The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-13
Answers Colonel McKIeroy and ReilerateS His Former
 Charge
THIRD REGIMENT TROUBLE
 GETS THICKER AND DARK ER
Long Declares That 25 Members of Company K Have Written to Him About Maj. Charles Ledbet-
 ter's Alleged Statement

The squabble in the affairs of the Third regiment, Alabama National Guard, has apparently only just begun.
 At every turn matters are assuming an uglier appearance and now, according to the statement of Major w. H. Long, Jr., of Decatur, it is not at all improb- able that a court of inquiry will be appointed to investigate the alleged ir regularities which are said to exist in the Third regiment.
 The alleged irregular ities which now appear to be the subject of general dis oussion in military circles, are said to have grown out of statement attributed to Major Charles Ledbetter that he would see that certain officers elected in Com pany K of Birmingham were not given their commissions. Although Major Led better has denied that he made any such statement and notwithstanding the fact command of the Third regiment has se- verely criticized Major Long for airing the regimental troubles in the press, Ma jor Long comes back with another inter- view in which he again insists that the charges which he has made are true and further states that 25 members of Company K have stated their willing Eesse to testify that they were present on the night when Major Ledbetter made the statement that he would see that none of the men, who were members of the company at the time Major Ledbetter is said to have made the statement, would get tieir commissions if advanced 10 offices named
 The Decatur correspondent of The Age Herald sends the following matter, quot ing Major Long:
 Major Long's Statement.
 q do not feel disposed to stir up a controversy along personal lines but I insist that the charges made by me few days ago, upon information from Lieutenant c. H. Ohme, were not touched upon by Colonel McKleroy except in the nature of a plea of confession and avoidance.
 If my free expression of conditions that prevail in the Third regiment and which can be remeded by the proper at tention to the duties by the officers of the regiment will bring about a general shake-up, it will have to come.
 'I insist that these little irregularities can be remedied and should be rem edied by giving the proper attention to them by the officers of the regiment the regiment will be kept in thoroughly organized and equipped condition.
 My record as an officeseeker is sub mitted to the general public in compar- ison with Col w. H. McKleroy's. ell makes reference to the fact that he was acquainted with the situation in Com pany K, thereby pleading negligence in the management of the affairs of the reg 'iment."
 "The law requires that the commanding officer of a company must give bond for the accounting of the company finances and the property of the state. The pres ent existing conditions in Company K leave the state without bond, as required by the law
 ''The officers in Company K can be ex- amined. If they fail they should not be commissioned, but orders should be issued ordering another election in Company K. A new set of officers can be elected, un- less additional time is given for these off, cers to stand another examination, which obviates continuing the company in its present unsatisfactory condition.
 My record while serving in the last state legislature, if inspected by the colo mel, will convince him that the miliatry bills passed by me, with the support of other friends of the Alabama national guard who were members of the legisla- ture, made 1t possible to keep the Third regiment In good shape; not only the Third regiment, but all the military subdi- visions in the state. By reducing the man. agement of the affairs of the regiment to 'wel-defined rules, as prescribed by the law, there will be no need of any extreme action on the part of any one.
 Court of Inquiry.
 Colonel McKleroy should have stated that Maj. D. Huston Smith is supporting Major Ledbetter for lieutenant colonel to succeed Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy, with the hope that he (Smith) will be elected colonel The election for lieuten- ant colonel has not yet taken place and the results are not known.
 ''I have just received communication from Birmingham setting forth that 90 members of Company K will testify that they were present the night that Major Ledbetter made the statement that he would see that none of the men who were members of the company at the time Major Ledbetter made the statement would get their commissions if elected.
 Tt is very probable that a court of in quiry may be appointed to investigate these commissions"
 Major Long has been member of the f.y. ,I1,,. ofx Fl "a has filled almost every office in the De- catur company. He has attended a num- Der of state encampments and was an officer at the national maneuvers at Ma