The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-12
WALLER TO BE FREE
But TO RECEIVE NO SATISFACTION
FOR HIS ALLEGED WRONGS.
President Cleveland Instructs Embas-
sador Eustis to Accept the Oner
Made by France.
LETTERS SENT TO CONGRESS
WITH a BRIEF MESSAGE FROM
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND.
Both OIney and His Chief Think the
Ex-Consui Guilty of OTensex
Charged Against Him.
REPORT FROM MR.. EUSTIS
UNFOLDING THE CONVENTIONS OF
THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT,
nd hsoI.
| and the President Base Their Con-
| clusiOns-WalIer to Come Home.
Both Olney and His Chief Think the
Ex-Consui Guilty of Ofenses
Charged Against Him.
REPORT FROM MR.. EUSTIS
UNFOLDING THE CONVENTIONS OF
THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT,
And on Which the Secretary of State
and the President Base Their Con-
clusiOns-WalIer to Come Home.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11-Embassador
Eustis has been instructed to accept the
offer of the French government TO release
ex-Unhed states Consul Waller from further
and pardon his offense on con-
dition that the affair be thereby termi-
mated as between France and the United
States and the latter make no claim in be-
half of the prisoner, based on his arrest
conviction or Imprisonment. Waller may
however, sue In the French courts for dam
ages for ill-treatment. These facts, show
ing the amicable termination of the cele-
brated Waller incident, appear in corre-
spondence sent to both houses of Congress
to-day by the President, in answer to reso-
lutions of inquiry the subject. Secretary
Olney says there Is no doubt whatever of
Walters guilt; that ''the evidence fully sus-
tains the charge, and no court could have
hesitated to condemn him.
In his message transmitting the Waller
correspondence, President Cleveland saws:
''It will be seen on examination. as would.
of course, be expected. that there is a slight
conflict OF evidence on some of the features
of Mr.. Walters case. Nevertheless, on fair
and just consideration of all the facts and
circumstances as presented, and especially
clusions set forth in the report of the Sec
retary of State do not appear to admit of
any reasonable doubt, nor to leave open to
the executive any other course of action
than that adopted and acted on as therein
stated. 1t is expected that Mr.. Walters re-
lease from Imprisonment will be immedi-
ateiy forthcoming
Accompanying the correspondence, which
&c xvrxr,rv 9.
ney. summarizing tts features and explain
ing the reasons which animated the execu-
tive 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 administra-
tor of the estate of Crockett, a deceased
United States citizen, was guilty of malad-
nlinistration; that when Mr.. Wetter took
charge of the consulate in January, 1894.
Waller had disappeared and the consular
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 CWallers intimate
friend), and Messrs. Ryder and Howe, WAL
Ter was convicted of gross mismanagement
of the estate, of abuse and neglect of trust
and removed from the position of admins
traitor, besides being ordered to make good
the sum of 81. 1.9el and interest to the Crock
ett heirs. Wetter asked leave of the State
Department to prosecute Waller criminally
and the department replied that it could
give no specific instructions.
THE WALLER CONCESSION.
Touching the Waller concession, the Sec
retary says, referring to letter from Wet
ter, dated April last: This same letter con-
tains allusion to the Waller rubber con-
cession or land grant near Fort Dauphin.
After indicating various ways in which the
Crockett money may have been spent in
bribes to secure concessions but no evidence
to that effect is reported, and neither is
there any proof of the nature, extent, valid
ity or value of the concession. The value
may have been supposed to be dependent
on the issue of the contest then going on be-
tween the French and the natives while it
is certain that the Franch authorities have
always held the concession to be without
any validity"
Secretary Olney next tells how Waller,
returning to Tamative in October. 1894, on
his way TO America, was prevented from
proceeding by the insistence of Consul Wet
ter on his paying the Crockett Judgment
which he was unable to do, and how, after
the capture of Tamative by the French in
December. 1894. Waller was arrested by
them and tried by a court known as Ma
rne First Permanent council OF War" The
charges were dispa;ching a letter to his
wife from Tarnative without the same hav-
ing been vised by the French authorities
second, attempting to correspond with the
enemies of France and to furnish them in
formation prejudicial to the military anc
political situation of France. The trial took
place in open court, and Waller was SEN
tenced 10 twenty years imprisonment, ar
appeal being rejected. Secretary Gresham
| in April, 1895, called on the French govern.
ment for the record and evidence, and these
were furnished.
AS to the evidence, Secretary Olney SAYS
without any admission OF the duty of the
| French government 10 permit an inspection
| of the evidences duty which that govern
| ment claimed from the outset did not exist
| the evidence was submitted to Mr.. Eusti:
| for such examination as he chose to make
walters guilt the first charge-sendins
| n letter from Tamative without permitting
| the French authorities to inspect it, ar
| offense said TO be punishable by a nomna
| fine-stands confessed.
MR.. EUSTIS'S REPORT
"As respects the second charge. charge
| of course. of much greater gravity. Mr.
| Eustis reports as follows:
LIN order TO understand the significance
of the information communicated Cby Wal
| ler) il must be borne in mind that tn,
French had a garrison at Tamatave anC
| the Hovas had one at Faratafe. These TIVE
\ points were distant from each other few
| miles In letter TO Tesser. ne describe.
| the condition at Tamatave: mat smallpo,
| is raging; that many are dying; that ther,
| are more than one hundred French sol
diers in the hospitals; that they have dys
| entery and fever and. unless there shoul,
| be a change in the order very soon, tn
fatality of both soldiers and citizens will
| be very great Then he speaks of tn
| scarcity OF provisions OF the arrest of sev
erals Hovas who were reported 10 hav
| been shot.
ITO have communicated the enfeeble.
and straitened condition OF ;he garrison a
| Tamatave might certainly have provokel
! the attack by the Hovas from Faratafe
the information being given to an agen
| of the Hovas. He describes the rapes an
| outrages committed by French soldier
upon Malagassy women. and says that |