The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-07-23
THE WALLER CASE
May Yet Cause Serious OompllCa-.
tlons With France.
AMERICAS DEMANDS IGNORED
And Minister EustIs Treated In an
Extraordinary Maunor-The United
States May Have to Take a Moro
Determined Stand = An Outrage
Which is likely TO Arouse tho OH.
IenS OfThIs Country,

WAsmSaToN, Z. O., July 92.-The no.
gotiatiOnH with the French government
respecting the case OF ox.United States
Consul Waller, who is now under con.
inement in a French jail at Marseiiies,
arc In a moit unsatisfactory shape, and
this too, in spite Of the boat efforts Of
the department exerted through AM
basSador Eus.Is to secure justice Tor
Waller. Ills becoming evident that II
anything is to be accomplished 1t will
DO only by the display Of a much moro
determined stand than has yet been
assumed by our government. Letters
received here from the prisoner show
that no is still a sick man, suffering from
congeEtivs chills and much weakened
aud debllitated from his confinement
aud tho change in climate. His stop.
son, Paul Bray, who was deported from
Madagascar at the time of Walters do
%portation, was at tho state department
to.day seeking for information as to tho
intentions Of this government and 10
conYey such news ~ no had received
trom his unfortunate atop'tather. lilo
SAYS that his mother, who Is still in
Madagascar, isiR poverty aud that steps
arc boinG taken 10 bring her TO the
United States.
Great pressure has been brought to
bear upon the state department to In.
duce II TO secure justice for Waller, and
many prominent men have interested
themselves in the case. Tho two sena'
tors from Kansas, OF which state Waller
IL q citizen, have been particularly 90,
ergetic, and Senator Martin has called
in person at the state department to
urge prompt action. Some OF the New
England Senators also have taken part
In the representations in Walters favor,
and one OF them, Senator Gallinger, has
secured a formal disclaimer Of the re'
port that the department had ahau-
doned the prosecution OF tho case.
The department some timo ago In.
structed MIR. Eustts, u Ambassador ut
Paris, to make q thorough investigation
OF WRlleF's case, to sec him and 10 pro-
| cure a copy OF the record OF tho court
martial showing the evidence on which
Waller suffered the extraordinary He-
we're sentence OF confinement for twenty
years. The ambassador mas not been
very successful in executing the instruc'
tions, though it appears that he has
donO oil in his power to carry them out.
For ono thing the French government
has absolutely refused the ambassador
the right to SEQ Waller personally, n
very extraordinary attitude to assume
where tho rights Of an American citizen
are concerned. IheR II has failed so
far TO supply tho ambassador with the
desired copy OF tho court martial record
in order that our government might
satisfy itself OF the suticieucy OF the
evidence on which Waller was con-
victed. At frat it was alleged that it
was DELAYED by tho necessity Of secur-
ing the record from tho court in NADIA
kascar, but tho time which has elapsed
since the request wa preferred is be-
iieyed to have been moro than ample TO
secure such a rRcord, and the depart
ment has nothing for its guidance but a
bare synopsis Of the charge and the sen
tence. II is said BY Walters friends
here, who are acquainted with what
took place in the court martial, that as
q matter OF fact there was no record Of
testimony. that there was no reporter,
! that OF tho three witnesses who were
examined, at least one, and that tho
most important was not sworn or iden.
titled, aud that altogether the proceed.
ings we're extremely irregular aud d
travesty upon justice. Tho fact that Mr..
Eustis, as yet, has been unable to Sc.
cure anything like a record appears 10
give weight TO these statements.
In addition to the necessity for press.
ing for Walters release tho state do.
partment will have TO look after his
concession. The two arc not necessarily
connected, for according to the depart
ments view, regardless Of what part
Waller may have taken in the struggle
OF tho Eiovas against tho French, his
concession must be maintained for tho
benefit Of his family il his original title
was good, which iS assumed to DO the
case. Then aS TO Paul Bray, Wallor'S
step son, 1t is clear that he was deport-
| cd from Madagascar and suffered hard.
ships without the veslige Of a trial or
any legal proceeding. aud rs he iS q full
hedged American citizen this must
form the subject Of a demand for re.
drnaa