The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-12
The EX-(0HSUL TO Be RELEASED
On Condition That the Affair Be
Terminated
as Between Franco and the United stater.
waller May, However,. Sue in tho
French Courts for Damages-The Presi.
dent Transmits the Correspondence In
tho Case Which Plainly Show wauer,s
Guilt.
WaueR's

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.-Ambassador
Eustis has been instructed to accept the
offer of the French governments TO re-
lease ex-United States Consul Waller
from further imprisonment and pardon
MS of1ense 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, con-
viction or imprisonment. Waller may,
however, sue in the French courts for
damages for ill-treatment.
| Those facts, showing the smicsble ters
minstion OF the celebrated Waller
incident, appear in the correspondence
sent to both Houses of Congress TODAY
by the President in answer to resolu-
lions OF inquiry upon the subject. The
Resident In transmitting the corres-
| pondence says:
ut will be seen upon examination,
| as would, of course, be expected, that
| there Is slight conflict Of evidence
upon some OF the features OF Mr.. WAL
I ler's case. Nevertheless, upon q fair
and just consideration OF all the facts
and circumstances, as PRESENTED, and
IL SSfSSSNAJ 49, NAO" Va lux. WAll6r6 own
| letters, tho conclusions set forth in the
I report of the Secretary of State do not
appear to admit of any reasonable
doubt, nor to leave open to the execu-
tive any other course OF action than that
| aaopted and acted upon. It is expected
| that Mr.. Walters release from i'm
prisonment will be Immediately forth
coming"
Accompanying the correspondence,
which Is voluminous, Is q report by Sec.
rotary Olney, who gives the history Of
the crockett case, showing that Waller,
while United States consul at Tam ataye,
| acting as administrator of the estate of
Crockett, q deceased United States
oiNzen, WAS convicted of gross mis-
management Of the estate. of abuse and
neglect OF trust and was ordered to m AXE
good the sum of ST., 961 and interest 10
the Crockett heirs.
Secretary Olney next tells how WAL
Ter, In October, 1894, on his way to
America, was prevented from proceed
Ing by the insistence of Consul Wetter
upon his paying the Crockett Judgment
(which he was unable to do, and how at
| ter the capture of Tamatave by the
French In December, 1894, Waller, was
arrested by them and tried by court
known as marine first permanent coun-
Oh " "or' 1ne charges were, dis
patching letter Ito his wife) from Tam
atsve without the same having been
viewed by the French authorities, and
second, attempting to correspond with
the enemies OF France. The trial took
| place in open court and Waller was sen.
fenced to twenty years Imprisonment.
an appeal being rejected.
| secretary Gresham in April, 1895,
called upon the French governments for
the record and evidence and these were
furnished to MIR. Eustis for such ex-
animation as he chose to make. He
| accordingly examined the same, and,
under instructions from the department.
hos reported on letter dated Decem-
Der IL, 1895, the conclusions reached by
him as follows:
ut Is proper to state that before ex-
amining the evidence 1 had been in
| clined to believe from the information I
could gather that Waller WAS perhaps
convicted on insufficient evidence.
After examining the original letters of
Waller l have no doubt whatever of his
guilt. 1t was a deliberate attempt TO
give information to the enemy to the
prejudice of the military situation Of
france and no court could have hesi-
tated to condemn him."