Don Chafin - Politics and Arrest

Politics and Arrest

After the battle, Chafin went back to his normal work as sheriff of Logan County and "became more arrogant", believing his position to be unassailable. He became involved in a number of illegal ventures, including a moonshining operation. He also became increasingly important within the West Virginia Democratic party, due to his celebrity status after the battle. He was frequently present in the state capitol, and attended the 1924 Democratic National Convention as a member of the West Virginia delegation.

A few months later, Chafin's illegal activities led to his arrest. One of his deputies, Tennis Hatfield, was arrested for violation of the Volstead Act, and he implicated Chafin at his trial. Chafin was tried and convicted of violation of the Volstead Act at the federal courthouse in Huntington, West Virginia on October 14, 1924. He was given the maximum sentence of two years in prison, and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000. The judge in the case also took special precautions to protect the witnesses against Chafin, due to his potentially violent nature. Chafin appealed the verdict, but it was upheld in April 1925, and he was sent to the federal penitentiary in Atlanta. He served part of his term before being paroled back to Logan County. While Chafin was in prison, he lost much of his influence in Logan County, and his political opponents took power. After his release from prison, Chafin moved to Charleston and retained some of his influence in the Democratic Party of West Virginia while lobbying for the coal industry.