The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-27
WALTERS CASE
PAUL BRAY GIVES a VERY INTEL.
LIGENT ACCOUNT.
Looks Very Much as Though the
Frenchmen Had Put Their Foot
in 1t.

Washington, May 27.-A reporter for
the Associated Press secured an inter-
view with Paul Bray, the stepson of
eX-Consul Waller, concerning his and
his stepfather's trouble in Madagascar.
THE French he said, claim au-
thority over the foreign affairs Of the
island under the treaty of 1885. which
gave them the right to represent Mad
agascar in its foreign relations, but
not in ans way to interfere with the
management of the internal affairs of
the country. They have since main
tanned &. French president at Antano-
nonoravio, which is the capital, while
United States have kept only consuls
there. The French representative has
claimed that under this treaty France
was entitled to exercise a protectorate
over the island. and among other pre-
negatives, has demanded that he be al
lowed to issue eXequaterS to the rep
resentatives of other foreign govern
ments. Mr.. Waller was appointed con-
sui 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 diff
ferent Interpretation upon the treaty,
Mr.. Waller resisted this demand and
accepted his exequateur from the ma
tiveS.
when Mr.. Walters term of office
expired, and he sought to secure a con-
cession of lands from the native gov
eminent, the French authorities op-
posed him in every way.
Mr.. Walters home is at Antanono-
rivio, which is about 225 miles inland
from TamataVe, but he was at the lat
ter place on business connected with
his concession when he was placed I'M
der arrest, as l was also at the same
time. Being interested with him fin the
concession 1 went to Mauritus in May,
1894, but / was followed by written
and printed representations of the situ-
alton sent out by the French authori-
ties, characterizing the grant as
fraudulent, and in every way calculat-
ed to prejudice our enterprise"
Mr.. Bray says that when Mr.. Waller
was arrested March 5th, he Bray) was
sitting in Mr.. Walters house engaged
in game Of draughts. when the build
ing was surrounded by a half-dozen
French gend' armes. Waller was not
in, but Bray undertook to find him and
succeeded in doing so. Waller was
then told by the officers in charge of
the squad that he had an order from
for his arrest and the confisca ton Of
his papers, but upon his request that
he be allowed to see his 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 Bray's also, taken posses
sion by the French officials.
Tray then reported the entire pro-
ceedings to United States Consul Wet
ter. The latter Immediately asked an !
explanation, which. according to Bray, |
was very vague. 1t was tonthe effect !
that Mr.. Waller had violated the
French treaty in attempting to conduct |
correspondence outside of Tanatave |
without permitting 1t to pass through |
French hands. Waller was kept in |
prison fifteen days without being per-
mitted to see any one, and when his |
trial, which was before a court mar
tial, was at last concluded, in three |
hours, only twenty-five minutes was ia
ken for the preparation of the verdict, |
which, seeing that the instrument COW
cred ten or 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 it was
addressed to Walters wife, who was
at the capital, and was composed |
largely of domestic matters. There was
but one reference in it to the French
Hova affairs. and this was a sugges-
ton that Mrs. Waller should put the
Hova authorities on their gard
against two Americans who were on
their way to the capital.
Mr.. Bray says he has been assured
by the state department authorities
here and by Minister Eustis that his bis
and Walters claims shall be vigorous
ly pressed.