The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-24
OFFICIAL CENSURE DUE.
The ambassador to France
Paid Too Much Attention
to Society.
HUMANITY WAS NOT HEEDED.
But Now There Is Prospect Of Re-
lief for the Imprisoned Ex-Con-
sui to Madagascar.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 23.-In re-
sponse to the urgent request of Acting
Secretary Adee that ambassador Eustis
send a representative to visit ex-Consul
Waller in prison near Marseilles, the State
Department to-day received cablegram
from Mr.. Eustis stating that upon the re-
turn of the French Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Paris, after an absence of some
duration, he and Mr.. Eustis had come to
an understanding regarding the designa-
ton of deputies to be sent to Clairvaux to
see Mr.. Waller, who is confined at that
place.
Newton B. Eustis, the second secretary,
and Mr.. Alexander, the counsel of the en-
bassy, have been delegated by the Embas-
sador, and all necessary orders have been
issued to insure their access to the pris-
oner. They were to start upon their err
rand to-day.
The long delay in taking advantage of
the permission granted by the French
Government to visit ex-Consul Waller in
the prison where he is confined is viewed
with much concern by the officials, and it
is said that Mr.. Eustis' 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
consistently to social functions than to his
official duties. Itwould seem from inquiry
in official circles to-day that while crlti-
cisms of the State Departments inactivity
are considered 10 be unjust the depart
ment thinks that Mr.. Eustis has given
sufficient evidence of failure to realize the
urgency of bringing the Waller incident
to q speedy termination, not only on the
ground of humanity, in view of Mr.. Wal
ler's poor health, but because of the great
principle involved
LONDON, ENG, Aug. 29.-A dispatch to
the Central News from Paris says that the
French Government has issued state
ment concerning the negotiations between
France and the United States in regard to
the case of John L. Waller formerly Amer
lean Consul to Madagascar, who was sem
fenced by court-martial to a long term of
imprisonment on conviction of the charge
of having given information to the Hovas
concerning the movements of the French
troops.
Proceeding in most courteous manner,
the statement sets forth that member of
the American embassy in Paris has been
allowed to visit Waller in the prison at
Clarivaux, but adds that the American
claims that he was uniustIy and illegally
convicted and sentenced, and can only be
examined when the oflcial transcript of
the proceedings of the court-martial held
in Madagascar arrived in Paris.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Aug. 23.-
"That's an old story" said acting Secre-
tary McAdoo, to-day, when shown the
published dispatch that Commander
Thomas Perry of the United States gun
boat Castine had declined to salute the
French flag at Tamatave, Madagascar,
where he had gone in connection with the
case of ex- Consul Waller.
"a report was received from the COM
mander on the incident some time ago, but
the department has neither approved nor
dlsapproved of his course, although it is
probable that silence in this instance
meant Endorsement. 1t appears, from Com
mander Perry's report, that there was some
friction between himself and French Off
cials over his inquiries into the Waller
matter, the French resenting his official
dealings with the native, or Hova authori-
ties. The United States has never recog-
nized the French protectorate over NADIA
gascar,n