Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-22
WALLER'S CASE.
France AcCedes to Demands
of the United States.
He Will Be Turned Over From Mill
tary to Civil Jurisdiction.
We Have the Evidence and Power 10 Force
France TO Justice.

washington, May 2l.-lhc french gov.
eminent has acceded to the demand of
the United States, and transferred the
case of ex-Consul John l.. Waller TO the
ordinary or civil jurisdiction This ac-
ton apparently nulliGos the sentence of
,, 20 years confinement imposed on Waller
by the French military court in Madagas
car. and indicate either his trial hy the
civil Judiciary or his ultimate release from
prison.
The matter has reached a stage where
the United States has ample evidence Oh
which to base claim against France,
possibly involving the payment of iudcm
| nifty for the treatment accorded Waller,
| and for the abrogation of the concession
obtained by him of valuable rubber
| forests
Waller is still in prison at Marseillcs,
| but may be transferred to some civil penal
| institution.
The evidence in the case received at the
state department is practically complete
and Is understood to contain some rather
startling facts not heretofore become pub
lie.
Edward Telfair Wetter of Georgia, who
succeeded Waller as United States consul
at Tamatavc, it has been claimed did not
put forth his best effolts to extend the re-
lief of his government to the distressed
citizen of the United States.
1t is shown by the correspondence sent
the state department that the French gov
eminent was suspicious that the rubber
concessions secured by Waller from the
Hovas was for the purpose of providing
coaling station for the United States
al L.,
openly made in Madagascar by partisans
of the French.
Documents are now on file at the state
department that assert that after the
French authorities refused to confirm the
conces ion of the Havas, French citizens
took possession of tho rubber forests
transferred to the ex.oonsul, and French
vessels have been takir g.eat quantities
of the product to the island of Maurtius
and Bourbon. The coiGz sion is situated
on the sea coast in the southeast part of
Madagascar, and affords many excellent
locations for coaling station.
The exact charge on which Waller was
tried is not definitely known in the
United States excepting to few of tie
officials of the state department., and the
decline to give any information on tie
subject.
Newspaper dispatches have stated that
Waller was charged before q military
court with sending letter to the Hovas
containing suggestion of a revolutionary
project against the French authorities
1t now appears that the alleged letter
was taken possession of by the French
through the application of an article in
the decree issued by the chief of the naval
division of Madagascar in January last.
prohibiting all correspondence Except
through the channel Of the local post
Office
Waller, it was charged, endeavored to
send letter addressed to n Teissier q
merchant at Tanaraivo via V.tomandry,
by British merchant ship. The letter
was mailed at Natal, and in the course Of
its journey to Tanaravo was deposited by
the British mail in the Tamatave post
Office, where it was opened by the French
officials
This letter is said to have contained in
formation concerning the strength and
sanitary condition of the Tamatave garri-
son, with other details Of a suspicious ma
ture relating to the French forces and
Notifications, as well as an enclosure from
the editor of the Madagascar News reflect |
ing on the morality of the French officers
and soldiers. and denouncing two Ameri-
can merchants as French spies.
Paul Bray, Waller step-son. spent |
nearly the entire official day at the state |
department, today, reading the papers |
concerning the case, and late In the after