Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-11-19
THE PILOTS PLEA.
What DOrrance Has to say OF the
Charge Made Against Him---In-
terestiBg PrOeeedines

teresting Proceedings.
The ARGUS has fully described the i'm
pending difficulties between tine rapids
pilots, growing out of jealousy between
the DOrrances, McCaffreys, etc, and an
alleged violation of the rules governing
pilots on the part of Dorrance. Dorrance,
after the investigation by Inspectors
Burns and Scott, was relieved from the
discharge of his duties for certain per-
iod, and it seems that he piloted boats
over the rapids during the time of his
suspension. The case was taken up be-
fore United States Commissioner White
at Davenport yesterday. d. A. Dor
rance, one of the three Dorrances who
are so well known as rapids pilots, was
the party IN custody, charged with the
crime of violating section 443s of the
laws of the United States, which for5ids
any person to act as pilot of vessel on
the navigable waters of the United States
without a license.
1t appears. too, that district inspectors,
Burns and Scott are at the bottom of the
prosecution. They notified United States
Attorney Finch of the alleged offense,
and he acted accordingly, and Captain
Jack McCaffrey was summoned as the
prosecuting witness. The information
alleges that on the 18th day of
September, 1885, the license of d. A
Dorrance was suspended 10y the inspect
ors for period of ten days. and that on
the 18th day of September he acted as
pilot on the steamer P ilot, son the Mis-
sissippi river, IN Scott county, Iowa, y
that he did the same thing with the same
steamer on the Goth and 2lst days of Sep
TENDER
Attorney Finch was present for the
government and Abner Dawson appeared
with Mr.. Dorrance as his counsel Mr..
Dawson claimed that Mr. Dorrance had
not been properly suspended-that he
had been given no opportunity for
hearing before the inspectors. who sus>
pended him peremptoriiy, without notice
to him, and that therefore the suspen-
sion was irregular However, examina-
ti0nfwas waived, aud the commissioners
held;Dsrrance in the SUN of $500 for ap-
pearance at the next term of the United
States court in Keokak
All the pilots on the upper Mississippi,
and the masters and mates of steamboats,
are watching the proceedings against the
Dorrances with great interest. There are
some very peculiar features IN the cases.
For instance, Dana DorTancc claims that
he did not act as pilot during his Suspen-
sion. that because he was seen in the pi-
lot houses of steamers il WAS taken for
granted that he was acting at the wheel,
when he wasn't He claims, too, that be
employed another pilot, giving him $500
a month to do his work But the gov
eminent will endeavor 10 show that Dor
rance was really the pilot when he was
in the pilot house the times complained
of, that the party he employed was not a
rapids raft pilot at all. but packet pi-
lot; that the latter stood at the wheel
while Dorrance told him how TO direct
the raft In the channel, ald he steered
the raft accordingly; and that thus Dor
rance was pilot in fact. The inspectors
say that there is no use of having rules
and regulations for the government of
pilots, if pilots are to be permitted 10 get
around them IN that way. or to pay no
attention to suspension