The San Francisco call., 1896-04-12
Dragged to Prison on Trumped.
Up Charges and Hurriedly
Convicted.
NO AID FROM HIS SUCCESSOR
Spat Upon and Reviled as He Law in
Chains in the Hold of
Steamer.

NEW YORK, N. Y, April lin the
second cabin of the New York, which ar
rived from Southampton this morning,
was John L. Waller, late United States
Consul at Tamatave, Madagascar, who
was convicted of treason by the French
and sentenced to twenty years solitary
confinement. He was transported to
France, where he was imprisoned until
February 20, when he was released through
the Intervention of the State Department
at Washington. AS to the merits of the
case Waller, when questioned, said that
he preferred not to speak until he had
conferred with his friends here.
MIR. Waller, when seen in the afternoon
at 127 West Seventeenth street, told in de-
tail the story of his experiences. He said !:
when / went. to Tamatave III 1891
was impressed by stories in the French
papers to the effect that I should get my
exequatur through the French residency,
because the French Government claimed a
protectorate over Madagascar. My prede-
cessor. John 2. Campbell, had obtained
his through the Malagassy Government, so
| followed his example. Then the French
press raved and advised that should not
be recognized as Consul. Then the French
officials began to slight me, and in Febru-
ary, 1891, one of my wife's servants was
assaulted On the streets of Tamataye
That was the beginning. After three years
of bad treatment from the French officials
was succeeded by Edward I. Wetter, a
Southerner. / was in the hospital at this
time.
ION March Is, 1894, 1 received from the
Al hntn
cession, consisting of 225 square miles or
144,O0c acres of land on the southwest
coast OF Madagascar. was not the
United States Consul then. I then sent
my stepson, Paul Bray, to the island OF
Mauritius to get settlers for the land, and
while he was away sent him cabegram
saying, DO not bind settlers to trade at
our stores Then France again began to
abuse me through the press, and declared
that was trying to build up a new Hayti
Now, added Mr.. Waller, 81 did no
favors for the Malagassy Government for
the concession. That concession was given
mo under provisions OF the treaty between
the Madagascar Government and the
United States, and the latter at that time
recognized only the Queen as the sovereign
of the island.
That treaty provides that citizens of the
United States may enter into negotiations
with the Malaeassy Government to secure
land grants and that they shall be pro-
tected in the same by and under the
Malagassy treaty. The value of the grant
was between $300O,00O and $4,000, 600.
Under the provisions l will have to pay
$500 at the end of five years and after that
pay to the Malagassy Government 10 per
cent on the total income derived. The life
OF the concession is sixty years.
Now, as to my imprisonment | was
arrested on March 5, 1894. Five French
soldiers came to my house and demanded
my papers. Luckily, my concession papers
had been sent away. They took every
thing else. They got papers of registry
of my lands, some of which I had sublet.
l was taken before Captain Lovesot, whose
interpreter called me a liar because l
would not admit to treason and various
other crimes. Then 1 was thrown into
prison, with three soldiers on guard over
me.
"My preliminary trial lasted four hours
and 1 was not allowed any witnesses.
After reading the testimony, which was
inaccurate, 1 was forced to sign it. The
prosecuting attorney then told me to get
lawyer and that he could see ny friends,
with the exception OF Paul Bray, my STEP
son. Isent to acting United States Consul
Wetter, who did not come to see me, but
sent lawyer named Gerrardeu. The
latter took the case and worked on it until
twenty-four hours before the trial came
up, and then informed me that he must
have $500 at once. 'It means twenty
years or $780, said the amiable lawyer
"Acting Consul Wetter then informed
me that he had expended $36 to prosecute
an American citizen named John T. Lyans
on charge that l think was inhumanelv
unjust to him. Then through friend he
got Mr.. LIE Grace to take the case. He
studied it for twenty hours and at the
trial, which lasted an hour and half, he
cross-examined no one. The five Judges
were out twenty minutes and rendered a
verdict of guilty. / was to get twenty
years in solitary confinement. Next day
Mr.. LIE Grace said he would get me new
trial, and pending it l was again thrust
into prison.
''E. G. Woodward came to me and told
me that Consul Wetter had knife ready
for me, and advised me to write and ask
his pardon for certain illusions | had
made to him in letter to my wife. did
SO. got this reply: You are charged
with being guilty of a violation of the law,
and although the United States would
probably interfere to prevent oppression
you cannot expect clemency or relief
That letter of course was opened, and a
guard came to me with it and said: See,
your own Consul says you are guilty. How
can you blame the French?'
''An hour afterward my counsel came,
and in that time Wetter also arrived. Mr..
LIE Grace said: 1t is most unfortunate
that such letter should be written pend
ing trial. Wetter replied: 1t is viola
tion of International law for an officer of
friendly power to break the United States
consular seal, yet 1t is matter of indiffer.
ence to me whether a Government seal
that place on letter to you is broken or
not
Regarding my letters to Minister Eus-
tis, he said that if necessary he would send
them, but that he did not want to burden
his mail with my mail.
Then ] was put on board the steamship