Evening star., 1944-03-02

O~
Actress Faces More
Cross-Exominotion
ByLoneon's Counsel
Justice T. Alan Goldsborough to-
day was prepared to devote the re-
mainder Of the days court session
to hearing the Langan custody case
after the proceedings were resumed
this morning.
Joan Manners, who is battling to
recover custody Of her 10-year-old
daughter, Joan Langan, from her
former husband, John Langan, was
scheduled to 60 back on the witness
stand for futher cross-examination
by Charles Walker, attorney for Mr..
Langan. It was believed probable
the entire session would be taken
up by additional testimony from
the former screen actress.
Miss Manners was on the stand
for more than two hours yesterday
as she related the complicated de-
tails of her Hollywood life. She
asserted that she had married Mr..
Langan twice-once in 1881 and
again in 1938-but that "as far as
I'm concerned, I've never been mar
ried to him."
At the same time, she testified
the real father of her daughter is
a former Hollywood writer, whose
name she gave as John Manners"
This man, she said, had seen the
child only once, when Joan was
about 2h years old, and then only
for half an hour.
Didn't Want to Fight Both.
Il was anxious to get him out
Of my life," Miss Manners said. II
didn't want to fight two men over
my daughter"
did he ever fight you for his
daughter" asked Charles Walker,
attorney for Mr.. Langan.
II think he would have If I'd given
him the chance" the former actress
said.
Miss Manners, who won custody
of the child in the Montgomery
County Circuit Court in Rockville,
Md, last Thursday night, only to
lose the child again when Joan
walked out of a downtown hotel
with Mr.. Langan 10 hours later.
testified she first married Mr.. Lam
gan "for technical purpose"
She explained that Mr.. Langan
knew she was not an American
citizen at that time and that she
considered his knowledge of the
situation dangerous" because she
didn't think she could trust him.
She said she paid him $500 at this
time, and that the money was later
used to produce short film called
''The Malibu Beach Colony"
Joan, she said, was born on March
IA, 1888. She entered the hospital,
she recalled, under the name Of
Mrs. John Langan. .,,.s,s,.,as,,...
y TeIn Nfg1 1858 ResAarfsnge.@sx
i Reciting details Of her marriage
ito Mr.. Langan in 1898, Miss Man
5ners said she had lefBs Jcan - tlSe
custody of a woman IN CAIffofnf&
and had gone to New York to seek
stage career. She was called home,
she said, when she learned Mr..
Langan had taken the child to his
home. When she arrived, she went
to see lawyer, who lent her his
limousine and chauffeur to find the
girl. Little Joan was found playing
in front Of Mr.. Langan's home, she
said, and they took her away.
A few weeks later, she said, she
was persuaded to marry Mr.. Lam
gan again by her attorney, who ad-
vised her Mr.. Langan, at that time
dialog director In Hollywood, could
file abandonment charges against
her because of her New York trip.
She said she went through a cere-
mony, but did not consider it bind.
ing.
The trick" she explained to the
court, was that the marriage turned
out to be legal.
Case Called Mess"
Justice Goldsborough character
lied the case as "a filthy mess" but
added, Il can't do anything about
it." He overruled frequent motions
OF Miss Manners attorneys to ex-
clude some of the testimony, inas-
much as he said he would have to
hear all the facts If he was expected
to rule on the habeas corpus writ,
on which the current hearing Is held,
Meanwhile, Judge Thomas D.
Quinn Of the Municipal Court has
been given until Monday to show
cause why a kidnapping warrant
should not be issued against Mr..
Langan at the request of Miss
Manners. Judge Quinn refused to
issue such a warrant on Monday
after United States Attorney Ed
ward M. Curran had refused on
Friday.
At the same time, former States
Attorney Ben G. Wilkinson of Mont
gomery County was studying records
in the Rockville case to determine
whether a perjury warrant should
be issued against Mr.. Langan on
the complaint of Miss Manners.
Mr.. Langan already faces a con-
tempt citation issued by the Mary
land court, but has not appeared at
his Chevy Chase home since last
Friday and cannot be extradited
from the District to Maryland on
the contempt charge.
II the perjury warrant Is issued,
1t would be possible to bring extra
dition proceedings against him here
for his return to the Maryland court.
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