Garret Cotter to the Mayor of Halifax, December 21, 1863

The City Marshal to the Mayor of Halifax.

Sir: In obedience to the request of your worship, contained in your communication of the 19th instant, I have the honor to furnish a report of the circumstances connected with the attempted execution of the warrant against George Wade on Saturday last.

Having understood from the attorney of the American consul that George Wade was to be landed on the day in question at the Queen’s wharf, I detached what I judged to be a sufficient police force to arrest and secure him when he was landed.

Between one and two o’clock a boat bearing the American flag, with the prisoner on board, who had irons on, landed at a confined and inclined slip, which is at the wharf where the sheriff of the county of Halifax and the consul of the United States of America were waiting to secure the prisoner.

The prisoners were then unshackled, and, as I have since understood, the sheriff said to them they were at liberty. When the prisoners were landed and unshackled, policemen Hutt, Hood, and Burke were on the slip and close to where Wade was standing.

As I had something to communicate to the American consul, I left the slip and went to the consul and his attorney, who were on the wharf, a short distance from the slip. On turning round I perceived one of the prisoners in a fishing-boat, and I inquired of the consul who the person in the boat was; he informed me it was Wade. I at once rushed down to the slip, but my progress was impeded by the number of boatmen who were standing on the slip and near the bottom of it, and so blocked it up that before I could get near, the boat had gone out of reach, and made it impossible for me to arrest Wade. At this time I saw policeman Hutt, with a pistol in his hand, who commanded the return of the boat, but he was disregarded. Finding that it was impossible for me to reach the boat by the slip, I ran on the wharf, thinking I could board the boat containing the prisoner from a commissariat boat, which was moored at the wharf without any one in her. I called upon the men in the boat which had Wade on board to return, but a number of voices from the wharf urged them to go on, which they did. Before the boat had got out of the dock, I requested the officer in charge of the United States boat which brought the prisoner on shore to come to my assistance, but this was neglected. On the fishing-boat getting beyond my reach, the crowd on the wharf cheered them. I have understood that the boat which conveyed Wade was in charge of Gallagher and Holland.

I beg to assure your worship that every possible effort was made in my power, and, as I believe, by the policemen present, to arrest Wade; but that, from the circumscribed space where he was landed, and the crowded state of the space, it was beyond the power of either myself or my men to do more than was done.

I have required the policemen to furnish a detailed report of the circumstances within their knowledge, which I have the honor to submit herewith.

I have, &c.,