Mr. Eustis to
Mr. Olney.
Embassy of the United States,
Paris, January 18, 1896.
No. 445.]
Sir: Referring to my No. 413, of December
3, 1895, sending you a copy of Mr. Waller’s letter of November 22,
stating the terms upon which he is willing to accept his release
from the French Government, I inclose herewith copy of another
letter from the same, dated January 4, 1896, received only this
morning, in which he maintains his right to claim an indemnity from
the French Government for unlawful deportation and detention.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No.
445.]
Mr. Waller
to Mr. Eustis.
Maison Centrale de Nimes,
France,
January 4,
1896.
No. 1693.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of my baggage, which arrived on the 3d instant. I am
very thankful to you for having secured it for me.
I deem it necessary to direct your attention to the fact that the
prison authorities here found a letter among my effects which
they confiscated without permitting me to see it; therefore I do
not know the contents of said letter. The letter appeared to be
sealed and addressed to me. I can not be held responsible for
any letter that may have been found in my baggage, which has
been forcibly detained and held from me in an Open condition
during nine months. The letter may be one of no importance.
Referring to the nonacceptance by the French Government of the
terms proposed by me in a letter dated November 22, 1895, and
addressed to you officially, relative to my release, etc., I
desire to say that by reason of said terms not having been
accepted as per said letter the case stands thus: The legality
of my trial and conviction is hereby denied. I maintain the
right to claim indemnity against the French Government for
unlawful deportation and detention, the measure of damages to be
based on established precedents—in such cases as that of the
expulsion of the British proconsul from Bluefields, and the case
of the two months’ detention of a British missionary at Tamatave
in 1883. For the two months’ detention of the latter, France
paid $5,000. I have been detained ten months. Please send the
dictionary.
Your obedient servant,
