 Chapin was born in upstate Watertown, New York and began his career on a Kansas newspaper, aged 14, moving later to Chicago to work for the "Tribune", where he gained renown as a crime reporter.He excelled sufficiently to be hired in 1898 by the "World", a New York daily, run by the Pulitzer family, which enjoyed one of the largest circulations in the country.Chapin became editor of the evening edition of the "World" and was renowned as a hard taskmaster.