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Collection Summary
Collection: 00032 - North Dakota Oral History Project Photograph Collection
Folder: MZ-20
Item: 00007
Title: James Curran, editor of Watford City paper holding fatal noose
Date: 1960
Creator: Christensen, Ralph,--1911-1982
Inscription/Marks: [handwritten on lower right edge of photograph] #2. [facsimile file] Written on reverse of photograph: James Curran, editor of Watford City paper holding fatal noose.
Summary: James Curran, editor of Watford City paper standing next to short wooden fence holding rope and noose towards camera. [History-Watford City, North Dakota 50 Years of Progress 1914-1964 p14] THE BANNON CASE The worst tragedy that ever occurred in this area was in February, 1930, when Charles Bannon murdered the six members of the Albert E. Haven family who farmed about five miles northeast of Watford City. It created national acquaintance. Charles was a hired man for the Havens and apparently he started on his murder rampage after a quarrel with the eldest boy. He shot and killed Mr. and Mrs. Haven and their four children to death, clubbing some of them to death. He then buried their bodies in the yard and the hills surrounding the farm. After confessing the crime a year afterwards, an angry mob seized him and lynched him from the Shafer bridge. Sheriff S. A. Thompson tried to save the life of the prisoner from the angry mob but was overpowered. This was the 16th and last lynching in N. Dak. All six members of the Haven family are buried in the Schafer cemetery at Watford City. His father was tried for the crime as accomplice and was sentenced to life imprisonment. __[biography] One of the first managers of the McKenzie County Farmer was C. J. Rapsavage, a former editor of the Arnegard Call, who served as managing-editor from 1921 to 1926. James P. Curran replaced Leiseth and Carlson in 1930, serving as both manager and editor until 1933 when Leiseth returned as manager. Curran continued as editor until D. Larin took over in 1934.
Red ID: PH_I_120114 Image ID: 184064 Image Notes: 00032-MZ-20-00007

Collection: 00032 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: North Dakota Oral History Project Photograph Collection
Date: 1880-1977

Summary: Consists of copies of photographs belonging to people interviewed for the North Dakota Oral History Project. The Project was undertaken by Larry Sprunk, with the cooperation of the North Dakota American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, the North Dakota Farmers Union, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota. The primary objective of the North Dakota Oral History Project was to conduct oral tape recorded interviews with North Dakotans who lived through the state's history and who could speak of this history from a first-hand basis. Interviewees were photographed at the time of their interviews. In addition, the project borrowed over 6,000 historical photographs which were copied and added to the State Historical Society's collection. Many interviewees also donated family histories, documents, letters, ledgers, books, and artifacts.

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