Lewis Hutt to the City Marshal, December 21, 1863

Mr. Hutt to the City Marshal.

Sir: By your direction, and with a warrant under the hand and seal of the mayor, I proceeded to the Queen’s wharf on the 19th day of the month, at one o’clock, for the purpose of arresting George Wade, charged with murder and piracy. I was made aware that the said George Wade was then a prisoner on board of one of the United States gunboats now in the harbor, and would be brought on shore at that hour, and handed over to the sheriff.

I met the sheriff on the wharf, and told him that I had a warrant for Wade; he told me to give the prisoner two or three minutes after he released him before I arrested him. Met Dr. Almon on the wharf. Asked me my business; I told him, and showed him the warrant with the mayor’s signature to it; he said it was a shame. I was standing at the head of the slip; then the United States man-of-war boat came to the shore with prisoners. I was then joined by policemen Hood and Burke and yourself. The slip is an inclined place running down to the water, about fourteen or sixteen feet from the capsil of the wharf. The prisoner, Wade, was landed at the water’s edge on the slip, and I went towards him; he was in irons, and on his landing on the slip his irons were taken off. I did not hear the sheriff say he was free, but heard some person say, “He is in the boat.” I ran down the slip to the water’s edge, and called upon the persons in the boat to bring the boat back, and presented a revolver, when they backed the boat. As the boat was backing to the slip I was seized round the arms by Dr. Almon, who told the men in the boat to go on; I was also handled by Alexander Keith, jr., who tried to get the pistol out of my hand, and also by Dr. Smith. Had it not been for the interference of Dr. Almon, Alexander Keith, jr., Dr. Smith, and others, I have no doubt but I could have secured the man Wade. With regard to the slip when the prisoner was landed, I would state that it runs down from the wharf some forty or fifty feet, and is more than twelve feet wide, and a crowd of persons were on it at the time. I wish further to inform you that when I presented my pistol at the boat which was carrying away Wade, I had the warrant for his arrest in my left hand, the pistol in my right, at the time I was seized by Dr. Almon.

I am, &c.,