The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-12
Grim ReueLations or Drug Habit's Spread
 Shock London Society
By LADY MARY

London, December S.--There are a good many things happening just now in London to occupy a large amount of public thought and time The fact that women are voting for the first time in English history is matter of para mount interest: while the drug habit Chat has recently been responsible for terrible tragedy in the midst of pleas ure going society, has provided a subject for discussion and grave consideration that cannot have it's importance over estimated. I saw 1t stated the other day in well known and widely read London paper taat the drug taking habit had had vers decided impetus gwen to it since ;he war WhetLer this is true or not I cannot say but without doubt the most awful dramas are constantly being h4sted lip in our midst, and one feels that sooner or later there is gcing 10 be denouemeat tb8t viii bring forth reve!aticcs involving people whose names are well known and whose addiction to drugs are matters of hait public knowl- edge thrcushcut q certain set
 Tie dsSth of the very pretty 2l-year- old actress ca.leI Billie Carleton, which has been engaging tGe attention CT the authorities eyer since her tragic end after ;he victory ball at the Albert Hall a feN weeks ago, has given consid- erab!e Impetus to official inyestiga tions. l am interested in noticing the name of a certain raan who has been the most severely questioned witness in this case, for it has brought back to my memory another drug taking case with which he was connected. I cannot mention the name of this individual because at the time of writing the investigations con cerning Miss Billie Carleton's death have not been concluded, but I think he is very well known in New York as well as in London. At any rate, my memory goes back to the time when poor Anna Robinson (who married the Earl of Roshlyn from whom she obtained a di- Norce about eight years ago), was a friend of this same man who is now be- ing questioned in connection with drugs and the sale of drugs in London.
 1t was well known about five years ago that Lady Rosslyn was addicted to drugs, and her special dope" was vero- nal which at that time could be ob- tained at druggists shops for an in- definite period if doctors prescription could be produced. This poor pretty woman. who died so tragically in New York about IS months ago would ab sorb veronal in large quantities and then she evidently required some stronger stimulant and with the man who is now being so closely examined as a witness in the present drug case, used to take heroin and other poison ous compounds. When Lady Rosslyn went back to New York about three years ago. the man who was her part ner in this drug taking duet, remained in London, where he is now one of the best known designers of dresses for stage and society. I saw him in the street with his lawyer couple of days after the first hearing of the case rela- tive to the death of poor little Billie Carleton, and I must say I have never seen a more terribly nerve shattered looking creature. His appearance gave one to suppose that no amount of dope" could silence the fears that beset him: and his face was positively ashen hued and his eyes, with their large distended pupils looked as if he were haunted.