Ex-Consul Waller
April 18, 1896
Summary
John Waller, the American Consul to Madagascar, is illegally arrested by the French government and horribly mistreated. Because he is black, the US government took ten months before demanding a pardon for him.
Transcription
London, April 4. (Copyright, 1896. by She Associated Press.) John L. Waller, formerly United States Consul at Tamative, Island of Madagascar, arrived in this city a short time ago after his release at the instance of the United States government, from the French prison in which he had been confined under the sentence of twenty years imprisonment for having corresponded with the Hovas.
WHERE HE HAS BEEN.
He has been living in retirement since arrival, and upon the advice of his agents, who are formulating a claim against the French government, has not received any representatives of the English press. However, Mr. Waller, who sails for New York to-day, made the following statement to the Associated Press. It is the first time he has told his story to a reporter.
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
"You will remember that Tamate was bombarded by the French in December, 1893," he began. "I was then living at Tamative. Shortly after the bombardment I wrote to my wife, who was living up country. In my letter I merely described the event, referred to the sanitary condition of the town and the number of French soldiers there, but I did also describe some of the barbarities I witnessed, particularly the ravishing of the Hova women by the French soldiers."
ARRESTED BY THE FRENCH.
On March 3, 1895, I was arrested at Tamative. I asked for time to obtain witnesses and to know on what the charges against me were based. I was told they were two in number, first, for a violation of an order of Jan. 18, 1893, regarding sending any letters except through the port; and second, violation of one of the articles of the French military code, by corresponding with the enemy regarding French operations in Tamative."
HIS LAWYER’S ASSERTION
"I was at first refused counsel, but afterward obtained the service of M. L. La Gray. He had only forty hours in which to look into my case. The trial was held on March 20, 1895, and only lasted one hour. My lawyer frequently told the court that such charges as were adduced would be laughed at in a civil court trial. However I was condemned to twenty years solitary confinement."
ON BOARD THE STEAMER.
"On March 28, I was put on a steamer bound for Marseilles. I was told I would be given a stateroom for the voyage. However, when I reached the boat, I was conducted to the hold and made to sit on the platform which is just underneath the hatchward for lowering freight. My guard, who was a brutal French soldier, simply said in reply to my question regarding a room 'You sit there.'”
CHAINED TO THE DECK.
"A few moments afterwards, a huge iron bar was brought and placed on the floor in front of me. To this my ankles were chained. I was then unable to change my position, even enough to lie on my side. The rabble of Tamative had followed me from the jail to the steamer.
SCANDALOUS TREATMENT.
They came board and standing on the deck spat down upon me. I was soon completely covered with their saliva. I appealed to my guard and to several of the French soldiers, but they only laughed at me.
As night came on it began to rain, and I lay, powerless to move, with the tropical rain beating down upon me. Being wet in that climate is always followed by fever, unless one's clothes are immediately changed.
BEGGING FOR FOOD.
"In the morning, I was trembling with chills. At 8 o'clock, some breakfast was brought me. It consisted of soup with rice and curry in it and a piece of bread. I could not eat, and begged for a cup of tea. One of the soldiers drew his saber and exclaimed, 'Eat that.'
"I was only released from my chains twice a day, ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the afternoon. I was given but two meals a day. All my effects had been taken away from me and I was ill provided with clothing.
A SOLDIER'S DISHONESTY.
I had but one and one-half francs with me. After leaving Zanzibar, I gave this to a soldier and told him to buy me some oranges. He took the money and when I saw him next day, he had lost it. A few French officers came on board at Zanzibar. One of them remonstrated with my guard, and I was released from my chains.
And another officer, seeing me released said: 'You are an enemy of France. To night, when you are asleep, I will cut your throat and throw you overboard.’
A FIGHT WITH AN OFFICER.
"I had been given a room and my guard slept near me. That night I was aroused by a noise in my room and saw this officer standing at the foot of my bed. I got up and dressed, and started to go on deck. He followed me and struck me hard on the back of the head as I was ascending the stairway, knocking me down. I got up and fearful of my life, struck him in the face cutting it open. The officers of the ship came and I appealed to then for protection. I was assured by them and by the French officers who befriended me that nothing would be done to me for my action in defending myself. After this episode the French man kept away from me.
HANDCUFFED TO PRISONERS. "Going through Suez canal I was again chained, and again as we approached Marsaille. At Marsaille I was conducted to a dirty, filthy prison. I only remained there a few days, and then, handcuffed to two other prisoners, was taken to the military prison at Clarvanx. Here the food was so bad that I could not retain it in my stomach. I appealed to the governor of the prison and he sent the doctor to examine me. From Clarvanx I was transferred to the prison at Fimes.
RECEIVING THE PARDON. "On February 20, 1896, a prison official arrived and told me that my pardon had been received. With it came a message from Mr. Lusfis, in Paris, directing me to draw on him for money. I wish particularly to state that in making my application for pardon, I made no agreement whatever to waive my claims for damages against the French government.
WHERE HE HAS BEEN.
He has been living in retirement since arrival, and upon the advice of his agents, who are formulating a claim against the French government, has not received any representatives of the English press. However, Mr. Waller, who sails for New York to-day, made the following statement to the Associated Press. It is the first time he has told his story to a reporter.
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
"You will remember that Tamate was bombarded by the French in December, 1893," he began. "I was then living at Tamative. Shortly after the bombardment I wrote to my wife, who was living up country. In my letter I merely described the event, referred to the sanitary condition of the town and the number of French soldiers there, but I did also describe some of the barbarities I witnessed, particularly the ravishing of the Hova women by the French soldiers."
ARRESTED BY THE FRENCH.
On March 3, 1895, I was arrested at Tamative. I asked for time to obtain witnesses and to know on what the charges against me were based. I was told they were two in number, first, for a violation of an order of Jan. 18, 1893, regarding sending any letters except through the port; and second, violation of one of the articles of the French military code, by corresponding with the enemy regarding French operations in Tamative."
HIS LAWYER’S ASSERTION
"I was at first refused counsel, but afterward obtained the service of M. L. La Gray. He had only forty hours in which to look into my case. The trial was held on March 20, 1895, and only lasted one hour. My lawyer frequently told the court that such charges as were adduced would be laughed at in a civil court trial. However I was condemned to twenty years solitary confinement."
ON BOARD THE STEAMER.
"On March 28, I was put on a steamer bound for Marseilles. I was told I would be given a stateroom for the voyage. However, when I reached the boat, I was conducted to the hold and made to sit on the platform which is just underneath the hatchward for lowering freight. My guard, who was a brutal French soldier, simply said in reply to my question regarding a room 'You sit there.'”
CHAINED TO THE DECK.
"A few moments afterwards, a huge iron bar was brought and placed on the floor in front of me. To this my ankles were chained. I was then unable to change my position, even enough to lie on my side. The rabble of Tamative had followed me from the jail to the steamer.
SCANDALOUS TREATMENT.
They came board and standing on the deck spat down upon me. I was soon completely covered with their saliva. I appealed to my guard and to several of the French soldiers, but they only laughed at me.
As night came on it began to rain, and I lay, powerless to move, with the tropical rain beating down upon me. Being wet in that climate is always followed by fever, unless one's clothes are immediately changed.
BEGGING FOR FOOD.
"In the morning, I was trembling with chills. At 8 o'clock, some breakfast was brought me. It consisted of soup with rice and curry in it and a piece of bread. I could not eat, and begged for a cup of tea. One of the soldiers drew his saber and exclaimed, 'Eat that.'
"I was only released from my chains twice a day, ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the afternoon. I was given but two meals a day. All my effects had been taken away from me and I was ill provided with clothing.
A SOLDIER'S DISHONESTY.
I had but one and one-half francs with me. After leaving Zanzibar, I gave this to a soldier and told him to buy me some oranges. He took the money and when I saw him next day, he had lost it. A few French officers came on board at Zanzibar. One of them remonstrated with my guard, and I was released from my chains.
And another officer, seeing me released said: 'You are an enemy of France. To night, when you are asleep, I will cut your throat and throw you overboard.’
A FIGHT WITH AN OFFICER.
"I had been given a room and my guard slept near me. That night I was aroused by a noise in my room and saw this officer standing at the foot of my bed. I got up and dressed, and started to go on deck. He followed me and struck me hard on the back of the head as I was ascending the stairway, knocking me down. I got up and fearful of my life, struck him in the face cutting it open. The officers of the ship came and I appealed to then for protection. I was assured by them and by the French officers who befriended me that nothing would be done to me for my action in defending myself. After this episode the French man kept away from me.
HANDCUFFED TO PRISONERS. "Going through Suez canal I was again chained, and again as we approached Marsaille. At Marsaille I was conducted to a dirty, filthy prison. I only remained there a few days, and then, handcuffed to two other prisoners, was taken to the military prison at Clarvanx. Here the food was so bad that I could not retain it in my stomach. I appealed to the governor of the prison and he sent the doctor to examine me. From Clarvanx I was transferred to the prison at Fimes.
RECEIVING THE PARDON. "On February 20, 1896, a prison official arrived and told me that my pardon had been received. With it came a message from Mr. Lusfis, in Paris, directing me to draw on him for money. I wish particularly to state that in making my application for pardon, I made no agreement whatever to waive my claims for damages against the French government.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Liam Eynan
Citation
“Ex-Consul Waller,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed September 14, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1672.