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Office Architect & Warden

North Carolina State Penitentiary

W. J. Hicks
Architect & Warden

To His Excellency
Gov Z. B. Vance

Dear Sir,

Will you please advise us all the following points of law;

1st. Laws 1873&4, Chapt 158. Sect 13, says that if any convict shall effect an escape, shall all his recapture be required to wake up the full term for which he was sentenced.
Have we the right to arrest and return them to the Prison after the expiration of the time for which they were sentenced?

Q- being sentenced in Jan 1873 for 5 years, escapes in 1875, and remains out till Sept 1878, is he still liable to be arrested and returned to the Prison? 

2nd. Is the Laws of 1874 & 5 Chapt. 244, Sect. 1st, Relative to the furnishing convict labor to the Insane Asylum still operative or was it only intended to apply to the years 1875 & 6. 

3rd. Please instruct us as to furnishing convicts for the different Railroads, what Roads are to be furnished 1st. 2nd. 3rd etc., as all sorts of claims are being set up for prefference of the convict labor.

Yours Very Respec’f

W. J. Hicks
Archt & Warden
per GC.