The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-04-11
THE STORY OF WALLER
THE EN-CONsUL TO MADAGAsCAK
CRUELTY ABUSED.
Chained Like Mudman aud Sub
jected to Indignities of the
Tnmatave RnbbIe.

London, April 4.-John l. Waller, for
merly United States consul at Tama-
tave, Madagascar, arrived in this city
a short time ago. after his release from
the French prison. He has been living
in retirement since his arrival. and up
on the advice of his agents, who are for
mulating claim against the French
government, has not received any rep
resentatives of the English press. How
ever, Mr.. Waller who sailed for New
York today, made the following state
Inent TO the Associated Press:
You will remember that Tamatave
was bombarded by the French in De-
cember. 1898. Shortly after the bonn
bardment l wrote TO my wife, who was
living up country. l merely described
the event, referred to the sanitary con
dition of the town and the number Of
French soldiers there; also described
some Of the barbarities l witnessed"
Waller then gave the details of the
trial. and continuing. said: ION the 23d
of March L was placed on a steamer
bound for Marseilles. / was conducted
to the hold and made to sit down on the
platform which is just underneath the
hatchway for lowering freight. My
guard, who was brutal French soldier.
simply said in reply to my question re-
garding a room, You sit there A few
moments afterwards a huge iron bar
was brought and placed on the door in
front of me. To this my ankles We're
| chained / was unable then to change
| my position, even enough to lie on my
side. The rabble of Tamatave had fol-
lowed me from the Jail to the steamer.
| They came on board, and standing on
! the deck, spat upon me. i was soon
covered completely with their saliva. 1
appealed to my guard and to several of
the French soldiers, but they only
laughed. AS night came on il began
to rain, and l lay powerless to move
with the tropical rain beating down
upon me. Being wet in that climate
is always followed by fever. In the
morning l was trembling with chill
At o'clock some breakfast was brought
me. / begged for a cup of tea. One of
the soldiers drew his sabre and ex-
claimed: Eat that 1 was only re-
leased from my chains twice a day 10
minutes in the morning and then in the
afternoon. l was given but two meals
a day.
"A few French officers came on board
( Zanzibar. One of them demonstrated
with my guard and 1 was released from
my chains. Another officer, seeing me
released, said: You are an enemy OF
france. w men you are asleep Will cut
your throat and throw you overheard.
l lad been given a room and my guard
slept in it next to me. That night 1 was
aroused by a noise in my room, and saw
this officer standing at the foot Of my
bed. l got up, dressed and started to
go on deck. He followed, and struck
me on the back of the head as 1 was
ascending the stairway knocking me
down. ! got up, and fearful for my life
struck him in the face cutting it open
The officers Of the ship came. and l ap-
piled to them for protection.
After this episode the Frenchman
kept away from me. Going through the
Suez canal / was again chained, ano
again As We approached Marseilles.
"At Marseilles l was conducted to a
dirty, filthy prison. l only remained
there a few days and then hanIcuffec
to two other prisoners, I was taken tC
the military prison at Claravaux. Her,
the food was so bad that 1 could no
retain it on my stomach.
From ClaravauX ] was transferred
to the prison at Mines. On February 20
1896, prison official arrived and TOLD
me that my pardon had been received
With il came a message from Mr.. Eus
, It's. in Paris. directing me to draw OF
3 him for money.
Il wish particularly to state that il
making my application for pardon,
made no agreement whatever to waiv
f my claims for damages against tn
$ French government"
! KILLED BELLE or GEORGIi