Lewis Hartley’s Complaint to
the Circuit Court
One of the
most bizarre documents in the Holy Roller affair was Lewis Hartley’s complaint
where he not only explained why he wanted a divorce from his wife, Cora, but also
detailed how he tried to, murder his wife's lover, or in his words, "in order to avoid further annoyance deem it proper to assist the
said Creffield to leave this mortal earth in a speedy manner."
No. 4377
In the Circuit Court State of Oregon, For Benton County. Lewis Hartley (Plaintiff)
vs. Cora A. Hartley (Defendant) , Complaint filed May
11th, 1906. Victor Moses (Clerk. by Robt. Johnson (Deputy) W. S. McFadden, Attorney for Plaintiff.
In the circuit Court of the State of Oregon for Benton County.
Lewis
Hartley----Plaintiff.
Vs.--
Cora A.
Hartley---Defendant.
Plaintiff
for cause of suit against the defendant above named alleges the following facts:--That heretofore to wit: on or about the 11th day of October
1881 in the County of Macomb in the State of Illinois this plaintiff and
defendant were duly united in the contract of marriage and are now and have
been at all times and dates since 1881 husband and wife.
That this
plaintiff and defendant are now residents and inhabitants of Benton County
State of Oregon and have been such residents and inhabitants at all times and
dates for more than eight years last past.
That this
plaintiff has at all times conducted himself toward his said wife as a true
husband and cared for her in a becoming manner according to his station in life
with a good comfortable home and all the necessaries and good things of this
life to the best of his ability and with due respect to his marriage
obligations to said defendant.
That the defendant
in total disregard of her marriage duties has been guilty of cruel and inhuman
treatment and personal indignities toward this plaintiff for the past three
years rendering his life burdensome in this: ’’That
without the knowledge and against the will of this plaintiff in the early
summer of 1903 and at all times until the fall of 1903 covering a period of
many months the said defendant deserted the home of this plaintiff and took
herself to Kiger’s Island in said County and went into camp with one Creffield
known locally as “The Joshua” or “New Christ”, and the head of what is known as
the Holy Rollers; and said defendant remained in camp with sundry women and men
and more particularly the said Creffield; the said defendant said Creffield and
other women being engaged in wild orgies on the earth together in almost a nude
condition rolling on the earth together in a promiscuous way during unusual
hours of the night and day separated from the balance of the world, and the
said defendant conforming to certain ritualistic or sensualistic practices
prescribed and ordained as coming from Heaven by and through the mediation of
the aforesaid Joshua--said defendant divesting herself of her under clothing
for the purposes of conforming to the revelations claimed to be received in
some occult way by said Creffield and consenting to certain acts and practices
with The Joshua in conflict with the fundamental laws of the State of Oregon;
that his plaintiff in order to induce defendant from said camp and influences and
acts on more than one instance brought her back to his home in the City of
Corvallis; but said defendant in total disregard of his desires and against his
protests would desert her home and repair to said Camp and engage in said
practices whenever this plaintiff’s business called him from said city which
was frequently during all of the Summer and fall of 1903; that the said Camp
and its followers left said Island in the fall of 1903 and established
themselves immediately South of Corvallis at what is known as the Hurt
residence and the defendant deserted her home and at said Hurt residence again
took up her abode with said Creffield and his band of Holy Rollers in the same
manner and form substantially as to acts and doings as on said Island, and there engaged in wild and
unknown practices during whole nights with said Creffield; and burnt furniture,
clothing, ornaments, watches, jewelry and generally every thing necessary to
the comfort of a well regulated household; besides making burnt offerings of domesticated
animals such as dogs and cats. That this plaintiff by real force and entreaties
did induce the defendant to leave the premises last aforesaid and the said Holy
Rollers on at least three different occasions after the hour of midnight and
return to her home with him; but said defendant as soon as he left his home to
attend to his usual business matters would return to said Hurt place and the
general (pretty illegible, maybe the word is “religion”) of said Rollers and
said Creffield and engage in the wild and unusual practices herein before
mentioned. That this plaintiff has been most earnest in his endeavors to induce
the said defendant to quit and leave said Camp, said Rollers, said Hurt
residence orgies and the acts and practices and similar acts and practices of
said band, headed, controlled and operated by said Creffield as is sensualistic
Prophet, Joshua and High-Priest-that after the confinement of said Joshua in
the Penitentiary of this State for a Statutory crime for the term of about two
years and her said acts being condoned so far as possible by this plaintiff
while the Prophet was serving his term in said prison and said Creffield being
released from said prison in the early part of 1906; the said defendant in some
way or manner unknown to this plaintiff became advised of the whereabouts of
the said Creffield and did immediately commence to evince the same dispositions
as had before actuated her. That on or about the 21st day of April 1906 the
said defendant left the home of this plaintiff to join said Creffield at or near
some camp near Waldport Lincoln County Oregon and did leave Corvallis at said
last mentioned on the C&E RR for the purpose of going to the camp of said
Creffield at said last mentioned place; that this plaintiff to defeat her
intentions from being realized did also at said last date take the cars to go
in the same direction as his said wife to locate the whereabouts of said
Creffield and his Rollers; but said defendant discerned this plaintiff’s
intentions and at Blodgett in Benton county left the train and walked to Toledo
some 30 or 40 miles and by ways and means unknown to plaintiff followed said
Creffield to a point about 21 miles south of Waldport in Lane County Oregon. That
this plaintiff in order to avoid further annoyance deem it proper to assist the
said Creffield to leave this mortal earth in a speedy manner, but owing to the
fact of rim cartridges instead of center fire cartridges that happy even was
avoided by the flight of the said Prophet: That against the will of the
defendant she was induced to return to the home of this plaintiff after the
flight of Creffield. That defendant refuses to live with this plaintiff and it
is impossible for this plaintiff longer to live with her as his wife or
otherwise live with her--that she pronounces him unclean-unsactified (sic) and reprable (sic) and will not countenance him
for having endeavored to assist the prophet to that happy country beyond this
mundane sphere of tears and sorrows.
That the
acts of defendant and her practices for the past three years in manner and form
as herein mentioned has been continuous and since said Creffield has been
released from the Penitentiary and particularly since the 1st of April last has
been most annoying and vexatious to this plaintiff. That this plaintiff has
labored with the said defendant to reclaim her from the practices and
peculiarities and acts herein mentioned as well kindred acts and practices and
has procured the assistance of good and reputable persons to assist him to the
same end of inducing defendant to return to her marriage obligations and
conduct herself as she did during her married life prior to 1903; but all to no
purpose.
That she
conceives herself to be the bride of the said so called prophet and this
plaintiff as an alien and a stranger to her in a legal sense and not in fact
her husband. That this plaintiff is a man of the usual qualities and feelings
of the average human being and by the long and continuous acts, practices and
cruel and inhuman treatment and personal indignities his life has become
burdensome by and through the said defendant.
Wherefore
Plaintiff prays a decree of the Court dissolving and annulling the marriage
contract now existing between plaintiff and defendant and decreeing this
plaintiff his costs and disbursements in this suit.
W. S.
McFadden, attorney for Plaintiff
Chapter of Holy Rollers where this document is one of the sources
Chapter 14: Men are Gunning for Creffield
Some of the newspaper articles about Hartley trying to shoot Creffield
April 1906: Men are Gunning For Creffield
Editorial Calling for Gun Control in 1906
***
Newspaper Articles about Creffield & the Holy Rollers
1897-1899:Local Lore, News Of Corvallis and Vicinity Told in Brief B. C. (Before Creffield)
1900:Holy Rollers' Lives Before Creffield
1901:Holy Rollers' Lives Before Creffield
1902:Holy Rollers' Lives Creffield
January 18, 1903: Fred Mitchell Attempts Suicide
June 10, 1903: Salvation Army Major Deserts and Joins the Holy Rollers
October 31, 1903: Zealot Worshipers Burn Furniture, Dogs & Other Things
November 2, 1903: Fanatics In Court
November 3, 1903: Had Promise of Tar and Feathers
November 4, 1903: Flight of The Apostles
November 5, 1903: Once-Esteemed Family No Longer Has the Sympathy of the Community
November 6, 1903: Rollers Take On New Life
November 7, 1903: Is Creffield Back?
November 11, 1903: “Apostle” Creffield Still Under Cover
November 24, 1903: Girl of Sixteen Almost Insane
November 25, 1903: In Pursuit of Creffield
November 27, 1903: The Lord May Starve Them
November 28, 1903: Holy Rollers Receive Unwilling Baptism
December 7, 1903: Demented Woman Suffers
December 8, 1903: Hurt Seen In Portland
December 11, 1903:Holy Rollers Roll Into Eugene Church
December 21, 1903:Holy Roller Victim Worse December 22, 1903: Linn County Holy Rollers December 23, 1903: Is Crazy Now
December 29, 1903: Holy Rollers’ Not Liked at the Dalles December 30, 1903: Owner of Property Refuses to Permit Séances January 6, 1904: Holy Rollers Tarred and Feathered January 9, 1904: Their Welcome Departure January 12, 1904: Editorial Comment: “Put yourselves in our place!” January 13, 1904: Where Brooks Went January 19, 1904: Our Brainy Contemporaries January 25: Holy Rollers’ in Hobo Camp Life February 1, 1904: Camp In Linn County Is Broken Up By Officers February 6, 1904: How They Tell The Holy Roller Story In Far Off Scotland February 11, 1904: Medium Mystify Corvallis People March 1, 1904: The “Holy Rollers” Offend Humanity March 16, 1904: Holy Rollers to Be Arrested on Serious Charge March 17, 1904: Where is the Apostle? March 21, 1904: Reward For Creffield's Capture March 23, 1904: Fugitive Creffield March 28, 1904: Reward is Offered April 1, 1904: “Holy Roller” Chief Very Badly Wanted April 18, 1904: Holy Roller High Priest Is Seen April 29, 1904: Urania Seeley is Arrested May 2, 1904: Frank & Mollie Hurt are Committed to the Asylum May 4, 1904: Maud Hurt-Creffield & Sophia Hartley are Committed May 7, 1904: Attie Bray &Rose Seeley are Committed June 11, 1904: Attie Bray Escapes June 17, 1904: Mae Hurt is Committed June 29, 1904: Sarah Hurt is Committed July 22, 1904: Holy Roller on Death Row July 29, 1904: Creffield Found Half Dead Under Hurt’s House July, 30 1904: Armed Guards Protect Creffield July, 31 1904: Corvallis Could Not Raise a Mob August 1, 1904: Creffield says, "I am Elijah" August 2, 1904: Creffield Does Not Dislike Prison August 4, 1904: Creffield Says He Is Entirely Purified August 5, 1904: He Does Nothing Unless Directed by God August 6, 1904: Creffield Believes in Satan and Eternal Punishment August 9, 1904: No Flowers For Creffield August 13, 1904; The Holy Rollers And The Man Who Made Them August 16, 1904; Creffield Reward Will Be Returned August 19, 1904: Followers in Asylum Stick To Faith August 23, 1904: Creffield Will Fight His Own Case August 28, 1904: Creffield Destroys His Revelations September 16, 1904: Creffield is Guilty September 21, 1904: Holy Rollers go in and Out of the Asylum March 22, 1905: Prison Life Of Joshua Creffield> April 8, 1905: Life In Corvallis Returns to Normal December 12, 1905: Frank & Mollie Hurt Have a Baby Girl April 24, 1906: Creffield Establishes a Camp Near Waldport April 30, 1906: Donna Starr Leaves Children to go to Her Spiritual Love, Joshua Creffield May 1, 1906: Creffield Takes Credit for The San Francisco Earthquake May 3, 1906: Creffield In Fear Of His Life May 7, 1906: Holy Roller Shot Down Like A Dog May 8, 1906: Medal to Be Given Mitchell in Recognition of His Killing May 9, 1906: Oregon Prosecutor Would Aid Mitchell May 10, 1906: Shows No Emotion At Husband’s Grave May 11, 1906: Bail Is All Ready May 12, 1906: Mitchell Denied Bail May 13, 1906: Creffield is Due To Rise Today May 14, 1906: Creffield’s Widow Watches At Grave May 15, 1906: Corvallis Starts Fund for Defense of Mitchell May 16, 1906: Holy Rollers Starving Near Heceta Head May 17, 1906: Public Sentiment Favors Mitchell May 18, 1906: Creffield Railed in Vermont May 19, 1906: Mitchell to Enter Plea of Not Guilty May 27, 1906: Joshua Says Not to Worry June 1, 1906: Morris Claims Mitchell Rid World of a Fiend June 16, 1906: Prosecution and Defense are Making Last Preparations June 19, 1906: Many Witnesses For Mitchell June 24, 1906: Trial Will Cost Taxpayers Ten Thousand Dollars June 25, 1906: George Mitchell on Trial For His Life June 26, 1906: Mitchell Jury is Selected With Care June 27, 1906: Mitchell Trial Held Up By Squabble June 28, 1906: Jury is Secured to Try Mitchell June 29, 1906: Trial is Now on in Earnest June 30, 1906: Mrs. Creffield's Testimony July 1, 1906: Creffield’s Ghost Controls His Flock July 2, 1906: Esther Mitchell on Stand Refuses To Aid Brother July 3, 1906: Hurt Tells of Debauched Wife and Debased Sisters July 4, 1906: Creffield’s Unsavory Record Presented to the Jury July 5, 1906: Expected Admissibility of Evidence Will Arouse Controversy July 6, 1906: Others Testify They Wished to Kill Creffield July 7, 1906: Insanity Expert on the Witness Stand July 8, 1906: Plan To Revive Holy Rollerism July 9, 1906: Killing of Judge Emory May Effect Mitchell July 10, 1906: Mitchell Case Goes To Jury July 12, 1906: General Rejoicing at Mitchell’s Acquittal July 13, 1906: Esther Mitchell Kills Her Brother! July 14, 1906: Mitchell Boys Are Done With Esther July 15, 1906: Hurt Will Come to Aid of His Daughter July 16: 1906: Will Mortgage His Home for Daughter July 17, 1906: Let’s Think When We Talk July 18, 1906: Mrs. Starr’s Life Threatened July 19, 1906: Mrs. Creffield Weeps in Jail July 20, 1906: George Mitchell’s Attorney Offers Aid to Murderesses July 21, 1906: Mitchell Boys to Stand by Esther July 22, 1906: Hurt Thinks Both Women Are Insane July 23, 1906: Frater Favors a Commission of Alienists July 24, 1906: Mackintosh Will Oppose Calling Commission July 26, 1906: Is Reconciled to Holy Roller Wife July 27, 1906: Holy Rollers Seek Home in Wyoming July 28, 1906: Mitchell Juror is Insane July 30, 1906: Esther Will Deny Committing Murder In The 1st Degree July 31 1906: Esther Mitchell Says Not Guilty August 1, 1906: Relatives to Help Esther Mitchell August 4, 1906: Creffield Greatly Hurt True Religion August 6, 1906: Mitchell Boys in Drunken Row August 8, 1906: St. Louis Woman Coming to Convert “Rollers” August 12, 1906: Esther Mitchell Close to Death from Typhoid August 13, 1906: Esther Mitchell Not Seriously Ill September 1, 1906: Four Charged with First Degree Now in County Jail September 10 1906: To Examine Minds of Slayers September 12, 1906: Hurt Thinks His Daughter Insane September 13, 1906: Esther Mitchell Objects to Help September 14, 1906: Women Not Agitated September 15, 1906: Mrs. Creffield’s Trial Set for Next Month September 17, 1906: Mrs. Creffield on Stand September 18, 1906: Maud Creffield Anxious to Hang September 19, 1906: Are They Sane of Insane? September 21, 1906: Both Women May Go Scott Free September 22, 1906: Where is This Thing to End! September 23, 1906: Murders Must Be Tried September 24, 1906: Must Not Deport September 25, 1906: Judge Frater is in Very Small Business September 28, 1906: Insanity Board Not Paid October 1, 1906: Holy Roller Woman Dies While in Trance November 9, 1906: Mrs. Creffield Said to Be in Very Nervous State November 17, 1906: Maud Creffield Dies in the County Jail November 18, 1906: Death May End a Hypnotic Spell November 19, 1906: Reviews Findings in Examination of Brain November 20, 1906: Mrs. Creffield Killed Herself with Poison! November 21, 1906: Poison Is Found In The Stomach Of Mrs. Creffield November 22, 1906: Esther Says Maud Did Not Kill Herself December 4, 1906: Washing Dirty Linen December 17, 1906: Sad Christmas For Holy Roller February 21, 1907: Esther Mitchell Goes to Asylum April 30, 1907: Esther Mitchell Still Believe in Creffield & His Return April 6, 1909: Esther Mitchell Leaves Asylum April 9, 1914: Esther Mitchell Marries James Berry August 3, 1914: Esther Mitchell is Dead By Own Hand 1953 Stewart Holbrook's Murder Without Tears 1951 Startling Detective Magazine: Nemesis of the Nudist High PriestA List of All the Articles
Chapters from
Holy Rollers: Murder & Madness in Oregon's Love Cult
Part 1: The Seduction
Chapter 1: Trust Me, Brothers And Sisters
(Life Before Creffield [B.C.])
Chapter 2: God, Save Us From Compromising Preachers
(Creffield's Preachings)
Chapter 3: The Flock
(Profiles of the Holy Rollers Were)
Chapter 4: The Holy Rollers
(Things Start to Get Wild on on Kiger Island)
Chapter 5: Housecleaning
(There's a Sacrificial Bonfire)
Chapter 6: Community Concerns
(Officers Visit)
Chapter 7: Esther, The Chosen One
(Creffield Plans to Marry 16-Year- Old)
Chapter 8: Tar and Feathers
(The Men of Corvallis Act)
Chapter 9: Sane People Don’t Go Bareheaded
(Holy Rollers are Committed to the Asylum)
Chapter 10: More Beast Than Man
( Creffield is Arrested)
Chapter 11: God Will Plead Creffield's Case
(Creffield in Court)
Chapter 12: Scandal
(Shocking Testimony at the Trial)
Chapter 13: Calm Before the Storm
(The Holy Rollers Resume their Lives)
Chapter 14: Giving Up The Ghost
(Men are Gunning for Creffield)
Part Two: The People V. Creffield
Chapter 16: The Widow Creffield
Chapter 19: An Inherited Streak of Insanity
Part Three: The Madness
Chapter 23: Seeking Reconciliation
Chapter 24: Another Holy Roller Page One Murder
Chapter 25: What Can Papa Do For You?
Chapter 26: Human Life is Too Cheap In This Community
Chapter 30: The Final Chapter
(What Happened to Everyone Afterwards)
The Epilogue
(Heaven's Gate)