The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-22
EXTRA
6.15 O'CLOCK.
WALLER
Ex- Consul Denies Conspir-
ing Against France.
Nothing in Letters To Warrant His
Sentence.
Administration Said TO Have its Eyes
open at Last
Nothing In Letters To Warrant His
Sentence.
Administration Said to Have its Eyes
open at Last

IFAyFNwoRTH, Kan, Aug. 2.-Sena-
Tor Baker is in receipt of an autograph
letter from John i. Waller, ex-consul at
Tamataye. written from the latter's cell
at the Maison Central de Clairvaux, com
mending upon his Imprisonment. Waiier
says in part: =, Lone sxrer;.
ence. ask you TO carefully notice the
testimony OF Captain Leavesot, and notice
that il was by his testimony that the
prosecution seems TO have maze the
charge that was guilty OF corresponding
with the enemy. -
prosecution utterly fails TO sustain or
support the charge under which i am IN
aoiifary confinement for 20 years, ana Dy
the failure of which the case aglnst me
should have been dismissed by the prose
cution, in so far as ii related TO VIOLA
tion of the penal code named In the III
dictment.
~ further submit that the testimony
of the only witness on this point fails TO
show or proye that either my wlte or
George T. Tessien are eneimes TO france
In any sense whatever.
ssIt seems then that the whole case
against me rests upon the letter whlch J.
wrote TO Ratsmania, a young Malagasle
man. This matter is relative solely 10
business affair which France has nothing
TO do with, and does not relate to or con-
Germ the French government In any par
ticular whatever"
HAS THE ADMINISTRATION ACTED
PARIS. Aug. PA semi-official note was
Issued today, saying II is expected that
the United States government has 1e-
Ind the payment of an indemnity on ac-
count Of his sentence.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF wALLER's CASE.
WAsHINaToN, Aug. %. The following
IA given In official circles as fair state
ment OF the " aller case, so far as the
facts have been reported to the United
States. There is no doubt that while in 6
country occupied by the French Mr.
Waller wrote letters to the people TN
Fsnsf r.ss wsre 10 oBRosasd asd wers maSs s
pretext for his arrest and conviction
This arrest and conviction was irregular
His trial was not fair and during his I'M
prisonment both before and after convic
ton be was treated with great harshness
He was brought to France, chained to th
deck of q steamer without proper care
The French government has not ex
planned In any satisfactory manner th'
Irregular arrest and trial 1t has beer
attempted TO excuse il by saying that il
time OF war military courts and trials arr
different from civil proceedings In time
OF peace, but this explanation IN tn'
opinion of the United States does no
meet the case. In the opinion OF the de
partment there is still a strong probabil
1ty that Walters treatment was due TO th'
concession he claimed in Madagascar
When the case was first presented to the
department of state the evidence FUR
nished by the French government o
Waller's indiscretions made il look doubt
full for HIM, but later developments IN
cluding the failure OF the French gov
ernment TO explain their irregular pro
ceedings and the unnecessarily harsh ant
inhuman Treatment OF the prisoner, ant
the fact that Waller had some equit,
rights, at least, in Madagascar, can pu
his case in far better light. In view o
what has developed from later inquiries
1t is held that the United States has goo
ground for demanding Walters releas
and in demnity for his wrongs.