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 29, 1904: Urania Seeley
Oregon Daily Journal (Portland) 4/29/1904 p11
Officer To Seize Young Holy Roller
(Special Dispatch to the
Journal)
Albany, Or., April 29.--As a result of a complaint made by her sister, officers this morning
started from here to Corvallis to arrest Urania Seeley, a 16-year-old orphan
girl who has joined the Holy Rollers.
Late last evening Edna V.
Seeley, the sister, filed a complaint with the county court of Linn County in
which she says that her sister has come under the influence of Apostle
Creffield and has joined his sect near Corvallis.
The complaint charges that the Holy Rollers are a depraved, demented, disreputable people, the members of which lie around on the floor without regard to sex or other conventionalities and are totally unfit for a girl to associate with. It asks the court to place Urania Seeley in the care of the Boys’ and Girls’ home, where she may be protected from the influence of the Holy Rollers.
Oregon Daily Journal (Portland) 4/30/1904 p3
Holy Rollers’ Lose A Convert
Edna V. Seeley Of Oregon City Causes The Arrest Of
Her Sister.
(Special Dispatch to the
Journal)
Albany, Or., April 30.--Miss Urania Florence Seeley, a girl 16 years old, was brought before
County Judge H. M. Palmer yesterday afternoon on a warrant charging her with
being from under the control of her natural protectors and in the hands of the
Holy Rollers. She was arrested upon petition filed by her sister, Edna V. Seeley
of Oregon City, who alleged that her sister was with the Holy Rollers, that she
was being injured, and asked that the girl be placed under the care of the Boys’
and Girls’ Aid society.
The girl was given a hearing
before the court, and three gentlemen of Corvallis who were well versed in the
operations of the Holy Rollers, testified to the fact that the life of the girl
with the members of the sect could only result in the complete degradation of
the child.
It was shown that the sect,
since it was expelled from Benton county last winter, has taken up its quarters
in Linn county, just across the river from Corvallis, and here the girl-wife of
Creffield, the apostle, has surrounded herself with a bunch of young men and
women, especially some silly girls, and almost naked, they lie about the floor
for hours at a time, praying. There is no furniture in the shack occupied by
the Holy Rollers, and the barest necessities is all
that they provide themselves.
Among them is Frank Hurt of Corvallis, who was formerly a clerk in a gents’ furnishing goods house. He and his wife are among the fanatics, and it was with him that this girl was found by the Linn county officers. When brought in she was hatless, he hair hung down, uncombed and unconfined, and she acknowledged having destroyed her hat in response to a divine command. After the hearing of the case, the county judge committed the girl to the Boys’ and Girls’ Aid society and Sheriff Worth Huston was ordered to take her to Portland this morning, which he did, being accompanied by Miss Edna Seeley, sister of the girl, and who was radiantly happy over the success of her efforts to snatch her young sister from the hands of the fanatical sect that has already blighted so many lives and homes in this section of the valley. Another sister, and older girl, is still with the Holy Rollers. Efforts will be made to have several of the leaders of the sect examined as to their sanity and committed to the insane asylum.
Oregon Daily Journal (Portland) 4/30/1904 p3
Frank Hurt Is Forced To Flee
Religious Sect Parade Streets Bareheaded And
Barefooted--Women With Hair Hanging Loosely Over Shoulders And Eyes Turned
Heavenward.
(Special Dispatch to The
Journal)
Corvallis, Or., April 30.--A scene on Main street at 4 o’clock yesterday
afternoon caused considerable excitement as well as amusement. It was a chase
by city officers around several blocks and down to the ferry, in pursuit of
Holy Roller Frank Hurt, who in spite of good report and evil, still pins his faith to the roller religion.
Mr. Hurt and a number of
females have for several days been parading about, the former with bare feet,
pantaloons rolled up half way to the knee, and bareheaded; the females, with
hair hanging loosely over their shoulders, eyes rolled heavenward and heads
bare.
After the recent expose of
the Apostle Josh and his villainous practices, the appearance of the local
followers in their new role has much the same effect on local residents as does the waving of a red flag in the face of a
bovine. Wearied by the sight, Chief Lane today decided to end the carrying on
of Frank Hurt, and when the latter appeared on Main Street the officers gave
chase. Hurt dodged down back streets and reached the river, where his own boat
carried him across to Linn County and to safety for the time being.
The condition of night
watchman David Osburn, injured in Sunday morning’s shooting affair in this city
is improving, and there is little doubt of the patient’s ultimate recovery.
Albany Democrat 5/6/1904
(From Friday items)
A Holy Roller Victim. Urania
Florence Seeley Wanted by Her Sister
V. Seeley of Oregon City,
came over from Corvallis last evening, where she had been after her sister,
Urania Florence Seeley, aged 16, but learned that she was across the river in
Linn county with a gang of Holy Rollers, and so came to Albany and last evening
Judge Palmer granted and order for the Sheriff to take charge of the girl and
turn her over to the Boys’ and Girls’ Aid Society in Portland.
The affidavit of the sister
prepared by Deputy District Attorney Kelly states that the mother is dead and
the father had abandoned his daughter, that she is now associating with a
number of disreputable and demented people styling themselves Holy Rollers,
which is ruining her, and unless cared for she will become unbalanced and her
life hopelessly ruined. That the Rollers go barefooted, hatless, half-dressed,
and men and women lie around on the floor indiscriminately for hours at a time
in pretended obedience to alleged divine commands of one Creffield, notoriously
disreputable, immoral, degrading and licentious, teaching immoral, degrading
and demoralizing and will result in her degradation.
Deputy Sheriff Munkers left
at 9:30 o’clock today after her. Mr. Munkers found the girl at the home of
Frank Hurt, with Hurt, Mrs. Hurt being in Corvallis. Hurt was barefooted with
nothing on but overalls and a shirt, and acted in a very demented way. The
house seemed to be destitute of everything. The girl wanted to stay, but
consented to come. She had no hat, saying they had burned it, and came
bareheaded.
Another older sister, who is in Corvallis, the complaining witness says, has been ruined already by the Holy Rollers.
The case was heard before Judge Paler this afternoon, O. V. Hurt, father of Frank Hurt referred to, Lewis Hartley, whose wife and daughter have been lead off by the Holy Rollers and C. M. Starr who was, with his wife, a Holy Roller for a year, and whose sister is one. All testified as to the demented condition of the present Holy Rollers, the immoral influence and the degraded conditions. The girl refused to testify. She was committed to the Girl’s Home at Portland, and will be taken down by the sheriff.
Mr. Hurt stated that his son Frank was arrested in Corvallis for insanity just as he left, having gone there bare headed and barefooted.
Chapter of Holy Rollers where these articles are some of the sources:
Chapter 9: The Holy Rollers are Committed to the Insane Asylum
***
April 18, 1904: Holy Roller High Priest Is Seen
May 2, 1904: Frank & Mollie Hurt are Committed to the Asylum
***
Copies of Some of the Holy Rollers' Commitment Papers to the Oregon Insane Asylum
The Oregon Insane Asylum in 1907
***
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)