oned
Charlie Chaplin, Jr., IS, and his
brother, Sidney, IT, about their
knowledge Of Miss Barry, who spent
months studying under their father
to become an actress. Miss Barry
said she not only learned about
Shakespeare during that time, but
suffered two illegal operations and
eventually became an expectant
mother.
The boys, blushing at the tenor
of the questions, defended their
father.
The detectives, Phil Towers and
Herbert Grossman, particularly were
interested in the night in December
when Miss Barry allegedly broke
into the Chaplin mansion on summit
drive and threatened the comedian
with a gun.
I'VE were sleeping in the house
all right, but we didn't see Miss
Barry or the gun" young Charlie
said. 1--WE heard the next morning
that she was there. Edwards, the
butler, told us what happened"
In answering general questions
about their fathers feminine asso-
ciates, both boys said they never
had seen any girls spending the
night in the Chaplin home. Sidney
said he had met Miss Barry, likec
her, and had written her letter
when he went away to school.
What about Oona O'Neill," asked
Grossman, did she ever sleep ir
your fathers house,"
Miss ONeill never was there
without her mother" snapped Sid
ney, while Charles, Jr., nodded
agreement.
Lawyers for the 23-year- Mis-
Barry issued a statement in hel
name concerning telegram from
a Chaplin in a Texas army camp
who said one of the soldiers there
had confessed intimacy with hel
and believed he was the father O.
her child-to-come.
That is utterly ridiculous" Mis-!
Barry was quoted Il never wa
on intimate terms with any soldier
and I never heard of this one.
"A soldier wrote me some far
letters when my case first got OF
the front pages. Those letters arr
in the hands of my attorneys ant
will be turned over to the propeI
authorities should it turn out d.
be the same one who is now claim
ing to be the father of my unborn
child.
ut seems awfully funny that an,
soldier would be so eager to ASSUME
the responsibility of supporting m,
coming child. think there is mucl
more than meets the eye in thi
situation"