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.
August 6, 1906: Mitchell Boys in Drunken Row
Evening Telegram (Portland) 8/6/1906 p8
Mitchell Boys in Drunken Row
Brothers of Creffield’s Slayer Raised Rough House in
North End.
Gave Police Fictitious Names When Taken to the City
Jail.
Identity Revealed by Friend Who Took Part in the
Disturbance.
Four men
were arrested for creating a disturbance at Fifth and Burnside streets last
night by Patrolmen Mallett and Humphrey. They gave the names of Ben Russell and Jim Smith. Failing to appear in
the Police Court this morning, their bonds were declared forfeited by Judge
Cameron.
To their complete surprise,
the police learned this afternoon that “Ben Russell” is Perry Mitchell, and
“Charles Russell” is Fred Mitchell, brothers of George Mitchell, who was shot
and killed by his sister Esther in Seattle because he killed Edmund Creffield,
the Holy Roller apostle.
The discovery of the
identity of the Mitchell brothers came about in an unusual way. Nobody at
police headquarters knew them when they were taken to the station, and their
identity might have been forever hidden so far as police records are concerned
had it not been for the appearance of a friend, who wanted to know what had
befallen them.
When the friend arrived at
the station he walked up to Desk Sergeant Anderson and Station Officer Price
and asked them what had become of Fred and Perry Mitchell. Anderson looked at
the arrest sheet and said that no such persons had been arrested.
“Oh yes, they were,” was the
emphatic answer. “They were arrested in the North End last night for being
drunk and disorderly.”
Inquiry was made as to who
arrested them and the place. This led to the discovery that the Mitchell
brothers had given fictitious names in order to conceal their identity.
“I was there when the
arrests were made,” said the friend with a grin, “but managed to get out of the way myself. I saw them nabbed by the
officers, however I supposed they would have sense enough to give other names.
The two brothers were in
Seattle during the trial of George Mitchell on the charge of murdering
Creffield. Fred Mitchell accompanied George Mitchell to the depot and was a
witness to the murder of his brother by their sister, Esther. He caught his
sister in his arms as she was about to fall after
sending a bullet into the back of her brother’s head.
He came to this city with Perry
Mitchell when the body of his brother was taken home for internment. Since that
time, the two have been in Portland.
Evening Telegram (Portland) 8/7/1906 p9
Mitchell Denies Report of Fight
Fred Mitchell, a brother of
George Mitchell, who was shot and killed by his sister, Esther, at Seattle,
takes exception to the information furnished at police headquarters that he and
his brother, Perry, engaged in a drunken row in the North End.
“There was no ‘rough
house,’” he said. “We were all arrested, but Perry was released early the next
morning for the reason that he was not intoxicated. It is true that my cousin
and a friend and I had been drinking, but there was no row. Two of us were
taking another man home and Perry was merely walking along with us. The two
policemen, Mallett and Humphrey, would not listen to our assertion that we were
only a block and a half from the room of the man who was drunk.
Newberg Graphic 8/9/1906 p8
Mitchell Boys Arrested
Brothers of George and Esther Found With Drunken Party.
Fred and Perry Mitchell,
brothers of George and Esther Mitchell, the leading figures in the late Holy
Roller murders at Seattle, were on Saturday night arrested for drunkenness in
Portland and locked up in the police station over night. The Mitchell boys
signed under assumed names of R. Russel and Charles Russel, respectively. With
them were two friends, who also gave the assumed names of Jim Smith and Ben
Russell. Perry Mitchell, or Charles Russell, as the police supposed his name to
be, was released without being held for trial, as he was not intoxicated, the
charge against him being late hours. the others of the
party were held under bail to appear before Judge Cameron. When court time came
none of the party appeared, and their bail was declared forfeited. The identity
of the Mitchell boys was only discovered by chance, a friend inquiring for them
at the station.
It has been stated that the
boys were in a drunken row. This the Mitchell boys deny. The party, excepting
Perry Mitchell, had been drinking, they declare, and they and their comrades
were on the best of terms when taken into custody by Officer Mallett.
Seattle Post Intelligencer 8/6/1906 p11
W. A. Holzheimer Will Defend Mrs. Creffield
When Mrs. Maud Creffield
comes up for trial some time in October she will be defended by W. A.
Holzheimer. Although the fact was not given out for publication, Mr. Holzheimer
has known for three weeks that he was to prepare for the defense.
Yesterday he began active
work on the case, and called upon Mrs. Creffield for the first time.
The matter of choosing an
attorney was left largely to the judgment of Morris & Shipley, the firm who
defended George Mitchell. Mr. Hurt conceived a strong friendship for Mr. Morris
at the time of the trial and has tried to get them to handle the case of his
daughter, but they have positively declined to have more than a friendly
interest in the case.
Mr. Holzheimer is reticent
regarding the methods he will pursue in the defense of Mrs. Creffield.
“How does the defense of insanity
strike you?” Mr. Holzheimer was asked.
“Nobody will ever guess what the defense will be in this case till it comes up for trial,” was the smiling reply.
Chapter of Holy Rollers where these articles are some of the sources:
Chapter 28: Insanity?
***
August 4, 1906: Creffield Greatly Hurt True Religion
August 8, 1906: St. Louis Woman Coming to Convert “Rollers”
***
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)