The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-18
MRS. WALLER'S Narrative
She Gives Details Of Her Husbands S
Arrest and Trial.
IMPRISONED BY THE FRENCH
without Counsel. Waller Is Tried BY
Court Martial ON tho Charge OF
Aiding tho novas and Sentenced
TO Imprisonment for 90 Years.

New York, Oct. 1S.-Mrs. Waller made
a detailed statement to the reporters of
the events leading to the arrest of her
husband and of his trial and convic-
ton. She said:
Mr.. Waller was arrested at Tama-
tave, Madagascar, March last by the
French authorities on a charge of hav-
ing conducted clandestlne correspond
ence with the enemy (the Hovas)."
1t appears. according to Mrs. WALL
ers' story, that on Sept. s. while at the
house of a Hova acquaintance, Mr..
Waller had promised to procure four or
five revolvers for the son of his guest.
who, as Mr.. Waller was preparing to
take a trip to this country, had request
ed him to purchase the weapons for
him. AT the trial OF Waller these re-
volvers played an unfortunate part for
him, as the French authorities insisted
that they We're simply samples of an
Intended shipment of arms to the
Hovas. After his arrest Mr.. Waller
was confined In a Chinaman'srehop at
Tamatave. and on March IS he was
tried by court martial. Captain Levi
soft and six lieutenants composed the
court. Waller had repeatedly asked for
counsel. but was allowed none until
twenty-four hours before the trial.
when L. Jeriaud took his case. but as
soon as he had read the letters Waller
had written to Mrs. Waller the lawyer
threw up the case. The reason for this.
Mrs. Waller says. was that in one Of
them Waller had written In condemna-
tory terms OF certain acts of Consul
Wetter. his successor In his letters to
his wife Waller had told of outrages
and thefts committed by the French
and had referred to two persons by the
1,r, 4 Il
to be French spies. Waller had also
sent letters inclosed to George Tessier
ard a young Hova named Ratsimand-
resy, but these contained nothing but
reference to business matters.
The Trial a Farce.
Previous to the trial Waller was ex-
amined through French interpreter
and made 70 sign a paper written in
French, language he did not under
stand. The court martial appointed a
clerk named Carrie as counsel for Wal
Ter, but he was allowed to make practic-
ally no defense Waller was condemned
to twenty years in prison. and an APP
peal to higher court was denied him
After Walters conviction an order
eXpelling his stepson. Paul Fl. Bray. to
Zanzibar was carried out. An Ameri-
can named Woodford took Mrs. Wal
Ter and her children as far as Mauritius
where she asked assistance of Consul
Campbell to enable her to reach the
United States. The consul told her
she says, that the United States made
no provision for suci purposes. Their
she went to the governor. who said
he would help her if Consul Campbell
would write to him regarding the mat
ter This the consul refused to do, say
t,,sr I,,t \ L.
ally, she was sent home, third class
passage. and while on the steamer she
| and her children were grossly insulted
by the French soldiers From Mar
seilles. where she and her children were
treated with the greatest kindness by
Consul Claud Thomas. of whom she
speaks in the highest terms, Mrs. Wal.
Ter came to the United States in the
second cabin.
They will probably leave for Wash.
ington tonight.