Evening star., 1944-03-08
Langan Custody Case
May Be Closed Todav:;
Joan Due 10 Testify

Walker. attorney for John Langan.
prepared to present the last of his
witnesses in District Court when the
hearing reopens at LAS pm.
Ten-year-old Joan Langan was
scheduled to testify in behalf of the
man she has always known as her
father, although it was uncertain
her testimony would be given in
open court. Mr.. Walker yesterday
asked Justice T. Alan Goldsborough
to question the child in his cham
bers, without either the parties or
their attorneys being present. to de-
termine for himself the truth or
falsehood OF certain charges made
by Joan Manners, mother of the
girl, against Mr.. Langan.
Mr.. Langan completed his testi-
mony yesterday after four days on
the witness stand. Most of his tes-
timony was given under cross-ex-
animation by Walter Green. one of
Miss Manners attorneys. Following
Mr.. Langan on the stand was Mrs.
Madeline F. Finnell, probation Off
Ger for Montgomery County, who
said she visited the Langan home in
Chevy Chase last fall at the request
of Judge Stedman Prescott of the
Montgomery County Circuit Court
and found "a happy honeywell
furnished, tastefully decorated, spa
cious 'in one of the best sections of
Montgomery County"
Influenced by Kindness.
She said Joan was very nor
NAL" child. The girl had been in
fluenced by the six-year litigation
between the parents, she said, but
during the past two years "she has
enjoyed a mothers love" and has
been influenced "by love and kind
ness"
Mrs. Finnell said Miss Manners
told her last fall that Mr.. Langan
was not the father of the girl. She
testified the former actress told her
she had previously admitted Mr..
Langan was the father because I
had to get support for her."
During the custody trial in Rock
vile, Md, Mrs. Finnell said, Miss
Manners accused the probation Of
ficer Of perjury. Mrs. Finnell denied
this, whereupon, she said, Miss Man.
ners allegedly told her: You could
have a bad memory"
"I told her." said the witness, her
eyes on Miss Manners, that I don't
have bad memory and that I write
down conversations before going to
bed at night"
Says Gift Was Refused.
Mrs. Finnell said she. had been
asked by Miss Manners to take
dress to Joan as a gift from her, but
that the child refused to accept the
gift because she didn't want ito
think of Lorna (Miss Manners"
Before leaving the stand, Mr..
Langan said he had petitioned the
court for psychiatric examination
for his former wife in 1941 on the
advice Of probation officer in Los
Angeles. She was held for observa-
ton for eight days, he recounted,
and then released.
"She was said to be psycopathic,
but not insane" he said. "You
couldn't put all the phychopathics
in California in institutions"
He said the last valid California
court order was obtained by him
after he had paid a process server
So day for three weeks to find his
former wife and bring her into
court. He said ne left California in
June, 1942, to come to Washington
because he received a telegram from
the ONCE of Strategic Services,
where he now is employed, and had
to leave in a hurry.
And you took the child with you
without informing the court?" Mr..
Green asked.
There is nothing in the order I
have" the witness replied, which
prevents my taking the child out of
the State.
Mr.. Langan said he lost his Job
as director at Warner Bros stu
dios because Miss Manners pick
eted the studio gates with sign
denouncing him. He couldn't get
another studio position, he testi-
fed, because Hollywood executives
said, according to his agent:
For Gods sake, don't bring that
man here. She will come with a
sign"
Justice Goldsborough yesterday
said that at the conclusion of the
hearing he hopes to "end forever
this litigation in every court in the
United States" The court "sug-
gested" attorneys for both sides re-
frain from trying this case in the
Mr.. Walkers witnesses today were
expected to include Mrs. Florence
Langan, present wife of the former
director, and friends and neighbors
Of the Langans.