The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-02-12
TO RELEASE WALLER
France Consents That the Exon
sui Shall be Freed.
HIS GUILT CLEARLY ESTABLISHED

Ambassador Eustis Declares That Waller
Is Proven by the Evidence to Have Con-
spired with the Enemies of France He
May Sue for Damages.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10. - Ambassador
Eustis has been instructed to accept the
offer of the French government to release
ex Consul Waller from further imprison-
ment and pardon his offense on condition
that the affair be thereby terminated as
between France and the United States, and
that the latter make no claim in behalf of
the prisoner based upon his arrest, convic-
tion or Imprisonment Waller may, how.
ever, sue in the French courts for damages
for alleged ill treatment. These facts,
showing the amicable termination of the
celebrated Waller incident, appear in the
correspondence sent TO both houses of CON
gress yesterday by the presidentin answer
to resolutions of inquiry upon the subject
Accompanying the correspondence
which is voluminous is a report by Secre-
tary Olney summarizing it's features and
explaining the reasons which animated
the executive in,terminating the incident
as above described In the beginning the
secretary gives the history of the Crockett
case, showing that Waller, while United
States consul at Tamatave, acting as adj
ministrator of the estate of Crockett, a de.
ceased United States citizen was guilty of
maladministration, that when Mr. Wetter
took charge of the consulate in January
1894, Waller had disappeared and the con-
sular records were in great confusion
Wetter caused a civil suit to be brought
against Waller on account of the Crockett
estate, and before a court composed of
Consul Wetter, Mr. Geldart (Waller's in
innate friend) and Messrs. Ryder and
Howe Waller was convicted of gross mis-
management of the estate, of abuse and
neglect of trust and removed from the
position of administrator, besides being
ordered to make good the sum of ST. 96l
and interest to the Crockett heirs.
Touching the Waller concession the sec
retary says, referring to letter from Wet
ter dated April last:
"This same letter contains an allusion
to the Waller rubber concession or land
grant near Fort Dauphin. After indicat-
ing various ways in which the Crockett
money may have been consumed by Wal
Ter, there is suggestion that some of it
may have been spent in bribes to secure
the concession. But no evidence to that
effect is reported, and neither is there any
proof of the nature, extent, validity or
value of the concession. The value may
have been supposed to be dependent upon
! the issue of the contest then going on be-
tween the French and the natives, while
/ it is certain that the French authorities
have always held the concession to be
without any validity"
The secretary then refers to Waller
trial and conviction by a French court
martial, and quotes from the report of
Ambassador Eustis, who was permitted to
review the evidence. The ambassador
says:
''After examining the original letters of
Waller l have no doubt whatever of his
guilt 1t was not a case of inadvertent or
imprudent writing, but was deliberate
attempt to give information to the enemy
to the prejudice of the military situation
of France. The evidence fully sustains the
charge. The whole tenor of the CORES
pondence discloses his guilty intention and
no court could have hesi5ated to condemn
him"
1t should be further stated that consid-
cradle corroboration of the conclusions
thus arrived at by Mr.. Eustis is found in
the collateral information which has come
to the possession of the department, in
Guiding the statement of Mrs. Waller and
ner son, Idul brdy.
Secretary Olney quotes some of this cor
roborative evidence, and proceeds as fol
lows:
'These extracts from letters and min
utes are not only in line with the results
reached by Mr.. Eustis, but raise the seri-
Gus question whether Waller was not in
triguing not merely against the French,
but against the safety and lives of Amer
lean citizens. Waller was unquestionably
guilty of an offense against the French
government of "a serious character, and
fully justifying severe punishment"
Upon the request of Waller, our ambas-
sador ut Paris will be instructed to ar
range for furnishing security for the costs
of any suit before the French tribunals
which Waller may be advised the facts of
the case will warrant Mr.. Eustis has al
ready been instructed to supply him with
the means of transportation to the United
States should he desire to come here.
1t may be added, as part of the history
\ of the case, the family of Waller being
Aft in destitute circumstances, the depart
ment instructed its representatives to pro
vide for their present necessities and TO
furnish them the means Of getting to the
United States. That relief was accord
ingly extended to them, the charges to
which this government has thus far been
put amounting to S1,317.14