Political history for Logan County, West Virginia, during the 1920s was particularly eventful; it included the latter years of Sheriff Don Chafin’s rule, the Mine Wars (“armed march”), Republican Party ascendancy, and the rise of Republican sheriffs Tennis and Joe Hatfield. What follows are selected primary source documents relating to this period:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA,

HUNTINGTON DIVISION

Before the undersigned authority, Ira P. Hager, a United States Commissioner in and for said county and State, personally appeared this day Mattie Marley, who after being by me first duly sworn, deposes and says:

That she resides at Kistler, Logan County, in said District; that on or about the 2nd day of November, A.D., 1924, at Kistler, in said District, Charley Gore, Deputy Sheriff said to affiant that after the election he was going to give some of them hell; that he was then in affiant’s house, and pulled his revolvers and said that if we would not permit him to give a supper there he knew of plenty of houses where he could get a free supper. He also said when he put his pistol back into his pocket that if his special did not get them his machine gun would.

Mattie Marley

Taken, subscribed and sworn to before me this the 3rd day of November, A.D., 1924.

Ira P. Hager

United States Commissioner as aforesaid.

Witnesses:

Will Lancaster

Pearl Anderson

Malinda Carlton

***

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA,

HUNTINGTON DIVISION

Before me, Ira P. Hager, the undersigned a United States Commissioner in and for said District, personally appeared this day John Morgan, who after being by me first duly sworn, deposes and says:

That affiant voted a Republican ticket on election day November 4th, 1924, and H.S. Walker, receiving clerk tore the same up and destroyed it. That there was no justification for his destroying said ballot. Affiant further says that the other election officers of the Junior High School Precinct saw the said Walker destroy said ballot.

John Morgan

Taken, subscribed and sworn to before me this the 4th day of November, A.D., 1924.

Ira P. Hager

United States Commissioner as aforesaid.