McMinn County, Tennessee
A wealthy family, the Cantrells, had taken control of the county political machine in the 1930's. Paul Cantrell was elected county sheriff in 1936, 1938, and 1940. In 1942 and 1944 he was elected to the state senate, while his chief deputy, Pat Mansfield, was elected county sheriff. The U.S., Dept. of Justice received complaints by county citizens of electoral fraud in the 1940, 1942, and 1944 elections. These complaints went unanswered. Deputies commonly accepted bribes, intimidated voters, tampered with ballot boxes, and began beating those who spoke out. The sheriff's department falsely ticketed and arrested individuals to obtain finances for personal and political purposes. What ensued is the Battle of Athens by WWII veterans.