I have just wired you as follows:

“The Governor instructed me Saturday see G. G. Scott, Actuary of this city, and ascertain if he would be willing temporarily at least take charge of the clerical department of Statesville Office, and communicate result to you. Scott has consented to undertake this work, and suggest you get in immediate communication with him and arrange terms and give him specific instructions. He awaits your reply.”

Which I now confirm. I did this under instructions from the Governor, given me last Saturday, when I called to see him concerning the condition of the Exemption Board for the Western District. After going over the matter with him fully, he concluded that he himself would notify the Chairman at Statesville that upon your recommendation, and from information obtained from outside sources, he had decided to ask for the resignation of Mr. Coiner, the present Chief Clerk, and probably later of Mr. Gibson, the Chairman.

He requested me upon my return to Charlotte to get in communication with Mr. G. G. Scott, and ascertain from him if he could be prevailed upon to undertake the reorganization of the clerical force in the Statesville office. On my return I took up with Mr. Scott by ‘phone the question of his availability, and he promised that he would call and see me this morning, which he did. After going over the situation with him pretty fully he authorized me to send the dispatch as above quoted.

It is the Governor’s idea, as he has no doubt communicated to you, to have Mr. Scott take charge of the Statesville office, and thoroughly organize it from start to finish, and put it in a condition so that the Board may discharge its duties more intelligently and efficiently. I, therefore, hope that you have, or will promptly take this matter up with Mr. Scott, and proceed to carry out the Governor’s wishes, as above outlined, which he no doubt disclosed to you before leaving Raleigh.

I also informed the Governor that it would be impossible for me to remain on the Board after this week, as my sons, who were my junior partners, are both in the army, and when I am out of town there is nobody left in my office except my stenographers. He asked me after careful consideration to suggest the name of a suitable [torn] place, and after looking over the field pretty carefully, I have decided that Mr. J. W. Keerans, of the Charlotte Bar, is the best and most efficient man obtainable. Mr. Keerans is a batchelor lawyer, whose practice is not of such a nature as to cause him to incur an irreparable loss by accepting a position on the Board. However, I am sure that unless the Governor can in a personal interview impress upon him the imparative necessity of his accepting the appointment, or appoints him arbitrarily, without previously consulting him, it is not likely Mr. Keerans will accept. My idea is that it would be best for him to ask Mr. Keerans to go to Raleigh, so that the Governor can lay the whole matter before him, and personally insist upon his accepting the appointment, or in default of that, that he appoint him first, and impress the importance of his accepting afterwards.

As I understand it, should the President appoint Mr. Keerans, he is bound to serve, unless he is voluntarily excused by the President. Mr. Keerans, in addition to being a first class lawyer, is one of the best, most thoroughly equipped and efficient business men I know of, and is admirably suited to discharge the duties of Chairman of our Board, which position I think should be conferred upon him should he be appointed to succeed me.

In case Mr. Keerans cannot be prevailed upon to accept the appointment, then I recommend Mr. Edgar W. Pharr, a very capable and efficient young lawyer of this Bar, as second best selection. Mr. Pharr was a member of the last Legislature from this County, and made an enviable reputation as a man of tireless energy and peculiarly adapted to working up details.

I am sending carbon copy of this letter to the Governor, with the suggestion that if you do not think he will return in time this week to take this matter up, you get in direct communication with him.