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 24, 1906: Creffield Establishes a Camp Near Waldport
Morning Oregonian (Portland) 4/24/1906 p7
Creffield Stirs Up Holy Rollers.”
Former Followers of ex-Convict Establish a Camp Near Waldport, Lincoln County. Spell Binds
Them Again. Frank Hurt Gives Up Position at Seattle and Takes His Wife With Him
Again to Engage in Terrible Orgies.
CORVALLIS, Or., April 23.--(Special.)--
There is a new
eruption of Holy Rollerism with half a dozen of the former victims affected. An
exodus of these people has taken place, with a spot, not far from Waldport, 20
miles south of Newport, Lincoln County, as the objective point. Creffield is
the leader of the band, and is supposed that he and his fellows will go into
camp on the southern beach in a fashion similar to that which prevailed near
this town two years ago, when they were for a period of several weeks in camp
in a secluded spot in the Willamette River bottom, several miles south of
Corvallis.
Signs of the new
eruption have been apparent for fully two month past. Creffield’s release from
the penitentiary last December was followed by his departure to Sacramento,
Cal., where it was homed by families interested here, he would remain. From
Sacramento he went to San Jose and finally turned up at Seattle.
In February,
some of his victims here, who had been completely cured of their former
dementia, began to show signs of relapses. A clandestine correspondence was
found to be in vogue between them and their former prophet. He did not write
direct to them, but sent his letters to a family of his former victims at Oregon
City, who remailed them to their objective point here.
HEADING FOR
WALDPORT CAMP
Under this
stimulus, the old frenzy began to return, and the upshot is that today it
leaked out that Creffield actually passed through this county a day or two ago
on his way to the Waldport camping place. With him is his wife, who secured a
divorce from him last year, but to who he was remarried in Seattle recently. A
telephone message from Waldport this morning relates that five or six others
are with the Creffield's, and the all have proceeded to the camp, where the
peculiar rites of the crazed bunch will be carried on.
As
all those who took part in the performances two years ago are involved in the
new eruption. Of the
eight or ten in the insane asylum by reason of the former work of Creffield,
several have held responsible positions and have manifested the utmost
repulsion for the faith. Some of them have held Creffield in loathing and
contempt, among [illegible] more than one of those now returning to his fold. Among
these is Frank Hurt, who resigned his position as deputy assessor at Seattle
and, accompanied by his wife, passed through here a few days ago on the way to
the camping site.
The practice of
the religion in this city would not be tolerated for a moment by the
authorities, for they know that underneath his pretended teachings, Creffield
practices methods most scoundrelly.
GOES BY
ROUNDABOUT WAY
It is learned
tonight that Creffield drove yesterday from Airlie, the terminus of the Dallas
Railroad, and took the Corvallis & Eastern Yaquina-bound train at Wren, a
dozen miles to the west of Corvallis. At Airlie it was suggested to him that he
could make the trip by train for $3 and that the trip by private conveyance
would cost $6, but he declared that he preferred the latter route.
Creffield
alighted from the conveyance, and entered a grove near the station. He was
attired in rough clothing when he went in, but was neatly dressed when he came
out and entered the train. He alleges now that he is Christ risen from the dead, his death being the two years incarceration at the Oregon State
Penitentiary for illicit relations with one of his followers. It is said that
some of his band accept his claim of Christhood.
PURSUIT OF WIFE
AND DAUGHTER
The wife and
daughter of Louis Hartley took Saturday’s train to join the exodus and their
disappearance was only uncovered in time for Mr. Hartley to catch the Corvallis
& Eastern train on which they were passengers. At Blodgett station they
eluded the husband and father and in the evening appeared at a farm house some distance from Blodgett, where they were
given food and lodging.
When the family
arose next morning, they had departed, no one knew where. A half dollar left on
the table was a mute witness to their flight. Mr. Hartley went on to Newport
and is now searching for the missing wife and daughter.
HEADLINES IN DIFFERENT PAPERS FOR THE SAME ARTICLE
Corvallis Times 4/24/1906 p2
In Benton Again
But Only Passed Through--Creffield, the
Monster--More Rollerism.
Brownsville Times 5/4/1906 p4
Holy Rollerism Again
Creffield, the
scoundrel who poses as a saint, passed through Benton county Saturday, and
followed by some of his former victims, is again up to his old tricks in a camp
near Waldport. This time he is palming himself off on his foolish followers as
Jesus Christ risen from the dead, his resurrection
having been his emergence from the State penitentiary. Some of his followers
are said to accept him as the risen Christ.
Creffield’s trip
through Benton was by private conveyance from Airlie, Polk County, to Wren,
Benton County. At the latter station, he took the Corvallis & Eastern for
Yaquina, where on arrival, he took a small boat and crossed the bay, journeying
via South Beach to Waldport. Near the latter place, a camp, according to all
accounts, is to be established, and a revelry in rollerism be carried on after
the manner of a similar camp maintained by Creffield and his followers up the
Willamette a couple of years ago. Creffield was accompanied
on his trip through Benton by his wife. She was divorced from him last
year, but they were re-married at Seattle several weeks ago. At Airlie when
Creffield sought a private conveyance to get to Wren, he was told that he could
go by train for $3 and it would cost $6 by team. He said he preferred to travel
by team. At Wren, he alighted and went into a grove near the station. He was
then attired in rough clothes, but when he emerged to enter the train he was
neatly arrayed. It is surmised that the old clothing was a disguise. His
avoidance of Corvallis is no surprise. His dildos are not regarded in this
vicinity with favor. It was here on a lovely autumn eve that he was tarred and
feathered.
Creffield was
released from the penitentiary last December. He went to Sacramento, thence to
San Jose and other California points, and finally landed at Seattle. It is
supposed that from the day of his release, he began a clandestine correspondence
with former victims in this city. His letters went to the Seeley girls in
Oregon City, by whom they were remailed to persons in Corvallis. In February
their effects began to be apparent in new, though slight, manifestations of
rollerism. Suspicions aroused by the manifestations led to a discovery of the
clandestine correspondence. Six or eight of his former followers are with
Creffield, some having preceded him to the Waldport headquarters. Not all of
his disciples of other days have returned to him. None of them have shown the
violent manifestations of two years ago. That development is perhaps to be a
feature of the near future. Mrs. Hartley and daughter attempted to join
Creffield on the trip to Yaquina Saturday, but an incident happened to prevent.
Mr. Hartley discovered their disappearance in time to catch the train on which
they took passage. At Blodgett the wife and daughter, left the train
unobserved. They took lodgings at a farm house in the
vicinity. The next morning when the family arose, the guests were gone. A half
dollar on the table was evidence that their departure was studied and that
flight was the motive. Mr. Hartley went on to Newport and at last accounts was
uninformed as to the whereabouts of his missing family.
Oregon Daily Journal (Portland) 4/24/1906 p10
Holy Rollers Gathering Near Waldport
Apostle Joshua Creffield Remarries
Divorced Wife and Passes Through Corvallis.
(Special
Dispatch to the Journal)
Corvallis, OR., April 24.--The Apostle “Holy Roller,” Joshua Creffield,
who left the penitentiary at the end of a two year term last December, has been
remarried to his divorced wife, Maud Hurt, at Seattle. The wedding took place
several weeks ago, but it was not known here save to the
authorities and the woman’s parents.
When Creffield
left the penitentiary he disappeared and finally located in California. He was
a San Jose and San Francisco, then at Seattle with his brother-in-law, Frank
Hurt. He managed to communicate with his divorced wife, and persuaded her to
come to Seattle, and they were married. Saturday the apostle, with his wife,
and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hurt, passed through Corvallis, en route to the coast
near Waldport. They were joined here by Mrs. Lewis Hartley
and her daughter, former rollers.
Mae Hurt, for a
time in the boys’ and girls’ home, being cured of the roller mania, also Atta
Bray, one of the victims formerly sent to the asylum from the craze of
Creffieldism, have gone to the coast.
A report today
says all the partied mentioned are camped near Waldport, and the supposition is
they will open a Holy Roller convention. Mrs. O. V. Hurt remains in this city.
Lewis Hartley
requested the police to restrain his wife and daughter from going, but they
could not.
Morning Oregonian (Portland) 4/24/06 p3
Lives With Negroes
Wife of Pastor in Rockefeller’s Church Deserts Him.
Follows Strange Faith. "Holiness" Takes Such Hold of Mrs. Arnold that
She Declares Her Preacher Husband and All His Ways Ungodly.
CLEVELAND, Oh., April 23.
(Special.)--As the alleged result of Mrs. Delia Arnold taking up the “Holiness”
religion and going to live with a company of colored believers in Chicago, Rev.
I. R. B. Arnold, assistant pastor of the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church, John D.
Rockefeller’s religious home, filed a suit for divorce today.
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold were
married in 1867, and have five daughters, all adults. Mrs. Arnold went to New
York for a visit and there became acquainted with teachings which the clergyman
calls “fanatical.” Rev. Mr. Arnold thus describes the effect of the holiness
teaching on Mrs. Arnold:
“She abandoned her home many times and wholly failed to assist plaintiff in taking care of the family. She also refused to permit the children to assist him in his work, and refused to let them attend school and any of the churches claiming that these and even the plaintiff himself were all ungodly.
Seattle Daily Times 4/25/1906
p5
New Officers Take Up Religious Work
Volunteers of America Arrive From San
Francisco for Labor in Seattle Field.
Maj. and Mrs.
Wallace Markle, Capt. William Smith, Lieut. and Mrs.
Charles Brooks and Bandmaster Alfred Bailey, all officers in the Volunteers of
America, arrived in Seattle last night from San Francisco to take up the work
of the order in Seattle. Maj Markle is in command. He succeeds Capt. Boyes, who
resigned some time ago after charges had been preferred against him.
The Volunteers
report that they barely escaped from San Francisco with their lives. The main
headquarters and barracks, which is the head of the Pacific Coast division,
were destroyed, together with all the equipment, books, records, etc., and not
one cent of insurance was carried.
Meetings under
direction of Maj. Markle will be held nightly in the Volunteer Hall, at 118
Second Avenue South, and on the street at the corner of Second Avenue South and
Washington Street.
Yaquina Bay News (Newport,
OR) 4/26/1906 p2
Holy Roller Craze Again
A Corvallis Man Gunning for Creffield.
Friday, Frank
Hurt and wife and two other women of Holy Roller fame arrived over from
Corvallis. Saturday evening they were joined by the notorious
Creffield and his wife. They went over to South Beach the same evening
and it is reported that they have since gone down the coast to Ten Mile Creek a
point below the Yachats in Lane County.
(The usual about Hartley, plus) It is said that the holy rollers are going to start a colony at Ten Mile Creek.
Corvallis Gazette 4/27/1906 p2
Creffield Again
Strange as it
may seem, Creffield is again the head of a little colony of his adherents and
the fact that a camp is to be located somewhere near Waldport, in Lincoln County,
is pretty generally known. That there are those who would be led astray a
second time by such a dirty rascal is, alas! Too true.
To a person of
sane judgment it seems strange, in fact is passeth human understanding, that
such a creature as Creffield could have secured a following in the first place.
To again establish his practices after having served a term in the state
penitentiary would seem doubly impossible. Yet such is the case. Adultery
landed Creffield behind prison bars and, shameful as it may be, adultery and
Holy Rollerism seem inseparable.
One would think
that with many, if not all of the followers of “Joshua” Creffield the First in
the insane asylum and Creffield himself in the penitentiary, would have cured
all their fanaticism. One by one all who were sent to the asylum were
discharged and sent to their homes--supposedly cured. Later liberty was granted
Creffield. Are the same conditions to again prevail? The same
scenes to be enacted? And the same remedies applied? What can be done
with or for a people who are so weak as to follow the damnable teachings and practices
of a man like Creffield? We give it up.
What steps the Lincoln county authorities will take in the matter is not known. If we misjudge them not they will act promptly, now that they know the results of Holy Rollerism, and use every means within their power to protect their people from pollution by Creffield.
Lincoln County Leader (Toledo, OR) 4/27/1906 supplement p1
Two strange women were in this locality Sunday night. They walked from Blodgett, secured lodging of M. D. Weltin and left Monday morning. It is reported that they were Holy Rollers and were on their way to Waldport to meet Creffield.
Oregon Sunday Journal (Portland) 4/29/1906 p13
Said To Have Tried To Kill Apostle
Creffield
(Special
Dispatch to The Journal)
Corvallis, Or., April 28.--A man returned this afternoon from Newport and states that Lewis Hartley, who followed his wife and daughter to the coast with the holy rollers, is ill at Waldport and cannot proceed. The rollers are camped at Ten Mile creek below Waldport, but have made no public demonstration yet. It is reported at Newport that Hartley attempted to shoot Creffield, but his pistol snapped five times, it being a center cartridge fire weapon and he using rim fire cartridges. Hartley attempted to secure a warrant for Creffield, but could not swear to any positive complaint and a warrant was not issued. It is believed here that some one concerned will yet shoot Creffield. His followers are said to believe that the self-styled apostle is the risen Christ.
Chapter of Holy Rollers where these articles are some of the sources:
Chapter 14: Men are Gunning for Creffield
***
Lewis Hartley's bizarre 1906 Divorce Decree where he openly admits trying to kill Creffield
***
December 12, 1905: Frank & Mollie Hurt Have a Baby Girl
April 30, 1906: Donna Starr Leaves Children to go to Her Spiritual Love, Joshua Creffield
***
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)