The morning times., 1896-02-22
WALLER OUT OF PRISON
Thanks State Department for
lis Services.
PREPARING TO COME HOME
Ex-ConsuI Reached Paris and VIII
Return to- This Country February
2S-Expresses joy at His Release
and Says His Health LIS Much Inn
proved-Grateful to Eustis.

Paris. Feb. 21.-John L. Waller, ex-
United States consul to Madagascar, who
| was scourt-mar;ialed and sentenced to twenty
| years mprisonmentunderc conviction ofhav
| ing Illegally communicated with the Hovas
arrived in Paris at 8 O'Clock this morning,
| having been pardoned and released from
I hlnes prison yesterday. MIR. Waller was
| seen soon after his arrival here by rep
| resentative OF the United Press, to whom he
said:
The governor OF the Mines prison in
| formed me a O'Clock yesterday afternoon
| that he had just received my pardon. The
rormalities necessary fer my release oc-
cupied some time, but ] was able to leave
| the prison In season to take a train for
Paris at 3 O'Clock in the evening.
THANKS THE OFFICIALS.
81 am grateful for this opportunity to
thank the President OF the United States,
| the State Department at Washington, and
| United States Ambassador Eustis, as well
| as Secretaries Vignaud and Newton Eustis
| of the United States embassy, the latter OF
whom visited me at the prison. His visit
cheered me very much and was followed BY
| a marked Improvement in my treatment.
''I feel highly eiatcd TO find myself free
after eleven months incarceration. under
condemnation TO solitary confinement for
twenty years, which was equivalent to
eternity. / am in good health and scarcely
suffer at all now from the Madagascar
fever, which made such terrible havoc
among the French troops in Madagascar.
l shall remain four days in Paris and
| shall also stop few days in London.
I 10 fnr A rif Epl 1rxy
90"
Mr.. Waller added that, although he was
treated as a prisoner of war on board
the ship which brought him to France, the
treatment was modified later, although,
he said. he received good ordinary treat
ment, equally as good as that shown to
white prisoners in the Mines prison.
LOOKS IN GOOD HEALTH.
All things considered, Mr.. Waller looks
exceptionally well. He lost but little
weight despite his attack OF fever while
in the prison.
Mir. Waller expressed great anxiety to
learn the details of the conditions OF peace
which the French had imposed upon NADIA
gascar.
1t appears that Walters release was
promised by the authorities a fortnight
ago. Failing in the meantime to get the
notification OF the decree Of pardon sign ed
United States Ambassador Eustis on FebRU-
ary 49, called upon NJ. Berthelot, minister
OF foreign affairs. at the Foreign Office.
and as the result OF the interview between
the two, President Faure signed Walters
pardon yesterday morning.
An official Immediately conveyed the
news to the American embassy. which i'm
mediately cabled the information to the
State Department at Washington in a
cipher dispatch, and also notified Waller
OF the fact that the President had signed
his pardon.
The release OF Waller is being widely
discussed in diplomatic circles, in which
it is the consensus OF opinion that the grant
ing OF the pardon is tribute on the part OF
France to Ambassador Eustis, who Is high
| ly esteemed at the Foreign Office.