Details
Collection: 30366 - Corrections, Department of. State Penitentiary, Security Mug Shot Books.
Folder: 0019
Item: 04387
Title: 4387 Hagen, Halvor J.
Date: Undated
Summary: Halvor J. Hagen was born in Norway in 1860. In 1870, the family immigrated to the United States, settling in Wisconsin. In 1873, the family moved again to Dakota Territory (North Dakota), near Fort Abercrombie. Hagen attended Willmar Seminary in Minnesota before farming near Abercrombie. In 1892, he entered the banking industry, becoming involved in the National Bank of Wahpeton. He then helped to organize the First State Bank of Abercrombie and served as its president. On July 4, 1894, Hagen married Amy Wood in Stearns County, Minnesota. He was active in the affairs of the Fargo and Abercrombie areas, being involved with the Fargo Commercial Club, Sons of Norway, Masons, El Zagal Shriners, Red River Valley Old Settlers' Association, and he was one of the founders of Fort Abercrombie State Park. He also served as deputy assessor, school board member, city council for Abercrombie. In 1910, he organized the Scandinavian American Bank of Fargo and became its president when the bank opened in early 1911. The bank prospered for several years. Around this time (the mid to late 1910s), saw the rise of the Nonpartisan League (NPL) in the state. In the fall of 1917, the Scandinavian American Bank was purchased by the NPL, via John J. Hastings and Porter Kimball. Both joined the bank's board, and Hastings became the bank's vice president. Allegedly, the bank was purchased by the two men at the direction of NPL-leaders A. C. Townley and William Lemke. Hagen then became active at the state level, serving on the board for the State Historical Society of North Dakota, and in late 1918, it was rumored that he would be next in line for state bank examiner if the current State Examiner, James R. Waters, decided to resign. In July 1919, he was appointed to serve on the state state guaranty commission. However, things would soon take a turn for the worse for Hagen and the Scandinavian American Bank. In April 1919, Deputy Examiner P. E. Halldorson reviewed the bank and warned that it was in serious condition. This earned the close scrutiny of William Langer (Attorney General) and Thomas Hall (Secretary of State), who made up a majority of the State Banking Board (and who had also been growing dissatisfied with the NPL's leadership). At the end of September 1919, the State Banking Board sent O. E. Lofthus, State Examiner, to Florida to investigate the U.S. Sisal Trust company, which was a business venture with ties to the NPL. With Lofthus gone, Halldorson and Assistant Attorney General Albert E. Sheets arrived in Fargo to conduct another review of the bank. They concluded the bank was not financially stable and had excessive loans. The State Banking Board quickly called a meeting and declared the bank insolvent, over the objections of NPL-Governor Lynn Frazier (the other member of the board). Halldorson was named temporary receiver. Lofthus, a member of the NPL, quickly returned to the state and got the N.D. Supreme Court to give him control over the bank. He then disregarded the report from Halldorson and Sheets and conducted his own investigation. He concluded there were some excessive loans, but the bank was financially stable and should never have been declared insolvent. The bank was reopened in late October 1919. The trouble did not end there, however. Intense hearings, litigation, and investigations followed. Also, other banks, including the newly formed Bank of North Dakota, would be dragged into the controversy. On October 4, 1919, warrants were issued for the arrest of Hagen and P. R. Sherman, a cashier at the bank, and the two men were taken into custody. In early December 1919, Hagen was found guilty of exhibiting false records to bank examiners. Sentencing was delayed pending an appeal. The NPL-controlled state legislature, meeting around this time in a special session, was quick to support the NPL by condemning the actions of Langer and Hall and expunging a resolution proposed by Senator Fred W. Mees calling for the immediate resignation of Hagen from the state guaranty commission. In early April 1920, Hagen and his counsel, James Manahan, petitioned for a new trial, claiming the jury was unfair and the evidence was insufficient. A month later, this request was granted. It is unclear what happened with this case, but Hagen did continue to serve as the bank's president. In July 1920, Gov. Frazier reappointed Hagen to the state guaranty commission. In February 1921, the Scandinavian American Bank closed its doors again, permanently this time. Again, intense hearings, litigation, and investigations followed for several years. Many employees of the bank (like Hagen, F. C. Heaton, N. G. Eggen, P. R. Sherman, and J. J. Hastings), as well prominent individuals affiliated with the state and/or the NPL (like A. C. Townley, F. W. Cathro, O. E. Lofthus, William Lemke, J. W. Brinton, F. B. Wood, H. A. Paddock, Lars Christianson, and George A. Totten, Jr.), would be indicted, called to testify, etc. Most of the charges would be dismissed, but not for Hagen. At this time, Hagen was also temporarily at the center of a murder investigation. In June 1921, Marie Wick was murdered at hotel in downtown Fargo. Hagen was staying in the room next door. Police investigated and quickly ruled him out as a suspect. In late March 1924, Hagen was found guilty for "knowingly permitting, conniving at, and being accessory to the receiving of money on deposit in an insolvent bank." He was sentenced to two and a half years in the state penitentiary. Hagen, and his counsel, Usher L. Burdick, petitioned for a retrial, but this was denied. He continued to fight and appeal, losing each one. In October 1926, he entered the state prison, but in August 1927, he was released by the state pardon board after a physician's report declared him to be in poor mental and physical condition. It is believed that upon his release, Hagen moved to Washington to help take care of his wife, who had recently suffered a stroke. Hagen died sometime between August 1927 and April 1930. __Source: Lounsberry, Clement A. (Clement Augustus). "North Dakota history and people; outlines of American history" (volume 2), Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1917, p. 114-119. https://archive.org/details/northdakotahisto02loun/
Red ID: SG_I_123000 Image ID: 514533 Image Notes: 30366-04387-2
Collection: 30366 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: Corrections, Department of. State Penitentiary, Security Mug Shot Books.
Date: 1892-1932
Summary: For the time period of this record series inmate mug shots were kept separately from the inmate case file, mostly in photograph albums. After this time period mug shots were filed in the inmate case file. Inmate case files are restricted as they may contain confidential information. There is great variation in the spelling of names between the case files and mug shots. __ __ __Summary
Collection: 30366 - Corrections, Department of. State Penitentiary, Security Mug Shot Books.
Folder: 0019
Item: 04387
Title: 4387 Hagen, Halvor J.
Date: Undated
Summary: Halvor J. Hagen was born in Norway in 1860. In 1870, the family immigrated to the United States, settling in Wisconsin. In 1873, the family moved again to Dakota Territory (North Dakota), near Fort Abercrombie. Hagen attended Willmar Seminary in Minnesota before farming near Abercrombie. In 1892, he entered the banking industry, becoming involved in the National Bank of Wahpeton. He then helped to organize the First State Bank of Abercrombie and served as its president. On July 4, 1894, Hagen married Amy Wood in Stearns County, Minnesota. He was active in the affairs of the Fargo and Abercrombie areas, being involved with the Fargo Commercial Club, Sons of Norway, Masons, El Zagal Shriners, Red River Valley Old Settlers' Association, and he was one of the founders of Fort Abercrombie State Park. He also served as deputy assessor, school board member, city council for Abercrombie. In 1910, he organized the Scandinavian American Bank of Fargo and became its president when the bank opened in early 1911. The bank prospered for several years. Around this time (the mid to late 1910s), saw the rise of the Nonpartisan League (NPL) in the state. In the fall of 1917, the Scandinavian American Bank was purchased by the NPL, via John J. Hastings and Porter Kimball. Both joined the bank's board, and Hastings became the bank's vice president. Allegedly, the bank was purchased by the two men at the direction of NPL-leaders A. C. Townley and William Lemke. Hagen then became active at the state level, serving on the board for the State Historical Society of North Dakota, and in late 1918, it was rumored that he would be next in line for state bank examiner if the current State Examiner, James R. Waters, decided to resign. In July 1919, he was appointed to serve on the state state guaranty commission. However, things would soon take a turn for the worse for Hagen and the Scandinavian American Bank. In April 1919, Deputy Examiner P. E. Halldorson reviewed the bank and warned that it was in serious condition. This earned the close scrutiny of William Langer (Attorney General) and Thomas Hall (Secretary of State), who made up a majority of the State Banking Board (and who had also been growing dissatisfied with the NPL's leadership). At the end of September 1919, the State Banking Board sent O. E. Lofthus, State Examiner, to Florida to investigate the U.S. Sisal Trust company, which was a business venture with ties to the NPL. With Lofthus gone, Halldorson and Assistant Attorney General Albert E. Sheets arrived in Fargo to conduct another review of the bank. They concluded the bank was not financially stable and had excessive loans. The State Banking Board quickly called a meeting and declared the bank insolvent, over the objections of NPL-Governor Lynn Frazier (the other member of the board). Halldorson was named temporary receiver. Lofthus, a member of the NPL, quickly returned to the state and got the N.D. Supreme Court to give him control over the bank. He then disregarded the report from Halldorson and Sheets and conducted his own investigation. He concluded there were some excessive loans, but the bank was financially stable and should never have been declared insolvent. The bank was reopened in late October 1919. The trouble did not end there, however. Intense hearings, litigation, and investigations followed. Also, other banks, including the newly formed Bank of North Dakota, would be dragged into the controversy. On October 4, 1919, warrants were issued for the arrest of Hagen and P. R. Sherman, a cashier at the bank, and the two men were taken into custody. In early December 1919, Hagen was found guilty of exhibiting false records to bank examiners. Sentencing was delayed pending an appeal. The NPL-controlled state legislature, meeting around this time in a special session, was quick to support the NPL by condemning the actions of Langer and Hall and expunging a resolution proposed by Senator Fred W. Mees calling for the immediate resignation of Hagen from the state guaranty commission. In early April 1920, Hagen and his counsel, James Manahan, petitioned for a new trial, claiming the jury was unfair and the evidence was insufficient. A month later, this request was granted. It is unclear what happened with this case, but Hagen did continue to serve as the bank's president. In July 1920, Gov. Frazier reappointed Hagen to the state guaranty commission. In February 1921, the Scandinavian American Bank closed its doors again, permanently this time. Again, intense hearings, litigation, and investigations followed for several years. Many employees of the bank (like Hagen, F. C. Heaton, N. G. Eggen, P. R. Sherman, and J. J. Hastings), as well prominent individuals affiliated with the state and/or the NPL (like A. C. Townley, F. W. Cathro, O. E. Lofthus, William Lemke, J. W. Brinton, F. B. Wood, H. A. Paddock, Lars Christianson, and George A. Totten, Jr.), would be indicted, called to testify, etc. Most of the charges would be dismissed, but not for Hagen. At this time, Hagen was also temporarily at the center of a murder investigation. In June 1921, Marie Wick was murdered at hotel in downtown Fargo. Hagen was staying in the room next door. Police investigated and quickly ruled him out as a suspect. In late March 1924, Hagen was found guilty for "knowingly permitting, conniving at, and being accessory to the receiving of money on deposit in an insolvent bank." He was sentenced to two and a half years in the state penitentiary. Hagen, and his counsel, Usher L. Burdick, petitioned for a retrial, but this was denied. He continued to fight and appeal, losing each one. In October 1926, he entered the state prison, but in August 1927, he was released by the state pardon board after a physician's report declared him to be in poor mental and physical condition. It is believed that upon his release, Hagen moved to Washington to help take care of his wife, who had recently suffered a stroke. Hagen died sometime between August 1927 and April 1930. __Source: Lounsberry, Clement A. (Clement Augustus). "North Dakota history and people; outlines of American history" (volume 2), Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1917, p. 114-119. https://archive.org/details/northdakotahisto02loun/
Red ID: SG_I_123000 Image ID: 114648 Image Notes: 30366-04387-1
Collection: 30366 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: Corrections, Department of. State Penitentiary, Security Mug Shot Books.
Date: 1892-1932
Summary: For the time period of this record series inmate mug shots were kept separately from the inmate case file, mostly in photograph albums. After this time period mug shots were filed in the inmate case file. Inmate case files are restricted as they may contain confidential information. There is great variation in the spelling of names between the case files and mug shots. __ __ __Summary
Enter a subject or term in one or both of the “Search” boxes.
- “Item Detail” searches the Title, Creator and Summary fields of all item-level records.
- “Collection Number” searches the Collection Number field only and requires an exact match.
The “DETAILS” button provides additional information about an item, as well as the following options:
- “Collection Summary” details the contents of the entire collection in which the selected item is located.
- You can print the image and its corresponding details by selecting “Print".
- “Digitized Images from the Collection” returns a list of all digitized items within that collection (available from the “Collection Summary” screen).
Click on image to expand/zoom the image view.
“Photobook home” takes you back to the main Photobook page where you can start a new search.
“Featured Collections” showcases new and/or popular collections and the digitized images within those collections.
Information on how to order copies is located here.
The collections preserved in the North Dakota State Archives include over a million images. Only a small percentage of these images have been digitized. This photo gallery provides a preview of the images that have been digitized.
For more information on the non-digitized images, please refer to the finding aids found on our website at history.nd.gov, or ask a member of our reference staff for assistance.