The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-24
CASE OF Ex-CoNSUL WALLER.
ANXIETY or THE STATE DEPART
MENT GRATIFIED ny MR. EUsTIs.

Two Representatives of the AmerI-
can Legation To visit waller In
PrisOn-The state Department Very.
Anxious ON Account OF the Nom
Arrival of Word From Ambassadors
Eustis, and starts To Making Tn
pleasant Remarks About Him.
Washington. Aug. 2S-The failure OF Mr..
Eustis, ambassador to France, to notify
the state department that he has taken
advantage of the permission so grugding-
ly granted by the French government, to
visit ex-Consul Waller in the prison
whore he is confined. Is viewed with much
concern by the officials, and It is said that
his conduct Of the office at Paris Is not
satisfactory TO the administration. There
IS authority for the statement that he Is
believed TO be devoting himself more con-
sistently 20 social functions than his Of
fetal duties. The state department has been
unremitting in its attempt to bring the
waller case to a speedy adjustment, but Il
is said that Nj. Eustis has not been suf-
hciently active in his cooperation. Diplo-
matte procedure Is very slow and for this
reason much criticism OF the state depart
ment for alleged inactivity has been caus-
ed. 1t would seem from inquiry in official
circles to-day that while these complaints
are considered to be unjust the depart
ment thinks that Mr. Eusts has given
sufficient evidence Of failure 10 realize
the urgency Of bringing the Waller incl
dent to "A speedy termination not only on
the ground of humanity In view OF Wal
ler's poor health, but because Of the great
principle involved.
Later-In response to the urgent re-
quest of Acting Secretary Adee that AM
bassador Eustis send a representative TO
visit ex-Consul Waller, in prison near
Marseilles, the state department to-day
received a eablegram from Mr. Eustls
that upon the return Of the French min
ister Of foreign affairs to Paris after an
absence of some duration that official
and Mr. Eustis had come to an UNDER
standing regarding the designation Of dep
uties to be sent TO Clairvaux and see Wal
Ter. who is confined at that place. New
ton b. Eustis, the second secretary, and
Mr. Alexander the consul Of the embassy,
have been delegated by the ambassador
and all necessary orders issued to ensure
their access to the prisoner They were
to start on their errand to-day.
That's an old story" said Acting Sec
retary McAdoo to-day, when shown the
publication that Commander Thomas
Perry of the United States gunboat Cas-
tine declined to salute the French flag
at Tamatave, Madagascar where he had
gone in connection with the Consul Wal
Ter case. report from the commander
on this incident was received
some time ago, but tho de-
partment has neither approved nor
disapproved of his course, although 1t Is
probable that silence In this instance
meant Endorsement
II appears from Commander Perry's re-
port that there was some friction between
himself and French officials over his in
quiries into the Waller matter the French
resenting his official dealings with the ma
tive, or Hova, authorities. The United
States have never recognized the French
protectorate over Madagascar.
London, Aug. pa dispatch to the Cen
trail News from Paris says The French
government has Issued a statement con-
cerning the negotiations between France
and the United States in regard to the case
of John l.. Waller, formerly American con-
sui In Madagascar, who was sentenced by
a court martial 10 a long term of i'm
prisonment on conviction Of the charge
Of having given Information to the HoVas
concerning the movements OF the French
troops, etc. Proceeding in a most courte-
GUS manner the statement sets forth that
a member of the American embassy In
Paris has been allowed to visit Waller in
the prison in the Clairvaux, but adds that
the, American claim that he was unjusty
and Illegally convicted and sentenced can
be examined only when the official trans
eript of the proceedings of the court mar
tial held in Madagascar arrives in Paris.