The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-12
"SEND ME A BIBLE"
JOHN WALLER WANTS THE BOOK
WITH HIM WHILE IN PRISON.

With HlM WHILE IN PRISON.
Writes His Sister in Iowa that He is Very
Well Treated, Being Allowed to Walk
Twice a Day for Exercise. Although He
Will Have Pay Himself all Bills for
Medical Attendance-He was Carried
out of Madagascar Without Being Given
Chance to Say Goodbye TO lis
Wife.
Cedar Rapids. Ia, July 11.-John L.
Waller, ex-consul of the United States
TO Tamatave, NADIA gascar. mas written
a letter from his prison cell in France,
whittier he was taken in March under
court-martial sentence OF twenty
years. He was taken prisoner by
French officer at Tamatave, and sum
marily court-martialed without the OPP
portunity of securing counsel The
French charged him with acting in the
capacity of spy for the Hovas. from
whom he had secured a concession or
225 acres of rich rubber timber while he
was consul under President Harrison
He was taken in chains TO France. The
attention of United States Ambassador
Eustis has been called to his case, and
the ambs ssador is intercedilg in Wal
ler's behalf.
Mr.. Waller was colored barber in
this city in 1875 when he began the
study Of law, being admitted to the bar
four years later. He went TO Topeka
and Lawrence, Kan, where he prac-
uced law until 1892, when he was APP
pointed TO the consulship at Tamatave,
a cra 500 !. II,
His sister in this city is the wife Of a
colored laborer and much respected.
Yesterday she received the following
letter from Mr.. Waller:
Maison Centrale de Clairvaux,
France, June Mrs. II. j. Martin,
Cedar Rapids. Ia.-My Dear Sister: 1t
Is a year since | heard from you and
your family, and, as il is Sabbath will
write you only short letter on bust
ness matters. You have read all about
my confinement here, hence it is need
less for me TO say more than to ask you
TO request Judge y. NJ. Hubbard and all
my friends to do all they can TO secure
my release from prison. Mr.. McGuinn
VIII write you about my case.
am very well treated here; am al
lowed to walk out twice day for ex-
ercise, two hours in the forenoon and
two hours after dinner. l will have to
pay for all medical treatment and all
extras that one is 50 apt to need when
In imprisonment; and since have been
cut off from my family on account Of
the blockade in MAZDA gascar (the fam
lily being a Autananarivo, Madagas-
carr. | was sent here without a dollar
and although / have written to Sue TO
send me some money at once, / am very
doubtful whether she will receive my
letter My family is well provided for
at Antananarivo and the children are
n no r
Ing 10 come home 1t the time of my ar
rest; 300 miles away from the family
and had no opportunity to see them. 1t
has therefore been very sad affair for
us all, but ! hope God will help us
l have taken an awful cold here by
the change Of climate and / am in need
of money to buy medicine and TO pay
for medical trea tment, therefore wish
you to see our friends and send me $50
or $40 as soon as possible, as ! am afraid
i VIII get down sick with no money TO
help me out As soon as I can hear
from my wife. dear soul. I will write
You the result. Send money by draft on
Paris through New York
My family has plenty of property and
need not suffer for anything. I think
we had better ask Mr.. McGuinn to ask
the court TO appoint an administrator
in the case Of our father and mothers
estate. as both are dead and we are the
only children living. If you think it
well let me know and / will write our
lawyers about it. Send me a nice little
Bible as keepsake from my only sis
ter. Write as soon as you receive this
l am, as ever, your affectionate brother
JOHN L. WALLER.
p. 5. 1 am now about 5000 mile away
from my family and about 1000 miles
from You il. w.
DETAILS OF THE ARREST.
MAZDA gascar News published al Tan
ananarivo. in Madagascar. containing
ar account Of the arrest. cOurt-na rtial
ana sentence of ex-United States Con-
sui John Waller by the French soldiers
recently. was received by Deputy Sher- |
sff Corvine Patterson of Kansas City. |
Kan. this week. II was addressed to
him by Mrs. John Waller. in her own /
handwriting. and has Travelled thous- !
ands of miles. The postage stamp |
shows that il was first mailed in Natal /
land in South Africa. and was sent I,
from there under English protection.
The paper devOtes several columns to |
the Waller affair, and It is the first
time that the Their side Of the case has |
been told. On account Of the Franco |
Malagasy war, now in progress in Mad |
@GaScar island. IL is extremely difficult |
II have mail transported unfaVOrable /
IN the French. The News IS opposing !
the position taken by the French. and !
ii has been compelled to conGense sew
eral weeks issues into one for its mail |
edition. The paper received was made !
Up of issues of April 20, % and May |
and II. It has been on the way since |
the middle of May. The paper warns |
all Of its patrons 10 address letters to |
J. through the English office in London |
during the continuance of the war
The headlines of the Issue OF April |
GO read: America inSulted by France |
american sentenced To twenty years |
Imprisonment for loving freedom \ |
portion of the article reads: IAN |
American citizen in TamataVe has !
been flung into jail by the French. and. |
after a mock trial, has been sentenced /
t. twenty years Imprisonment in = /
French military fortress. dagascar |
is. perhaps. far for the American eagle /
tn soar to for protection of her eaglets. !
but the American eagle is strong of |
wing and stout OF heart. And there /
no danger too great, no danger too vast
to deter her from Fastening 70 the res
cue In honor bound. America must act /
in this instance. 1t is not only the |
question of the security Of the person |
and interest of Americans that II has at
stake: but. further. whether the repre-
sentafives of America have TO hold
themselves ar the dictates Of the /
French officials at Madagascar
France has made in this land an effort
70 intimidate the consuls Of America.
The commandment OF the French forces
IN Tamatave has given the eliminating
stroke 70 the political persecution with
80. =