Evening star., 1944-03-05
John Manners
Appearance in
Court Sought
Efforts to Locute
Purported Father Of
joan Longon Revealed

w "AUSA oACCA, utt0AAlCy 1OA JOdIl
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 ihe 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 Lanean
from whom she was divorced in
1899, is concluded by Justice T
Alan Goldsborough.
Miss Manners described Mr.. Man.
ners as being 6 feet / inch tall ano
having light brown hair and blue
eyes. She offered no other details
She testified that all she knew o1
him was that he was a writer, "ol
trying to become a writer" She
said she did not know what he hac
written or where he was now.
Tells of Phone Call.
Mr.. Green said last night tele.
phone call had been received b,
some one from woman in Alex.
andria who refused to give he,
name. but who is reported to have
told OF a man named John Man.
ners who rented a room in hel
house sc eral months ago. Thi.
man was said to have described
himself as former Hollywood
script writer. The woman is sale
to have told her mysterious in
formant, who also was unnamed
that she saw pictures on the man.
dresser which were the same a.
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
ners' 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.
hNiss Aannsfss lawyers were un.
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 Hodse 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 a sealed en-
velope when the custody hearing is
resumed at 1:45 pm. tomorrow.
Miss Manners, Mr.. Langan and
the child gave samples of their blood
for analysis. Should the test be
negative, it 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 cross-examination by