Omaha daily bee., 1895-08-22
DEMAND WALTERS RELEASE
State Department Much Annoyed by the
Dilatoriness of France.
EVIDENCE THAT THEIR CASE IS POOP
Will Not Only he for His
Immediate Release. but for Pccu-
MARY Damages and a Deter
mining Of His Rights.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21.-There is good
authority for the statement that a peremptory
demand will be made by the United States
upon France for the release Of eX-Consul
John Waller Of Tamatave, and that ~satisfac-
tory indemnity will be required for his arrest
and Imprisonment, and a probable request
for a commission to determine his rights in
Madagascar. The discussion of the case be-
tween the French and American diplomats has
reached a point where, II is said, there is
little else for the United States to do, owing
to the fact that repeated requests for a copy
Of the charges and testimony upon which
Waller was convicted have not been furnished
by the French government. 1t is said at the
State department today that the delay in the
case had been very annoying to the officials
and especially to Ambassador Eustis. The
dilatoriness Of France in this matter is re-
garded as indicating that she has a very
poor case and will be unable to resist the
demands made by the United States. A
condition which makes the delay of France
more aggravating is the fact that the de-
partment is aware of the seriousness of Wal
ler's illness in prison, AMI further confinement
is ~injuring his health. International questions
generally move slowly, but the delay in pro-
ducing papers and testimony in the case of
Waller has been of a very exasperating
nature and has resulted in sharp pressure by
the United States officials to bring about a
settlement. Some of the reports which have
been received at Washington say the treat
ment of Waller has been unjust and his ar
rest and trial a breach Of internationl
comfy.
WALTERS FRIENDS SATISFIED.
With reference to the criticisms which
have been made from time to time concern
ing the State departments conduct Of the
Waller case, it can be stated that Mr.. VA
ler's friends here are satisfied that the case
is receiving the most careful and Jealous at
tention of the department. 1t is learned on
the best authority that Notwithstanding Sec
rotary OlneyiS absence from the capital, he
has given personal attention to the conduct
of the Investigations looking to Mr.. Walters
release and restoration to his rights. Fur
thermore, the president himself has mani
tested a concern regarding the matter which
he would not give 20 ne did not feel the case
was unusual in complications involved.
Enough is known regarding the progress of
the negotiations to justify the statement that
the department is confident they will result
in the release of Mr.. Waller, with indemnity
for Imprisonment and the restoration of his
personal rights.
There is also authority for the statement
that the department feels assured that Wal
ler's bare release could have been secured be-
| WV ho"s bAb ~ Nos iNiN Nii'N NhiS WV w
accomplished at the risk of losing ind emnity
for his Imprisonment and the protection OF
Mr.. Waller in his property rights in NADIA
gascar. All the money interests involved are
Iracad by no one in the department at less
than $1,000, 900 and the case has been handled
on the theory that it was better that Mr.
Waller should continue his Incarceration fCI
a few months, rather than risk the loss OF
his claim.
Ambassador Eustis has found it imprac.
ticable to secure more of the record In
France than the specification; of the charges
but 1t is understood a promise has been mad:
to secure the full record from Madagascar
This will take some time. but the State
department is confident that when receive,
it will bear out in full the representation
Of the department and aid materially in Sc
curing justice to Mr.. Waller, and it is
deemed wise to wait for II rather than un'
duly to press the matter.
LETTER RECEIVED FROM WALLER.
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. Aug. 21.-Senato.
Baker is in receipt of an autograph lettei
from John Waller, ex-consul at Tamatave
written from the %latter's cell at the Maisor
Centrale de ClairvauX. Touching his i'm
prisonment, Waller says in part: "As yo,
are a lawyer of long experience, / ask you
to carefully notice the testimony of Captain
Lavasot on this point and note at the sam.
time that it was by his testimony that thu
prosecution seems to have based the chargt
that | was guilty of corresponding witt
the enemy of France. l submit that tn,
evidence Of the prosecution utterly fails Il
sustain or support the charge under which
| am in solitary confinement for twent,
years, and by the failure of which the cas-,
against me should have been dismissed b,
the prosecution, in so far as it relates t
a violation oil the penal code named in tn
indictment. I further submit that the ties
timony Of the only witness on this poin
fails to show or prove that either my wifi
or George e. Tessien are enemies to Franc
in any sense whatever.
ut follows, then, that the whole cas-
against me must rest upon the letter whic'
| wrote to Ratsmania, a young Malagas,
man. This letter is relative solely to a bus
mess affair, with which France has nothin
to- do, nor does it relate to or concern tn
French government in any particular what
ever.
Thanking you in advance for favors O.
my behalf, | am, with great esteem, your
faithfully, John L. WALLER"