Evening star., 1944-03-07
kidnapping Warrant
Against langan Is
Refused by Court

keIuSeQ by I0un
Joan Manners today lost an
other decision to her former
husband, John Langan, when
the Municipal Court of Appeals
refused to direct Judge Thomas
D. Quinn Of the Municipal Court
to issue a kidnapping warrant.
In a decision handed down by
Chief Judge william e. Richardson,
the appellate court dismissed a Pc
tition for a writ Of mandamus di-
rected against Judge Quinn which
would have compelled him to issue
the warrant he and United States
Attorney Edward M. ,Curran pre-
viously had denied.
Miss Manners, through her at
torneys, sought to compel the lower
court to issue the warrant against
her former husband after he came
to her hotel on February Is and
took her 10-year-old daughter, Joan
Langan, who had just been placed
IN her custody by order of q Mary
land court.
. Walter Green and Jeff Lichten-
berg, attorneys for the former Hol-
lywood actress, attempted to obtain
a kidnapping warrant for Mr.. Langan
from Judge Quinn on February %.
When the request was turned down
they filed the mandamus petition
in the appellate court.
Langan TO Continue on Stand.
Mr.. Langan was scheduled to 70
back on the stand in District Court
at 1:45 pm. today to continue the
story of his relations with Miss
Manners during the last 13 years.
The self-possessed witness, under
cross-examination yesterday after
noon, provided several new details
adding to the confusion into which
the case was plunged a week ago
today when Miss Manners first de-
MED Mr.. Langan was the father of
Joan.
The hearing was resumed yester-
day after the court received the
sealed report of a blood test con-
Quoted on Mr.. Langan, Miss Man.
ners and little Joan indicated Mr..
Langan could be the girls father.
The child's grouping is within
the possibility of that resulting from
the union Of the above alleged
parents" DR.. Oscar B. Hunter re-
ported. "and the child is apparently
their offspring"
New Sensation Aired.
Twice during the two and half
hours he was on the stand, Mr..
Langan contributed new nsations
to the case that has already been
well saturated with dramatic reye-
lations.
He first met Miss Manners. the
witness testified, not, as his former
wife said last week, while he was
delivering a script to her from Neil
Hamilton, Hollywood actor of 10
years ago, but instead while he was
on a confidential mission for Mr..
Hamilton to talk to Miss Manners
about threats she allegedly was
making to the actor.
Mr.. Langan said he met Miss
Manners at Hollywood drugstore
in the spring of 1881 and discussed
with her threats she was making to
call Mr.. Hamilton's wife and reveal
certain information.
What kind of information?"
asked Mr.. Green.
He had been indiscreet with
her." Mr.. Langan began, and"
What is indiscreet in Holly
wood ~ interposed Justice T. Alan
GoldSborough, who is hearing the
case. Mr.. Lapgan explained for the
benefit Of the court record.
49, Believed Her Statement.
He went son to say that. after
hall An. hour Of conversation with
Miss Manners, who then used the
name Lorna Browne, he was con-
vinced she was telling the truth and
Mr.. Hamilton was not. Miss Man
ners, he said, was demanding 81 500
OF the actor, and he went to Mr..
Hamilton, who was then a dramatic
pupil Of his, and told him he be-
lieved the actor to be in the wrong.
Where Is Mr.. Hamilton now?"
asked Mr.. Green.
The last I heard of him he was
with the USO," the witness replied.
II believe he was in Alaska"
do you know whether he's avail
able?"
"Oh, yes, Mr.. Green, he's avail
able. There's a quit claim avail
able, too. for $500 signed by Lorna
Browne. You can find that in the
of11ce of a Hollywood lawyer whose
name is Houlihan."
Mr.. Langan said he had fire.
quently implored Miss Manners to
become his wife after little Joan
was born, but she refused to marry
him until 1898.
when a woman has no con-
science" he said, mo principles, you
can't take her by the scruff of the
neck to a minister. You can only
ask her"