Evening star., 1944-03-25
Court Blocks Defense
Attempt 10 Probe
Joan Berry's Past

BY the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, Mar. 25.-A love
letter Joan Berry wrote to Charlie
Chaplain was in the court record of
his Mann Act trial today, but ef-
forts by the movie comedians coun-
sci to probe into her romance with
another man have been blocked by
Judge j. F. T. O'Connor.
Just what will be the method of
approach by the defense when the
trial is resumed Tuesday was not
disclosed by Jerry Giesler, Chaplin's
lawyer.
"The courts ruling greatly limits
our proposed Defense" Mr.. GieSler
told newsmen. ''It simply means
that we cannot now go into certain
phases of Miss Berry's past"
The ruling followed an attempt by
Mr.. Giesler to have Joan say
whether she told a man named Hans
Reusch otherwise unidentified)
that she was broke but could get
money from q man in Oklahoma be-
cause she had made trip to Mexico
with him land there Is law
against that in the United States;
he can't do that"
Completes Testimony.
Joan didn't have to answer, and
apparently she won't have to an
swer questions about associations
with any man other than Chaplin,
under Judge O'Connor's decree. She
completed her direct and cross
examination testimony late yester-
day, but United States Attorney
Charles H. Carr said he might re-
call her later.
Tears rolled down Joan's face
when when Mr.. Giesler began read
ing q letter she wrote to Chaplin
November 18, 1912, from Tulsa, Okla.
She lowered her head and hid her
face from the gaze of the jury of
seven women and five men as Mr..
Giesler read: THANK you, Charles,
for letting me know you-you, the
greatest genius and artist living.
You never really knew of the count
less sleepless nights and millions of
unsent letters. You'd laugh at them,
but they were pretty real to me. I
know you're not interested in my
plans, but I'd like to tell you, any,
way. I'm going back to New York
to get married Cthere really is boy
who wants to marry me)."
There was an argument between
lawyers on the admissability of an
other letter, dated November %,
1912, and Joan began to cry again.
The court ruled out the first page
and six lines of the second page.
Courtroom flushed.
There was a hush in the court
room as Mr.. Giesler read, from one
Of the letters, this passage:
I'm this whole stupid mess there
are only two things that remained
perfect. 1 never doubted for one
second that was to be Bridget (the
role she presumably was to have had
in Chaplain picture). That knowl-
edge compensated for the pain felt
when I knew that was never really
close to you.
81 thought that loving you and
knowing that you never wanted or
would never allow me to become a
part of your life was torture, but
now that I know I am not to be
Bridget, my cup is full must
admit, though, that after the way
I've acted it's the only thing you
could do. 1t was wonderful to
have almost been Bridget"
Tells Of Intimacies.
Previously Joan had testified she
had relations with Chaplin in his
New York hotel apartment. She
said she returned to Los Angeles
alone and later accompanied him
to a night spot.
Mr.. Giesler drew from her the
admission she went to Oklahoma
City for a week and, coming back
to Los Angeles, registered here at
q hotel under an assumed name.
Joan told the jury she went to
Chaplin's Beverly Hills home De-
cember %, 1912, entering the resi-
dence by breaking the glass in a
door. She said she had gun in
her slack suit coat. She said she
engaged in an act of intimacy with
Chaplin that night, and the next
morning surrendered the gun after
the comedian gave her $50 or $50.