The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-27
Mr.. BRAY'S SIDE OF IT
The Step-SOn of Waller Explains the
Madagascar Affair.
WILL PRESS THEIR CLAIM
According to His Story the Verdict
Was Prepared In Advance
Papers Confiscated and
House Ransacked.

Washington. May ga reporter for
the Associated Press secured an inter-
view with Paul Bray. step-son Of ex-
Consul Waller, concerning his and his
step-father's trouble in Madagascar.
THE French" he said, "claim author
ity over the foreign affairs of the
island under the treaty Of 1885. which
gives them the right to represent NADIA
gascar in it's foreign relations, but not
in any way to interfere with the man
agement of the internal affairs OF the
country. They have since maintained
a French resident at he capital, while
the European nations and the United
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 island and, among other preroga-
tives, has demanded that he be allowed
to issue exequateures to representa-
tives of other foreign governments.
Mr.. Waller was appointed consul by
President Harrison. and when he ar
rived at the capital the French repre-
sentative made the demand that Wal
Ter should receive his badge of author
ity from him. Knowing that the ma
tives resisted this claim Of the French
upon the treaty, Waller resisted this
demand and accepted his exequateure
from the natives. When Walters term
OF office expired, and he sought to Sc
cure a concession of lands from the ma
tive government. the French author
tiles opposed him in every way. Wal
ler's home is at the capital, which is
about 225 miles inland from the Tama-
tav, but he was at the latter place on
business connected with his concession
when he was placed under arrest, as
I was also at the Same time. Being
interested with him in the concession.
/ went to Mauritua in May, 1894. but
was followed by written and printed
representations OF the situation sent
out by the French authorities. charac-
terizing the grant as fraudulent and in
every way calculated to prejudice our
enterprise" Mr.. Bray says that when
Waller was ARRESTED, March 3. he
Bray was sitting in Mr.. Walters
house. when the building was sur
rounded by half a dozen French gen
d'armes.
Waller was not in, but Bray under
took to find him and succeeded in do
ing so. Waller was then told by the
officers in charge of the squad that he
had an order from the military COM
mander of the post for his arrest and
confiscation Of his papers. His request
that he be allowed to see the order
was refused, and he was taken to pris-
on, not. however, until the house had
been ransacked. and not only Mr.. Wall
lers papers. but Mr.. Bray's also were
taken possession of by the French Of
ficials.
Bray then reported the entire pro-
ceedings to United Consul wetter. The
latter Immediately asked an explana-
tion, which. according to Bray. was
very vague. 1t was to the effect that
Waller had violated the French treaty
in attempting to conduct correspond
ence outside of Tamatav without per-
mitting IL to pass through French
hands. Waller was kept in prison Is
days without being permitted to see
any one. and when his trial. which was
before court martial. was at last
concluded in three hours, only % min
utes was taken for the preparation OF
the verdict, which, seeing that the in
strument covered 10 or 10 pages of
manuscript, Mr.. Bray thinks the evil
dence was made out in advance. In
explaining the letter on which the
charges were based, Bray says il was
to Walters wife. who was at
the capital, and was composed largely
OF domestic matters. There was but
one reference in II to the French-Hova
affairs. and this was a suggestion that
Mrs. Waller should put the Hova au-
thorities on their guard against two
Americans who were on their way %
the capital.
Mr. Bray says that he has been as
sured by the state department author
tiles here and by Minister Eustis IN
Paris that his and walters claims
shall be YigoronsIv nrassed