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.
May 3, 1906: Creffield In Fear Of His Life
Morning Oregonian (Portland) 5/3/1906 p6
In Fear Of His Life
Holy Roller Creffield Disappears From
View
All Trains Are Searched. Despoiler of
Homes May Be Roughly Handled if He Falls Into the Hands of Some of the Irate Husbands.
ALBANY, May 2.--(Special.)--The wrath of deserted husbands caused
Creffield and his Holy Roller followers to scatter from their late rendezvous near
Waldport, in Lincoln County. Mrs. Maud Creffield, wife of the “Apostle” and
daughter of O. V Hurt, a prominent citizen of Corvallis, was in Albany last
evening on the way to Portland. She seemed to have fully recovered from her
recent mental trouble that caused her confinement in the state insane asylum. While
her mind seems right, she declares her intention of remaining with Creffield.
When the
Creffield's went to their camping ground on the coast, they were immediately
followed by many of the women of Benton County, who had been under the spell of
the “prophet,” and the orgies of the Holy Rollers were reported to have begun
again. People in Benton County became aroused and heads of families that were
broken up by the teachings and practices of Creffield began talking ominously. Some gun play was indulged in by irate fathers and
husbands, who followed Creffield to Waldport and Creffield found things too hot
for him.
When Mrs.
Creffield appeared in Albany, she was trailed by a number of Corvallis men, who
were seeking through her to ascertain the whereabouts of her husband. Last
Sunday information was sent from the bay that Creffield had departed from his
camp, and the Holy Rollers were dispersed. The head of the new organization was
said to have headed for Junction City. When Mrs. Creffield appeared on the way
to Portland, it was immediately suspected that the prophet was headed for
Junction City for the purpose of boarding the train there, joining his wife in
Albany, and thence go to Portland.
Last night every
train, freighter or passenger, that passed through Albany from the south was
watched by a number of Corvallis men, who were seeking the religious fanatic
and despoiler of homes. Just what was in store for Creffield is not known, for
he failed to show up, although every freight train was searched thoroughly. That
he is wanted by justly indignant men seems to be a fact will known to the chief
Holy Roller for when he left the seaside camp he went alone and by a route
unknown to his followers, and has studiously avoided Benton County, where he is
wanted.
By some
unaccountable power, Creffield holds a terrible influence over his followers. In
the last gathering of the Holy Roller clan were women who left pleasant homes
and infant children to the care of strangers. Men have become desperate in their indignation, and those who
were seeking Creffield last evening were terribly in earnest. Reports have
reached Albany of one attempt by a wronged husband to kill the apostle at Waldport, whither the apostle had been followed.
Morning Oregonian (Portland) 5/3/1906 p8
Creffield, the
Holy Roller, is accumulating another stock of lunatics who sooner or later will
have to be taken care of by the state. The capture and care of his misguided
followers cost the state several thousand dollars two years ago, and from the
start he is making, it is not improbable that there will be another big bill of
expense to foot in the near future. The husbands or brothers of these misguided
women who run after this fakir seems to have something lacking in their
make-up, or the Holy Roller would long have been given a treatment which would
have prevented him from carrying out a portion of the religious
rite which he is accused of practicing on his victims.
![George Mitchell](/edmundcreffield.com/00holyrollers_images/HTFF_george_gun_loading.gif)
Jason Haines as George Mitchell
SAME ARTICLE IN DIFFERENT PAPERS
Corvallis Gazette 1906 p1
Newberg Graphic 5/3/1906 p5
Mrs. B. E.
Starr, of East Portland, who will be remembered in this neighborhood as Donnie
Mitchell, daughter of Charley Mitchell, deserted her husband Saturday night and
departed to join her “spiritual love,” who is none other than the notorious
Joshua Creffield, apostle of the Holy Rollers, who in February finished serving
a two year term in the state penitentiary for his licentious practices carried
on in the guise of extreme holiness. Since his release from imprisonment he has
gathered a few followers about him away out in Lincoln county where he is
reported to be carrying on very much as of yore. Mrs. Starr is said to have
fallen under the influence of Creffield three years ago, when the Rolling
prophet was playing havoc with weak minded women, and
had remarked to her husband recently that she still had a spiritual love for
him. She left in the night, taking what money she could find in Mr. Starr’s
pockets. She left a note to her husband saying she did not disturb him for fear
the children would cry, adding that, “He said that Christ will take care of them.” “He” refers to Creffield. The Starrs have three little
children, the youngest a seven months old babe which Mr. Starr’s mother has taken. Mrs. G. W. Mitchell went down from here Tuesday
morning and in the evening brought back the two pretty little girls, aged five
and three years, to whom they will give a home.
Yaquina Bay News (Newport, OR) 5/3/1906 p3
Hartley, the Corvallis man, who was over here last week gunning for the “Holy Roller Creffield” succeeded in getting his wife and daughter to return home with him. Mrs. Creffield has gone to Portland, it is reported, to gather in recruits for the Holy Roller colony.
Lincoln County Leader (Toledo, OR) 5/4/1906 p1
--Waldport has been having for a couple
of weeks some distinguished visitors.--Holy Rollers. Quite
a number are camped just below town.
--Word came from
Waldport that Creffield, the chief inkydink of the Rolly Holers (sic), has gone
back to the valley via the south end route, presumably after recruits. There is
said to be quite a bunch of these bad actors in the south end of Lincoln County.
Corvallis Gazette 5/4/1906 p3
O. V. Hurt spent
Sunday in Portland
Evening Telegram (Portland) 5/7/1906 p3
Creffield Seen in Linn County
ALBANY, Or., May 7.--A report has reached Albany that Creffield, leader of the Holy Rollers, is in hiding in the mountains of Eastern Linn County, near the town of Crawfordsville. there is no warrant out for the “prophet,” but an investigation has been started to learn the truth of the rumor, at the instigation of Corvallis men who are willing to pay a reward for authentic information in regard to Creffield’s whereabouts. The report did not state with whom Creffield was staying, but says that he was seen near Crawfordsville recently by a man who knows him, and that he was alone. Sheriff Burnett of Corvallis is investigating the report this morning.
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
***
May 1, 1906: Creffield Takes Credit for The San Francisco Earthquake
May 7, 1906: Holy Roller Shot Down Like A Dog
***
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)