St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-21
TO 4 FRENCH CELL.
Ex-Consul Waller, Sentenced
in Madagascar, Has Been
Transported.
HE LANDS AT MARSEILLES.
Sentenced to Twenty Years
on Charges Of Being a
Spy.
BIG CLAIM FOR INDEMNITY.
Washington Authorities Will
See the Case Thoroughly
Investigated.
HE LANDS AT MARSEILLES.
BIG CLAIM FOR INDEMNITY.

WASHINGTON, April 20.-A tele-
gram from Marseilles says: The
steamship Djemmah, from the island
of NADIA gascar, has arrived here,
having on board John L. Waller,
formerly United States consul at
Tamatave, who, as exclusively an
nounced by the Associated Press at
the time, was recently tried by
court martial and sentenced to
twenty years Imprisonment on the
charge of having been spy in the
interest of the Hovas."
While this action on the part of
the French in removing ex-Consul
Waller from Madagascar to France
will only add to the
AMOUNT OF INDEMNITY
1t will be called upon to pay, should
Mr. Walters friends show that the
charge upon which he was sentenced
is baselesS, it will still facilitate the
efforts of the department of state
to fully develop the facts in the case,
as it can now communicate directly
with United States Ambassador
Eustis, instead of being obliged to
adopt the tedious course of acting
through an inferior consular officer
in Madagascar, out of reach by
cable communication. Mr.. Eustis
has been instructed to pursue the
matter to the end and make a most
thorough examination into the le-
the trial of a citizen of a friendly
nation by court martial instead of
by the regular civil tribunals. as is
customary, and perhaps absolutely
essential. Moreover, the case may
involve the right of France to eX-
ercise jurisdiction over the internal
affairs of Madagascar, from which
she appears TO have been expressly
excluded by the treaty of 1885.
which gave her only jurisdiction
ever the foreign relations of NADIA
Eascar.
The Washington friends of Mr..
waller are bringing all the rnflu-
tnce possible to bear in his behalf
upon the state department. Among
other prominent men who have dis
played an interest in the case is
Senator VooheeS, who has had one
or two interviews with Secretary
Gresham, and has presented to him
in strong light the Importance as
Well as the prOpriety of the United
States investigating the question of
walters treatment. After seeing
the secretary, Senator Voorhees,
said he had found Mr.. Gresham
quite as much interested in the case
as he was, and disposed to have it
PROBED TO THE BOTTOM.
The secretary stated that he had al
ready placed in the possession of
Ambassador Eustis all the facts that
had come to his knowledge. and he
had given him instruc tons to thor
oughly investigate the case. There
can be no doubt that the Waller in
cldent will prove to be one of the
most difficult that this administra-
ton has had to contend with in its
treatment of foreign affairs, and that
this fact is fully realized here. The
principles involved are of the most
Importance, and should the state
ments of Walters friends be we'll
founded, the government of the
United States under no circum-
stances can admit the correctness of
the action Of the French officials
without thereby admitting its indis-
position or inability to protect our
citizens in foreign countries from CD
preston and ill-treatment An inter
esting question which has arisen at
this stage is what has become of Mr.
Walters concession. He had an