Creffield and the Holy Rollers made page one headlines from 1903 to 1907. When I was researching Holy Rollers: Murder and Madness in Oregon’s Love Cult I spent months transcribing hundreds of articles. I’m not sure why I was so obsessive. Maybe it was my way of immersing my self into a cult without joining one. Anyway, I’m posting them all for those who are really interested in the story, or are interested the history of journalism, or are interested in how a scandalous story played out in the "media" in a by gone era. Since I no doubt made typos and unconsciously corrected papers' typos, these web pages should not be cited in anything serious (e.g. your dissertation). For such projects they should only be used as starting points and you should refer to the original sources. If you want a shorter version of the story, buy my book. Enjoy.
March 28, 1904: Reward is Offered
HEADLINES IN DIFFERENT PAPERS FOR THE SAME ARTICLE
Evening Telegram (Portland) 3/28/1904 p4
Reward Is Offered
Brownsville Times 4/1/ p1
Reward Is Offered
[Telegram Coast Special]
CORVALLIS, March 28.--Circulars issued by Sheriff Burnett, of Benton county,
offering $100 reward for the arrest of Edmund Creffield are being sent to all
county officials and railroad towns in the state. Creffield’s given name is
Edmund instead of Joshua, which latter he adopted when pronouncing himself a
Holy Roller. Edmund Creffield is described as being about 30 years old, very
light complexion, white hair, white whiskers, unless smooth shaven, which he is
very likely to be at present; weight about 135 pounds, height 5 feet 6 inches,
wears No. 5 1/2 shoe; has good black suit, but may be wearing blue-colored
blouse with belt run through it; also wears brown leggins. He is sure to have a
Bible under his arm on in his pockets.
Oregon Daily Journal (Portland) 3/30/1904 p10
After the Holy Roller
Searchers for the Apostle
Creffield have so far failed to bag their game. One hundred dollars was
deposited with the sheriff of Benton County by irate victims of this notorious Holy
Roller as an incentive to the man hunters, but “Josh” is proving as elusive as
Pat Crowe. Rumor has it that he is sojourning at present in a little village
just north of Salem.
Evening Telegram (Portland) 3/31/1904 p10
Careful Search For Holy Roller
Systematic Effort Being Made to Find “Joshua”
Creffield.
Edmund Creffield, the Holy
Roller wanted on a serious crime, is being hounded in every part of the state. Everything
possible is being done to run him to earth at the earliest possible date.
The search, as in many cases,
is by no means a “go as you please,” but is being conducted under a complete
system. From reports that have reached the police, three men are now devoting
their entire time to looking for the criminal who accomplished his ends by wearing
a cloak of religion. These men are working in different parts of the state--one
in the east, one in the vicinity of Corvallis, and one in Portland.
The officer detailed on the
case in the city is at present working on the East Side. He is making a
house-to-house canvass, and is inquiring at every lodging house. So far he has
covered a large territory, but has secured no trace of Creffield whatever.
Some of the men making the
search are directly interested in the arrest of the wrongdoer. They do not care
for the reward, but are desperate in their determination to get him.
Creffield seems to have
disappeared from the face of the earth. Since he was seen in Portland about two
weeks ago, nothing has been heard of him. The officers believe that he could
not have left the city, for every train and all public roads have been
carefully guarded. He is in hiding.
Chapter of Holy Rollers where these articles are some of the sources:
Chapter 8: Tar and Feathers
March 23, 1904: Fugitive Creffield
April 1, 1904:“Holy Roller” Chief Very Badly Wanted
***
Newspaper Articles about Creffield & the Holy Rollers
1897-1903: B.C. (Before Creffield)
October to December 1903:Holy Rollers Burn Furniture & Pets
January to March, 1904: Holy Rollers Tarred and Feathered
April to June 1904: Holy Rollers are Committed to the Asylum
July 1904: Creffield is Found & Arrested
September 1904: Creffield's Trial
April 1906: Men are Gunning For Creffield
May 1906: Creffield is Murdered, Murderer is Considered a Hero
May 1906: Holy Rollers Found Starving Near Heceta Head
June 1906: George Mitchell's Trial Begins
July 1906: Hurt Testifies of Debauched Wife and Debased Sisters
July 1906: Esther Mitchell Kills Her Brother
August to October 1906: Seattle Prepares for another Big Trial
November 1906: Maud Hurt Creffield Commits Suicide
April 1909-August 1914: Esther Leaves the Asylum
1953 Stewart Holbrook's Murder Without Tears
1951Startling Detective Magazine, Nemesis of the Nudist High Priest
***
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)