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 this day personally came Orville Hall, who after being by me first duly sworn, deposes and says that he is sixteen years of age, resides at Switzer, Logan County, and is employed by the Switzer Collier Company, at Switzer.

That on the 5th day of November, 1924, after affiant had voted for the Republican Party in the election held November 4th, 1924, affiant was coming up the road, having come out of the mines, and I was walking. John Cooley was riding a mule, which mule we had been using in the mines. After we had gone some distance, Jack Meadows, Deputy Sheriff came along in a car and commenced shooting at the lower end of the camp of the Switzer Collier Company. He was shooting toward the ground. Buck Adams, Deputy Sheriff, was in the car with Jack Meadows, and another man or two that we did not know. They first shot at a point about the middle of the camp, having fired several shots. I got back out of the road, as far as I could, to let them pass in the car, and they shot right below me, and Jack Meadows took some shells out of his gun and threw them out in front of me and laughed, and he went on up the road, with the pistol in his hand, the car still running. They shot within about two feet of the mule. Two men shooting at the same time. Buck Adams and Jack Meadows were both shooting. The mule became frightened and John held on and was not thrown off; it was about four o’clock when this happened.

Orville Hall

Taken, subscribed and sworn to before this the 8th day of November, 1924.

Ira P. Hager

United States Commissioner as aforesaid.

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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 District, personally appeared this day Wilburn Adams, who after being first duly sworn says that he run his car on election day, and hauled Republican voters to the election; that he was approached by John T. Gore, a Deputy Sheriff, while on the election ground, and the said Gore said to this affiant, “You did not go into the election to win, but you went into the election for contrariness, and we are going to set on you.”

I am informed by my son, Burl Farley, Wash Farley and Roy Adams that the said Deputy John T. Gore is threatening to do me bodily injury, or “beat me to death.” I being sick at the time he made these threats, which threats have been made since the election.

Wilburn Adams

Taken, subscribed and sworn to before me this the 8th day of November, 1924.

Ira P. Hager

United States Commissioner as aforesaid.

NOTE: Wilburn Adams and Deputy Sheriff Anthony “Buck” Adams were brothers. Wilburn married a sister to my great-great-grandmother.