The Afro-American., 1895-08-10
yO AssIsT MRS. MAILER
Wife and Children Alone i'm a
Foreign Ian d and Living on
Charity. She has evidence
TOAid Her Husbands
Cause.
WASHINGTON, AUG. 4.

WASHINGTON, AUG. 4.
The council in the Waller case
have united in the following APP
peal for assistance for Mrs. Waller.
"It is generally known that John
/. Waller, formerly United States
Consul at Tamatave, Madagascar,
was arrested and tried by the
French military authorities who
had occupied that town last March
and that he was sentenced to 20
years Imprisonment at hard labor
for the alleged offense of commun-
icating with the enemy. He is now
confined in military prison near
Marseilles, France.
"Mr. Walters stepson, Paul
Bray, who was the only remaining
support Of the family in Madagas-
car, was expelled from the island
by the French military authorities,
and Mrs. Waller and her children
we're left destitute at Antananar-
VIC, the capital Of the island, over
200 miles from the coast. Through
the kindness of Mr.. Ethelbert q.
Woodford, an American citizen,
Mrs. Waller and her family were
furnished with means to reach the
sea at Vatomandry and thence to
take passage to Mauratins, where
they are now stranded and living
on charity for want of means.
Mr.. Waller was assistant super
intendent Of the Kansas Asylum
for the Blind and held other re-
sponsibie positions in that state
before he was appointed Consul at
Tamatave, having been one Of the
presidential electors-at-large from
Kansas in 1888, Funds are need
ed to bring Mrs. Waller and her
family home She has important
evidence in supporter her husbands
innocence Of the charge on which
he was convicted by the French
court-martial at Tamatave.
NO AVAILABLE FUNDS.
"The Department Of State is in
quiring into Walters claim against
the French Government for illegal
arrest and imprisonment and the
virtual confiscation of valuable .
concession which had been granted !
but las no rfhus avafIaD1e TRr DrTng (
inc Mrs. Waller and her children
to the United States. Mr.. Waller
was one Of the leading men Of col
or in this country. His efforts and
sacrifices in behalf Of Negro eleva-
ton cannot be overlooked, and it F..
is hoped that systematic and inn
mediate efforts will be made by the
coIored people, in their churches
and through other agencies, to
raise funds for the relief Of his
needy and unfortunate family.
1T is believed that grievous
wrong has been done Mr., Waller
and Bray by the French military
authorities in their war Of conquest
against Madagascar for which,
sooner or latter, apology will be
made to the United States and in
demnity paid the sufferers.
"But this appeal is made to cit
izens of the United States without
regard to the question Of Walters
guilt or innocence. His wife and
family are American citizens, and
through no fault Of theirs, are des-
titute and helpless far away from
home. It is to be regretted that
the government has no funds avail
able for such cases as that of Mr.
Walters family, and it is on ac-
count of this that an appeal is
made to the general public.
"All contributions may be sent
to the Department Of State, and,
as the case is urgent, an immedi-
ate and liberal response is invoked
from the American people.
CRAN1MoND KENNEDY
JOHN M. LANGsToN
w. Z. McGU1NN