Omaha daily bee., 1895-05-27
CONVICTED BEFORE TRIAL
Verdict in the Waller Case Was All Pre-
pared Before the Court Martial.
FRENCH SIMPLY WANT HIS CONCESSIONS
Ill Feeling Started When lie First Went to
the Island as Consul the for United
ststes-Declined TO Acknowl-
edge French Authority.

WASHINGTON, May ga reporter for
the Associated press secured an interview
with Paul Bray the stepson Of ex-Consul
Waller, concerning his and his stepfathers
trouble in Madagascar.
THE French" he said, claim authority
over the foreign affairs Of the island under
the treaty of 1885, which gave them the
right to represent Madagascar in its foreign
relations, but not in any way to interfere with
the management of the internal affairs of
the country. They have since maintained
French resident at Antananariyo, which
is the capital, while other European nations
and the United States have kept only con-
suls there. The French representative has
claimed that under this treaty France was
entitled to exercise a protectorate over the
island, and among other prerogatives has de-
manded that he be allowed to issue ex-
equateurs to the representatives of other
foreign governments. Mr.. Waller was ap-
pointed consul by President Harrison and
when he arrived at the capital the French
representative made the demand that Waller
should receive this badge of authority from
| him. Knowing that the natives, or Hovas
resisted this claim of the French and placed
a different Interpretation on the treaty, Mr.
Waller resisted this demand and accepted
his eXequateur from the native govern
ment.
when Mr. Waller's term of office ex-
! pired and he sought to secure a concession
of lands from the native government the
French authorities opposed him in every
| way. Mr.. Waler's home is at Antananarivo,
which is about 225 miles inland from Tama-
! tave, but he was at the latter place on
business connected with his concession
when he was placed under arrest, as l was
also at the same time. Being interested
| with him in the concession l went to Maui
finance scheme
! but l was followed up by written and
! printed representations Of the situation,
sent out by the French authorities, charac-
| terizng the grant as fraudulent and in
| every way calculated to prejudice our en-
| terprise."
4 Mr.. Bray says that when Mr.. Waller was
| arrested on March he (Bray) was sitting
| in Mr.. Waller's house engaged in a game Of
! draughts, when the building was surrounded
| by half dozen French gems d'armes. Wal
! Ter was not in, but Bray undertook to find
! him, and succeeded in doing so. Waller was
| then told by the officer in charge of the
squad that he had an order from the mill
| tary commander of the post for his arrest
and the confscation of his papers. but upon
| his request that he be allowed to see the
order this was refused and he was taken
to prison, not, however, until the house
had been ransacked and not only Mr.. Walters
papers, but Brays also taken possession of
| by the French officials
|
to United States Consul Wetter The lat
| ter Immediately asked an explanation,
which, according to Mr.. Bray, was very
| vague. 1t was to the effect that Mr.. Waller
! had violated the French treaty in attempting
to conduct correspondence outside of Tama-
tave without permitting it to pass through
| French hands, and intimated full inquiry
was expected to develop a grave state OF
affairs. Waller was kept in prison fifteen
days without being permitted to see any
| one, and his trial which was before court
| martial, was concluded in three hours, only
| twenty-five minutes being taken for the
| preparation OF the verdict, which, consider
ing that this instrument covered ten OF
fifteen pages of manuscript. Mr.. Bray thinks
the evidence was made out in advance.
Explaining the letter on which the charges
were based Bray says 1t was addressed to
Waller's wife, who was at the capital, and
was composed largely of domestic matters
There was but one reference in it to French
Hova affairs, and this was a suggestion that
Mrs. Waller should put the Hova author
tiles on their guard against two Americans
who we're on their way to the capital. Mr.
| Bray says he has been assured by the State
department authorities here and by Minister
Eustis in Paris that his and Walters
claims shall be vigorously pressed.