The age-herald., 1898-05-14
 MCFARLAND DISOBEYED ORDERS And Gov Johnson Refused Him a Commission. HIS COMPANY WAS SHORT And He Represented That He Had His Full Quota The Governor Is Accused of De- pOtism in His Military
 Appointments.
HIS COMPANY WAS SHORT
Special to The Age-Herald.

Montgomery, May 13.-The local morning papers contained an extraordinary article this morning under truly extraordinary headlines, reading thus: "Too Much Nep- otism-Editor Mcfarland of Florence Is Turned Down-He Raised Large Number of Volunteers, Was Elected First Lieuten- ant by Overwhelming Vote and Was Dis placed by a Relative of Governor John ston'' This is followed by lot of matter alleged to be an interview with MT. Me Farland of the Florence Standard-Journa1, the principal purport of which appears to be to do some harm to Governor Johnston, a task so dear to the soul of the morning paper.
 The company was disbanded Mcfarland then agreed, according to report made by Captain Boyd of the Talladega Pratt com pany, in first volunteers, which was few men short of its quota to furnish them twenty-five men if they would make him first lieutenant of that company. They agreed to this and did elect Mcfarland first lieutenant and dropped Mallett who was second lieutenant. Mcfarland only deliY- cred ten men to Boyd's company. The gov ernor refused to commission Mcfarland on account of the disobedience of orders and representation as to the members he had at Montgomery and called upon him and Colonel Higdon for statement upon honor and in writing, explaining his con- duct. This statement was to the enect that he expected to get men rom the Huntsville company and Lieutenant Alien, and in way explained why he repre- scented to the conductor and charged the state with transportation on eighty men, when, in fact, he did not have half that number
 Thereupon the governor refused to com mission Mcfarland as first lieutenant and notified Company M CTalladega PratD that he would commission whoever the company selected. He has not commissioned MT. Mallett and will commission the officer of their own choice. The governor is not surprised at other inaccurate statements made by MT. Mcfarland.
 The facts are< that Adjutant- Ligon telegraphed Captain Mcfarland that if he had his minimum seventy-seven men, and three officers quota ready he could move to Mobile. Captain McFarland came down from Florence on the same train with the other company from Florence and com panies from Huntsville and Scottsboro. Before the train reached Montgomery Gov ernor Johnston directed Lieutenant Sam Jones, United States army, to meet the train and ascertain from the commanding officers of each company exactly how many men each had on the train.
 Lieutenant Jones reported to the gover- nor that he asked Captain Mcfarland how many men he had on the train and he re- piled eighty-four men and three officers, to which Jones replied that you have eighty-seven men in all," and Mcfarland replied "Yes eighty-seven." This state ment was again made on Wednesday, by Lieutenat Jones in McFarland's presence.
 The conductor informed Lieutenant Jones that he could only count sixty men in Me- Harrr Clark. Colonel Higdon reported by letter the same night to the governor that Me- Farland had only thirty-five men.
 The governor wired Colonel Higdon to inquire of Captain Mcfarland why in dis obedience of imperative orders he had left Florence without seventy-seven men and why he had represented to Lieutenant Jones that he had eighty-seven men and officers in the train at Montgomery. Hig- don replied by wire that Mcfarland said he expected to get other men from the Huntsville company and Lieutenant Allen. There upon the governor ordered the com pany to be disbanded it could not be received with less than the minimum quota.
 There are forty-sx commissioned officers in the First volunteers. Of all these two only are related to the governor by blood or marriage, and both of these were ap- pointed on the recommendation of Colonel Higdon The governor did not even know that his son was member of the regiment until he was en route to Mobile under ap- pointment as adjutant from Colonel Hig- don. and without the slightest intimation from any one that such appointment was desired or would be made.
 The governor has had in all some ninety two appointments and has not appointed a single relative except the two mentioned, on the recommendation of the colonel of the regiment.
 The morning paper refers to MT. R. G. Mallett in it's wondrous headlines as "a relative of Governor Johnston" while MT Mcfarland is made to understand that he is a relative of the governors wife MT. Mallett is not a relative in any sense what ever of either the governor or Mrs. John- GtOn.