Using a stolen horse, six weeks later, crossed the border and entered Canada West[b] (present-day Ontario) near what today is Windsor.
Despite opposition from prominent Canadian politicians such as William Henry Draper, Hackett was extradited to the United States on the order of Governor General Sir Charles Bagot.
In justifying his decision, Bagot cited the alleged theft of the watch, which exceeded what was necessary to facilitate his escape to freedom.
He was not put to death for the alleged theft (a fate frequently suffered by enslaved people under similar circumstances) but was publicly whipped several times and tortured.
Wallace's legal bills, travel costs, and related expenses were likely several times Hackett's market value, leading to debate regarding his motive(s) in going to such extraordinary measures to recover an escaped enslaved person: In any event, while successful in its immediate objective, Wallace's mission soon proved highly detrimental to U.S. enslavers' interests.