The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-27
THE CASE OF EX-CONsUL WALLER
4 Statement Of the Trouble by Paul
Bray. His >tep~on.


Washington City. May &-A reporter
or rha Associated Press secured an inter
view with Paul Bray. the stepson OF eN-
Consul Waller, concerning his and his
sfepfather's trouble in Madagascar. The
French" ne said. ''claim authority over
the foreign affairs Of the island under
the treaty Of isss. which gave them the
right 10 represent Madagascar in its for
eign relations. but not in any way TO in
terfere with the management of the in
ternaI affairs of the country. They have
since maintained a French resident al
Anrauauarivo. which is the capital. while
the other European nations and the Unit
ed States have kept only consuls there.
The French representative has claimed
that under this treaty France was en-
titled TO exercise a protectorate over the
islands. and among other prerogatives
has demanded that she be allowed 10 is
sue exequaturs TO the representatives OF
other foreign governments. Mr.. Waller
was appointed consul by President Har-
rison. and when he arrived at the capital
the French representative made the de-
mand that Waller should receive his
badge OF authority from him. Knowing
that the natives or Hovas resisted this
claim OF the French and placed a diff
ferent Interpretation upon the treaty. Mr..
Waller resisted this demand and accept
ed his exeqnatur from the natives.
When Mr.. Walters term OF office ex-
pired and he sought to secure a conces-
sion OF lands from the native government,
the French authorities opposed him in
every way. Mr.. Walters home is at An
tananarivo. which is about 225 miles in
land from Tanatave, but he was at the
latter place on business con ted with his
concession when he was placed under ar
rest. as / was also at the same time Be-
ing interested with him in the concession
l went TO Ma.ritius in May. 1894 but I
was followed by written and printed rep
resentations of the situation sent out by
the French authorities, characterizing the
grant as fraudulent. and in every way
calculated TO prejudice our enterprise.
Mr.. Bray says that when Mr. Waller
was arrested. on March g. he (Bray) was
sitting in Nj. Walters house ngaged in
a game OF draughts when the building
was surrounded by a half-dozan French
gendarmes. Waller was not in but Bray
undertook TO find him. and succeeded in
doing so Waller was then told by the
officer in charge of the squad that he had
an order from the military commander
of the post foi his arrest and the con
tiscation or his papers. but mis- request
that he be allowed to see the order was
refused. and he was taken 10 prison. rot.
however, until the house had been ran
sacked. and not only Mr.. Walters papers.
but Mr.. Bray's also. taken possession of
by the French officers.
Bray then reported the entire proceed
ings to United States Consul Wetter The
latter immedia teiy asked an explanation.
which, according to Bray was very
vague. It wes 10 the effect that Mr.
Waller had violated the French treaty
In attempting 10 conduct correspondence
outside of Tamatave without permitting
ii 10 pass through French hands. Waller
was kept in prison fifteen days without
being permitted to see any one, and when
his trial, which was before court-mar-
tial. was at last concluded. in three hours.
only twenty Ave minutes was taken for
the preparation Of the verdict. which, see
Ing that the instrument covered ten or
fifteen pages of manuscript, Mr.. Bray
thinks was made out In advance.
Explaining the letter on which the
charges were based. Bray says II was adj
dressed to Walters wife. who was at the
capital. and was composed largely of do
mestfc matters. There was but one refer
ence in IL TO the French-Hova affairs,
and this was a suggestion that Mrs Wal
Ter should put the Hovas authorities on
their guard against two Americans who
were on their way TO the capital Mr..
Bray says. ne has been assured by the
state department authorities here and by
Minister Eus.is In Paris tha, his and
Walters claims shall be vigorously
pressed.