European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 10, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                At right Marion Barry Center is sworn in As mayor a of Washington in 1979. Eleven years later a newspaper headline records his  warning signs were there mayor Marion Barry Washington Post Jos i Sueiro recalled entering the office of District of Columbia mayor Marion Barry one afternoon in june 1988 with a reporter from a local i to spam newspaper and being stunned by the sight Bury Shir i Tail out and shoes off looked exhausted said Suzuo. Then editor of the paper Al latino the mayor who could usually rattle off facts about constituents could t Lecault details about the City s hispanic Community and spoke in whispers Sueiro recalled. I Teoder Jacqueline a Arica wrote in Al latino that hairy appeared terribly tired bored defensive Basing his answers on his aides searching for Eye Contact with them so Hoy will Complete his  yet belie the Day ended Sueiro Learned that television showed a to Uvona cd Barry in Atlantic City about 11 30 p in Choeung As Mike Tyson fought Michael Spinks a i thought in was a remarkable recuperation Quot said Sueiro adding that he speculated with someone else who saw Tauy that Day about whether Barry had been Hung Over from alcohol or drugs. Such sudden shifts in Barry s behaviour Are nothing new to his close associates. Many privately concluded several yearn ago that to was an alcoholic and some decided he was a drug abuser. Barrys arrest and indictment on drug charges a and his enrolment in two substance abuse centers a confirmed the suspicions of those Bany associates and forced others to face what they had resisted i Hen dining a arc to interview in Washington Effi Baity the mayor s wife for the first time publicly described her husbands alcoholism a problem she said he d had during the 12 years of their marriage. Quot Over tie years Quot she said Quot there were Many incidences that occurred that brought a great Deal of embarrassment pain bewilderment frustration and just anger As a result of his inability to control his drinking habit Quot although she never saw him use drugs she said drinking left turn Quot vulnerable Quot to drug abuse. Quot this Man who Trad a photographic memory who could remember everyone that to had Mot. Oven their phone numbers was beginning to not remember As clearly. That a the effect of alcohol most people who know Barry had no Way of knowing what role drugs or drinking played in his life. But interviews with about 25 Barry friends and lop administration officials show that for years they have been deeply concerned about his erratic behaviour As the City s Leader. They disagreed often about whether a and How a to confront him. Most not wanting to be seen As openly criticizing Barry now did t want to be quoted by name. A number of the mayors close associates had talked to him about his drinking and delicately asked whether he had a drug problem. Some suggested treatment. But Barry would have none of it a he charmed some avoided others and hurled denials at All who questioned his lifestyle. The majority in Barry s inner Circle said nothing to him believing it unwise to question the Boss about his lifestyle. Annette Samuels the mayor s spokeswoman from 1981 to 1987, said it was unimaginable that a Barry aide would lecture him. Quot he was our Boss Quot she said. Quot you re not going to go to him. And say or. Mayor the paper says this. Maybe you should do something about it Quot Audrey Rowe a top official under Barry for nine years until she left in 1988, said Quot if you did not calculate what you said to him it could backfire and he could become very angry. People liked having Access to Power and to him. So they let things go  confronting Barry did t seem to do much Good anyway. Robert Johnson a close political adviser until barrys arrest said he received a Flat denial when he asked the mayor about drug use. Quot i took the position that As a Friend i would believe  Johnson said. Quot i did what i think i would have wanted if it had been  Walter e. Fauntroy also raised the Issue of drug use privately with Barry. Quot i had believed him when he d said. That head never used drugs Quot Fauntroy said. Quot i was dismayed at myself for not having pushed through the  but one top Barry administration official said that he s known for years that Barry had a drinking problem and that he also became a drug user. Quot it was like he was on a bucking horse and he did t know How to get off Quot he said. Quot but he wanted to get off Quot barrys friends and associates saw the problems mount in the Early 1980s. He was once a Workaholic who knew the budgets of City programs better than Agency Heads who had drafted them. In his first term top aides Elijah b. Rogers and Ivanhoe Donaldson bluntly counselled him on a variety of topics Many officials said. When these two departed from the government in 1983, Barry was left with people who Felt they did t have the standing to reproach him. After Barry trounced his opposition in the 1982 mayoral Campaign to saw Hunjas invincible friends said. He started socializing with a new crowd of businessmen and City contractors including some his Early political supporters did t approve of top aides Barry began to party harder and More openly and became linked with a variety of women said Many be interviewed. Many people saw a decline around 1987. Friends a top government officials said Barry began to drink to and to step up his late night jaunts. Soon to was visit women friends and going to parties most nights and Many Days they said. One Day in March 1987. The a wearing a jogging suit showed up at the apartment it Model Grace t. Shell demanding to see her. The landlord phoned a Barry supporter to Call him away friends and top aides said his seeming  City business was mounting. No one said that Barry was always out of in. Almost interviewed said he alternated Between alertness and sluggishness. But his bad times got worse then they said. Some pointed to periods of inertia in which he continually missed morning meetings and delayed decisions. A few said he developed periodic nose Alejj Barry began to disappear in the afternoon. On sorr Days the staff could t find him at All said one aide. His staff complained that Barry was leaving Rou business stacked in his office. Council sources said letters and documents of the sort once signed by he were now signed by staff members. Quot it became a real problem for him to sit Down and things and sign them Quot said a ranking administration official. Quot there have been times in the past two year when he did not look at anything for two weeks at a  in May 1987, when a reporter asked him about Stab members concerns about his behaviour Barry dl3iy a criticism of his performance but said he would Cut f on his drinking. Quot in be allowed my top managers to a i on me too much for what i Call Nickel and demo a Tai he said. Quot i m going to hold my officials More accountable then  Barry s habit of being tardy for meetings became chronic starting in 1987, associates said. He a Misc Many morning engagements that his staff came to his Security detail to go into his bedroom and a up. At times officers had to pull him up in bed an him dress officials said. One former top aide said that in the summer o Page 16 a a a the stars and stripes saturday March 10, 1990