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.

November 9, 1906: Mrs. Creffield Said to Be in Very Nervous State

 

Corvallis Times 11/9/1906 p4

-- A telegram has summoned O. V. Hurt to Seattle, and he is to leave this afternoon. The character of the emergency that occasioned the summons is not known. There has been no decision yet by the Supreme Court of the Esther Mitchell-Maud Creffield deportation case by the Supreme Court of Washington.

 

 

Corvallis Gazette 11/13/1906 p3

-- O. V. Hurt went to Seattle Friday in response to an urgent telegram from the attorney who is defending Mrs. Maud Hurt-Creffield. The message explained nothing except that it was important to Maud that Mr. Hurt should come at once, and he therefore left immediately, not knowing the nature of his visit nor the length of time he would be absent.

 

 

Seattle Post Intelligencer 11/11/1906 p5

Mrs. Hurt Visits Daughter in Jail

Mrs. Maud Creffield Said to Be in Very Nervous State.

 

Mrs. Maud Creffield is held in the county jail on a charge of murdering George Mitchell, and according to O. V. Hurt, father, and Frank Hurt, a brother of the woman, is suffering from the strain of prison life and the anxieties attendant on what the future may have in store is proving too much for her, and she is very near to nervous collapse. Mrs. Creffield was visited in the jail yesterday by her father and mother. The three, with Esther Mitchell, spent nearly the entire day in the jailer’s quarters, and it was not until late in the evening that the parents took their departure. In speaking of the condition of the prisoner, Mr. Hurt said:

Frank, my son, who is working in the city where he has an opportunity of watching his sister, has stated to me many times during the last few days that Maud is in a terribly nervous state, and he has repeatedly declared that he is afraid she is near a nervous collapse. When Mrs. Hurt and myself called this morning Maud was in a very nervous state, but she has quieted down now and appears to be in very good condition again.

 

“I am here for a couple of days with my wife to allow her an opportunity of visiting the girls. This is the first time that she has been able to be out for some weeks, and I took the first opportunity of bringing her to Seattle.”

 

 

Corvallis Gazette 11/6/1906 p3

 

-- O. V. Hurt arrived home Monday evening from Seattle, where he was called by the attorney who is defending Mrs. Maud Hurt-Creffield. Mr. Hurt states there are no new developments in the case.

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