Mr. Wetter to Mr. Uhl.
Tamatave, March 11, 1895. (Received April 13.)
Sir: I have the honor to call your attention to the arrest on March 5 at 2 p.m. of John L. Waller on the charge of having violated a certain Article III in the order of January 18, 1895, by dispatching a letter on board the steamship Umlazi addressed “Antananarivo via Natal and Vatomandry” without same having been viséed by the military authorities.
I heard of Waller’s having been arrested and immediately wrote demanding the reason for same, and expressing the hope that the evidence on hand was of such a character as to fully warrant such high-handed measures; later on, letters came to hand from both the naval and land force commandants explaining Mr. Waller’s arrest.
I also at once engaged an attorney to represent Mr. Waller, but all his examinations and of the witnesses have been held privately, and so far he has not been granted legal advice, nor has the attorney or anyone else been permitted to see him.
It is claimed that Waller wrote a letter in January to one Tessier inclosing another to Mrs. Waller, and that this letter or letters now in the hands of the French authorities prove that he was furthermore giving the Hovas advice and information.
I have, etc.,