EDMUND B. NORVELL
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
MURPHY, N.C.

June twenty-second,
Nineteen-Fifteen.

Hon. W. T. Lee,
Raleigh, N.C.

Dear Mr. Lee:-

In reference to the Hiawassee Railroad people, who want convicts, the Attorney General's opinion does not say that the Prison would be entitled to a cash credit for the hire of these convicts. Until you can get an opinion which says that positively, I have no idea that the Prison Board would vote to give the Hiawassee Railway Company 50 convicts.

After talking with the Board, I feel sure that they would be delighted to comply with the request by your people, provided that the Attorney General's opinion is plain in regard to the matter of giving the State Prison cash credit on the books of the Treasurer, therefore, I would suggest that you see if this cannot be remedied. My ideas may be incorrect, but this is the idea of several members of the Board and it is the idea of the Governor, and so he construes the opinion of the Attorney General. While the Governor wants these convicts to go to Hiawassee, yet, you understand that the Prison Board must be self sustaining.

I was hoping that everything was all right, but it does not look very bright to me, so you see if you can get this thing changed. You ought to sit on the Attorney General until he gives you the right kind of an opinion. This is a disappointment to me, because I want to help you.

Very truly yours,

H. B. Varner, Chairman,
STATE'S PRISON BOARD.

HBV-H/

Enclosed in: 1915, June 30. Norvell to Craig.