Evening star., 1944-03-16
Attorneys 10 Present
Final Pleas Today in
Langan Custody Case

The end of the Langan custody
case was in sight today as attorneys
prepared to present final arguments
at las pm.
Presentation of the ease was COM
pleted late Yesterday when Joan
Manners, who is struggling for GUS
tody of her 1l-year- daughter,
Joan Langan. gave the court a
photograph clipped from maga-
zine or newspaper. The man in
the picture, Miss Manners asserted
is the John Manners" she claims is
, the real father of the little girl.
Both Miss Manners and her for
mer husband. John Langan, in
whose care little Joan is at present,
were recalled to the witness stand
briefly yesterday in a final attempt
on the part of attorneys for both
sides to tie up loose ends before
Justice T. Alan Goldsborough in
District Court renders a verdict.
Girl Talks to Justice.
Previously, little Joan herself
spent nearly an hour and half in
the chambers of Justice Goldsbor-
ough being questioned and cross |
examined. Her testimony was not |
made public.
The photograph of the Mr.. Man.
ners which the former actress in
sists is little Joan's real father was
worn and crumpled when it was
presented as evidence and accepted |
by the court. Miss Manners had |
previously shown the picture to
newspaper reporters. 1t showed a
handsome man of about 30, and |
underneath the name J. Manners
appeared. The first name was ap-
parently ripped off
Justice Goldsborough himself asked
Miss Manners to resume the stand
at one point and after commenting
on the missing first name recalled
that Miss Manners several days ago
had testified the full name of the
man was John L. Manners.
The name under this photograph |
appears to have the initial j." the
judge asked. What explanation do
you have for that?"
mas NO EXplanatlOn.
L have no explanation, your
honor" Miss Manners replied.
She told reporters the picture had
been published four or five years
ago. She said she had obtained the
photograph several days ago by
writing to friends in California.
Mr.. Langan, recalled to the stand
by JEFF Lichtenberg, attorney for
Miss Manners, denied he had taken
any part in deportation proceed
ings brought against his former
wife. Albert r. Archibald, chair
man of the International Visa Re-
view Committee of the Bureau of |
immigration and Naturalization,
then testified that Mr.. Langan had |
written the department four let
tiers, each time requesting informa-
tion on the status of the case.
Mr.. Archibald also said his files |
showed Miss Manners had insisted
she did not know her real name or
birthplace and that it had been
necessary to send to South Africa,
where record revealed her hame as
Lorna Brown, born in 1906. Miss
Manners previously had denied |
making such statements to immigra-
ton authorities.
Child Barred From Court.
Justice Goldsborough denied a |
request made by Mr.. Walker to
allow little Joan to be in the court
room during the arguments today
so that the court could examine /
the characteristics of the two.
The courts been thinking about
that" Justice Goldsborough said
and I think there are too many
resemblances in this world to JUS
tify any such comparison being used
as evidence in a judicial way"
Both Mr.. Langan and Miss Man.
ners were searched before the court
session began yesterday as they
were brought together for the first
time with the child since the morn
ing the father spirited the girl away
from her mother in the Ambassador
Hotel, following the granting Of
custody to Miss Manners by the
MARYLAND court