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.
June 24, 1906: Trial Will Cost Taxpayers Ten Thousand Dollars
Mitchell Trial Tomorrow
Man Who Killed Holy Roller Creffield Because He
Ruined His Sisters, Will Face Jury on Murder Charge. Trial Will Take at Least a
Month and Cost Taxpayers Ten Thousand Dollars--May Be Difficult to Get a Jury.
George Mitchell, who shot
and killed Franz Edmund Creffield of Holy Roller notoriety on May 7 in Seattle,
will be put on trial before Judge Frater in the superior court tomorrow morning
on information charging murder in the first degree. Everything is ready for one
of the longest and most sensational murder trials ever heard in King County. Both
the defense and prosecution are ready and there will be no dilatory tactics
employed.
Weeks have
been spent by both sides in preparation and both are confident of success. Prosecuting Attorney Mackintosh
declares manslaughter is the least verdict that a jury can return considering
the evidence. Will H. Morris, the accused man’s counsel, asserts that the jury will acquit his client without leaving the jury box. The defense
will be temporary insanity. The defense will argue that Mitchell brooded over
the wrong done his sister until his mind became unbalanced and that while he
was in this condition he fired the shot that ended the immoral career of the
Holy Roller.
The trial will take at least
a month according to the attorneys. So general has been the sentiment in
Mitchell’s favor that it is expected great difficulty will be experienced in
securing a jury. The regular June panel will be examined first. Then the
special venire of sixty jurors drawn especially for this trial will be called
into the jury box. If a jury is secured within a week the lawyers in the case
declare rapid progress will have been made.
Before the trial is
concluded it will cost the taxpayers in the neighborhood of ten thousand
dollars.
The prosecution is relying
much on the testimony of Ester Mitchell, the minor sister of the accused man. She
has refused to see her brother and is a willing witness for the prosecution. George
Mitchell declares that she was the victim of Creffield’s fiendish lust, which
he gratified under the hypocritical cloak of fanatical religious rites. The
girl has assured the prosecution that she will testify that Creffield did her
no wrong.
John Manning, district
attorney of Multnomah County, who sent Creffield to the penitentiary for two
years for debauching Mitchell’s married sister, will testify for the defense. A
large number of witnesses have been subpoenaed from Oregon.
The prosecution has devoted
several days’ work preparing a legal fight to be made for exclusion of evidence
showing Creffield’s religious experiences. The arguments alone will probably
occupy several days.
Sunday Oregonian (Portland) 6/24/1906
Witnesses for Mitchell
Slayer of Holy Roller Creffield Will Have Score. They
are Expected to Testify to the Nefarious
Practices of the Man Slain.
A whole train
load of witnesses for the defense will got to Seattle from Oregon for
the forthcoming trial of George Mitchell, who killed Joshua Creffield, the Holy
Roller chieftain. A score of witnesses have been subpoenaed and are prepared to
leave as soon as advised by the attorneys for young Mitchell that their
presence is needed. The list of witnesses is now in the hands of John Manning,
who will secure service on the subpoenas. Mr. Manning is included in the list.
The testimony of the
witnesses will bear upon the reputation of Crefield. Mr.
Manning and those who helped send him to the penitentiary for his nefarious
practices will be asked to repeat on the witness stand what they know of
Creffield. It is clear from this witness list, that the defense will confine
itself to justifying the shooting of Creffield on the grounds that he was a
menace to society and that he had done irreparable wrong to sisters of the
slayer. The list follows:
These witnesses will
probably leave during next week or as soon as instructed by the defendant’s
attorneys. The trial is set for July 26 and it is believed the first few days
will be required for the selection of a jury.
Sunday Oregonian (Portland) 6/24/1906 p5
Trial is Monday
The Story of Creffield’s Life to Be Told. Witnesses
Are Said to Be Traveling [illegible] from Oregon to Seattle to Attend the Trial.
[The left hand side of the column is cut off, making the article hard to read, but it seems to be the usual stuff.] >
Chapter of Holy Rollers where these articles are some of the sources:
Chapter 17: Killer or Hero
***
June 19, 1906: Many Witnesses For Mitchell
June 25, 1906: George Mitchell on Trial For His Life
***
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)