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.
April 1, 1904:“Holy Roller” Chief Very Badly Wanted

Joe Haege as Edmund Creffield
Oregon Daily Journal (Portland) 4/1/1904 p9
“Holy Roller” Chief Very Badly Wanted
(Special Dispatch to the
Journal.)
CORVALLIS, April 1.--The longing for a sight of High Priest Creffield of the
Holy Rollers grows in intensity hereabouts, augmented by the reward of $100
that is offered for his return. The opinion is frequently
expressed by substantial citizens that Creffield is in Corvallis, or very near
by. They base their idea on the fact that the present condition of the
public highways makes it impossible for the fugitive to travel very fast by
road, and that he has not gone by rail or boat there is little or no doubt,
advertised and hunted for as he is at present.
Among the local members of
the former Roller fraternity conditions exist at present that cause the
onlooker to smile. Whereas, only a few brief weeks ago about 20 of the
followers dwelt in peace and harmony, most of the time at on one residence, in
this city, now the husbands of some of the “Roller” wives do not allow their
dames to visit one another nor to indulge even in the melancholy pleasure of
discussing the days of good old roller times.
Though not told for
publication, one husband of the former fanatical wife in this city declares
that not long since he saw two of the Holy Roller leaders, who, with Creffield
and Brooks, first started the religious agitation of the sect hereabouts; that
he told them to clear out of the country, and that they have “cleared.” His
desire now is to see Creffield apprehended and summarily dealt with, as he so
richly deserves. There is no doubt but that Holy Rollerism in Corvallis has
ended.
Oregon Sunday Journal (Portland) 4/3/1904 p10
The Salvation Army Gets Mission Money
The Salvation Army’s world-wide week of prayer and self-denial for home and
heathen missions will close today. Throughout 49 countries and
colonies--wherever the army exists--funds have been gathered. Portland corps
has done its share and more for the work, and Adjt. and Mrs. Joseph Hawk, in
charge of the local branches, feel very jubilant. Corps No. 1, over which the
personally preside, had its “target” set at $265. Already $400 has been raised,
and it is expected that before the end of the campaign, it will total $500.
Corps No. 2, or the branch
designated as the social department, in charge of Ensign Fred Braun, had a “target”
of $50, all of which will be raised. Corps No. 3, or the Rescue Home, had the
same “target,” and will have the sum asked for.
Corps No. 4, in charge of
Ensign and Mrs. P. E. Heisinger, will raise its “target” of $200, and hoes to
add $75.
Oregon Daily Journal (Portland) 4/4/1904 p6
Not Religion But Murder
(By Rev. Thomas B. Gregory.)
It strikes us that it would
not be well to permit too many repetitions of the barbarity that came so
dangerously close to getting itself enacted the other
day up in the good old state of Maine.
On Beal’s island, off the
coast of Washington county, Maine, the ”Holiness Society” had been holding a
heated “revival,” which they purposed to round off by the murder of a
7-year-old one of one of the members of the society.
It was “revealed” to them,
they asserted, that the child’s death was “demanded” as a “sacrifice unto the
Lord.”
In obedience to this “demand”
they gathered in force, and were about to make the “sacrifice” when the meeting
was broken up by the authorities, who got wind of the
intended murder just in time to prevent it.
When the sheriff reached the
island from the mainland, the little boy, Frank Beal, was already bound and
blindfolded.
Over the poor little fellow
stood the fanatics who were unmercifully beating him, to “cast out the devils”
in him before offering him up as a sacrifice.
Reaching the house, and realizing
that the situation called for quick action on his part, the sheriff, is said,
burst in a door and threw himself, without ceremony, into the midst of the
fanatics, scattered them and saved the child’s life.
But the “Holiness” people did
not stay scattered, we are told. Gathering themselves together they attacked
the sheriff like so many demons, and were about to overcome him when he backed
himself into a corner, holding the boy behind him, and drawing his pistol,
finally succeeded in driving his assailants away so that he could make his
escape with his little charge.
The people who are
responsible for the disgraceful attempt that was so heroically frustrated by
Sheriff French, call themselves religionists, but good people and sensible
people everywhere will admit that they are nothing but crack-brained fanatics.
They were engaged, there in
that house, not in religion, but in murder.
Now, while in this broad land
of freedom and equality every man is entitled to his religion, no man certainly
is entitled to carry his religion to the point of making it the instrument of
murdering other people--especially when the other people are poor, innocent,
helpless little children.
The proper place for such
people as those who were about to “offer up” little Frank Beal is in the padded
ward of some hospital for the insane, where they can rear around without doing
very much harm either to themselves or to others.
Those of us who are rational
and in our sober senses owe something to the helpless little children that will
never be paid until their would-be murders are prevented from getting at them.
Corvallis Times 4/16/1904 p4
O. V. Hurt arrived yesterday morning from attendance at the republican state convention.
Chapter of Holy Rollers where these articles are some of the sources:
Chapter 8: Tar and Feathers
***March 21, 1904: Reward For Creffield's Capture
April 18, 1904: Holy Roller High Priest Is Seen
***
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)