Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-08-13
GEO. W, DUNAL.
EWTE I. ARnEN
LEWTN y. WANITN.
Board Of Local inspectors for 9TH Dist.

Board Of Local inspectors for 9TH Dist.
propose to review a part Of the evi.
dence as it was given before this board.
I testified that I was in command of the
steamer Victor No. 2, for that particular
trip that Robert RidenOUr. a licensed
pilot, was at the wheel at the time the
collision took place, and was on duty
when the boat cOilided. Now, 4" sum-
ming up all the evidence on both sides,
relative to the collision" etc, this board
gets st the conclusion that 1 was pilot
of the Victor and after quoting rule
eighth governing pilots of steam
ulations not being adhered to by
pilot S. Boyee, of steamer Vic
tor No. ., he is hereby suspended
from duty for thirty days from this date,
as above written.N I am a pilot, nave
my license as such, but positively deny
/ that I am or have eve been hired as pi-
lot on steamer Victor No. ? but how
| this local board, this model of maratime
Justice gets at the conclusion from evil
dence on both sides chat ] was pilot Of
| the Victor, 1 am unable to tell. Perhaps
it is the idea of this board of Justice"
that those who are commanding boats
should stand watch as pilot
at the wheel when there is
danger, but I ask, if so, why not
suspend Capt, Cheek, Of the Peosta. for
not being at the wheel of his boat? Why
discriminate in his favor and against me?
Had / been too saucy, or had [ failed to
lick the boots of any Of these important
locals, or was there any good reason why
such a decision should be made against
me? On Friday, the 9th of August, I
met L. L. Warden, one Of the members
of this board, at the st. Cloud hotel,
shook hands withhim, thinking thatthere
was nothing but feelings Of friendship
between US, and that the steamer Victor
would get Justice at his hands. He asked
me who was at the wheel of the Victor
when the boat collided. Ireplied, Robert
Ridenour, He then said, "pOor Bob
would be in a bad hx.h I then said to
him. if the decision was against
the Victor ] should hereafter not be fear
full of any collision, as I would come to
him with money enough 70 pay myself
out. And this is the only reason, as I
shall presently show, why / was made
the " Door Boo" in the case. To-day ] |
called on L. L. Warden at his office to
know what evidence there was against
me to cause the board to suspend me
for thirty days, and that ] wanted to see
the written testimony. He replied, 81
will send a man to show o the evil
dence;' and when l had one up stairs
with gthe man, Mr.. Warden followed US,
and said TO me that 1.-TWO men
have been up here, and both
told me that You put another
man in your place at the wheel" Let
Mr.. Warden deny It II he dGres.. And If
this was the evidence why not state it
in your published decision? Why "sum
up from the evidence on both sides that
l was pilot when / had testified that I
WIS in command of the Vict0r0 Quote
rule eighth and article seventeenth, and
suspend me for a non adherence to those
established rules, and when I call to see
the testimony. say to me, 1.-TWO men
have been up here, and both say you put
another man 10 your place. Were these
say-sos evidence? Had any such testi-
mony been adduced before the board?
If so, why did you not show IL 10 me-?
And Just here. permit me, Mr.. Local
Board, to say that / doubt very
materially whether either Of the
men above referred to ever made
such statements to you, and if
they did l cannot see why it was not
made evidence, 50 stated in your pub
lished decision and shown to me when !
called to see it. There is too much fix
ing up in this case, Mr.. Local Board, for
justice to be done too great g diserep-
ancy between your published decision, {
the evidence, and your statements to me,
for "poOr Bob" to get justice. Before
Diminishing this subject ] will state that
when the Victor was run into by the
L felt that it was done be-
Of a difficulty between the officers
of the two boats, and it was my duty as {
of the boat to look to the safety {
Of my passengers, and not TO extend the :
difficulty, but as the spite and m~alignity {
Is directed TO me, l am now willing TO
any responsibility which can at
tach to anything connected with the ]
Respectfully, :
S. BOYCE. 7