Evening star., 1944-03-05
John Manners
Appearance in
Court Sought
Efforts to locote
Purported Father Of
Joan Loneon Revealed

Walter Green, attorney for Joan
Manners, who is fighting for the
custody of her 10-year-old daugh-
ter, Joan Langan, last night an
nounced an effort is being made to
produce John Manners, who, Miss
Manners said, is the father of the
child.
Mr.. Green said he and JEFF Lich-
tenberg, also representing Miss
Manners, were trying to locate Mr..
Manners before the current habeas
corpus hearing, brought by the for
mer actress against John Langan,
from whom she was divorced in
1899, is concluded by Justice T.
Alan Goldsborough.
Miss Manners described Mr.. Man.
ners as being feet / inch tall and
having light brown hair and blue
eyes. She offered no other details.
She testified that all she knew of
him was that he was a writer, "or
trying to become a writer" She
said she did not know what he had
written or where he was now.
AcilS Oh fNOne Cau.
Mr.. Green said a last night tele-
phone call had been received BY
some one from woman in Alex
andria who refused to give her
name, but who is reported to have
told of a man named John Man.
ners who rented a room in her
house several months ago. This
man was said to have described
himself as a former Hollywood
script writer. The woman is said
to have told her mysterious in
formant, who also was unnamed,
that she saw pictures on the mans
dresser which were the same as
some OF those recently published in
local newspapers of Miss Manners
and her daughter.
Meanwhile, Ben G. Wilkinson,
former States attorney in Mont
gomery county, yesterday an
nounced no perjury warrant will
be issued against Mr.. Langan as
requested by Miss Manners. Mr..
Wilkinson, who was asked by the
court to investigate Miss Man.
rners' complaint because States At
torney Joseph B. Simpson, jr., rep
resented Mr.. Langan at the custody
hearing in Rockville, Md, said the
evidence is insufficient for per-
jury"
Under the Maryland law" Mr..
Wilkinson said, perjury in this
type Of case consists of four
elements-a statement false, ma
terial, willingly and knowingly
made. The evidence is not suf-
ficient for perjury.
IF the complaining witness is dis
satisfied, she, of course. has the priv.
ilege OF going before the grand jury,
which convenes on March 20 and
present her evidence"
/ Uncertain on Further Steps.
Miss Manners lawyers were un-
certain last night what further steps
they might take
1T depends what Mr.. Langan has
to say at the hearing in the District
under croSs-examination," Mr.. Green
said. Il asked Mr.. Wilkinson to
withhold his decision until after the
current hearing, but he said he
wanted to get back to the Legisla-
ture." Mr.. Wilkinson is a member
OF the House of Delegates from
Montgomery County.
Principals in the custody action
yesterday submitted to blood tests
in the Office of DR.. Oscar B. Hunter.
The results are to be presented 10
Justice Goldsborough in sealed en-
velope when the custody hearing is
resumed at las pm. tomorrow.
Miss Manners. Mr.. Langan and
the child gave samples of their blood
for analysis. Should the test be
negative, 1t would prove conclusively,
according to scientists, that Mr..
Langan is not the father. A positive
test would merely indicate that he
could be the father.
Mr.. Langan is due to return to the
witness stand tomorrow afternoon
for further ross-examination by
Mr.. Green.