St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-05
PUBLIC APPEAL FOR AID FOR
THE FAMILY OF MIR.
WALLER.
VICTIMS OF FRENCH GREED.
THEY SUFFER FROM THE MUS
TICE DONE THE EX-CON-
SUI.
Encouraging Conditions Shown in
The Consular Re-
ports.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4-The coun-
sci in the Waller case have united in
the following appeal for assistance for
Mrs. Waller:
1T is generally well known that
John L. Waller formerly United
States consul at Tamatave, Madagas-
car, was arrested and tried by the
French military authorities, who had
occupied that town last March, and
that he was sentenced to twenty years
imprisonment at hard labor for the
alleged offenSe of communicating with
the enemy. He is now confined in a
military prison near Marseilles, France.
Mr.. Walters stepson, Paul Bray, who
was the only remaining support of the
family in Madagascar, was expelled
from the island by the French mill
tary authorities, and Mrs. Waller and
her children were left destitute at
Antananarivo, the capital of the ISL
and, over 200 miles from the coast
Through the kindness of Ethelbert G.
Woodford, an American citizen, Mrs.
Waller and her family were furnished
with means to reach the sea at Vato-
mandry, and thence to take passage
to Mauritius, where they are now
stranded and living on charity for
want of means.
MIR. Waller was assistant Superin-
tendent Of the Kansas asylum for the
blind, and held other responsible posi-
lions in that state before he was ap-
pointed consul at Tamatave, having
being one of the presidential electors
at large from Kansas in 1888. Funds
are needed to bring Mrs. Waller and
her family home. She has important
evidence in support of her husbands
innocence of the charge of which he
was convicted by the French court
martial at Tamatave. The department
of state is inquiring into Walters
claim against the French government
for illegal arrest and imprisonment
and the virtual confiscation of a Valu-
able concession which had been grant
ed to him by the queen of Madagascar,
but has not funds available for bring
ing Mrs. Waller and her children to
the United States. Mr.. Waller was
one of the leading men of color in the
country, his efforts and sacrifices in
behalf of negro elevation cannot be
overlooked, and it is hoped that syste-
matte and immediate efforts will be
made by the colored people, in their
churches and through other agencies.
to raise funds for the relief of his
needy and unfortunate family
1T is believed that a grievous wrong
has been done to Mr.. Waller and Bray
by the French military authorities in
their war of conquest against NADIA
Sascar, for which, sooner or later, an
apology will be made to the United
States and indemnity paid to the suf-
ferers.
But this appeal is made to citizens
of the United States without regard
to the question of Walters guilt or in
nocence. His wife and family are
American citizens, and through no
fault of theirs, are destitute and help
less, far away from home. 1t is to be
regretted that the government has not
funds available for such cases as that
of Mr.. Walters family, and it is on
this account that an appeal is made
to the general public.
''All subscriptions may be sent to
the department of state, and as the
case is urgent, an immediate and lib
eral response is invoked from the
American people.
(Signed)
"CRAMMOND KENNEDY.
JOHN NJ. LANGSTON,