Carteret Hill to Thomas Tupper, December 30, 1863

The Mayor of Halifax to Mr. Tupper.

Sir: I have the honor to request that you will convey to his honor the administrator of the government my thanks for the military and so promptly afforded me yesterday in the intended arrest of John C. Braine.

I regret to say that the effort was unsuccessful, although no precautions were omitted for securing the object in view; I directed two policemen to proceed with the warrant to the Bedford station, (about nine miles from the town,) and to return to town by the evening train from Truro. If Braine should be a passenger, they were to arrest him and hand him over to the city marshal, who was directed to be at the terminus with a strong force to receive him.

I was present myself on the arrival of the train, as was also the city mar shal, with the whole available police force, aided by a military party of suf ficient strength to overcome any attempt at interference, should such have been contemplated.

I had requested the American consul to send some person to accompany the police who could identify Braine, and an engineer and fireman of the Chesapeake were accordingly sent for that purpose.

No passenger, however, could be found in the train, after a most thorough search, bearing any resemblance to Braine.

As it was possible that, for the purpose of misleading the authorities, he might have exchanged at one of the country stations from the Truro to the Windsor train, I thought it prudent to await the arrival of the latter, but with equally unsuccessful results. I have, &c.,