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 19, 1906:
Reviews Findings in Examination of Brain
Seattle Post Intelligencer 11/19/1906 p5
Gives Opinion on Creffield Autopsy
Dr. J. H. Snively, Alienist, Reviews Findings in
Examination of Brain.
Dr. J. H. Snively, a member
of the commission which examined Mrs. Maud Creffield as to
her sanity, in reviewing the results of the autopsy said last evening:
Sometimes in cases of
insanity there occur adhesions between the membrane of the brain and certain
parts of the brain itself. These have often been found as a cause of mental
aberration, as have also pressure symptoms and degeneration of brain matter. These
latter conditions are not apparent to the naked eye and must be found through
the microscope. And so far as I am aware no such minute examination was
conducted in the instance of this autopsy.
“In this particular case it
was noted that there were adhesions between the durameter and the brain over
the parietal lobe, and also adhesions in the middle fissures. Not only that,
but there was also an area of congestion over the floor of the fourth ventricle
in the medulla oblongata. This congestion might be the result of uraemic
poisoning or other toxic conditions due to taking poisons in the stomach. The
only things we can say that have any relation to insanity are the adhesions of
the membranes to the brain, and these were found in the examination of Mrs.
Creffield’s brain, as were also the congestions.
“Degeneration in her case
would not easily be found, for the disease could only be in its early stages
and undoubtedly difficult to detect.”
Seattle Post Intelligencer 11/19/1906 p16
O. V. Hurt Arrives From Corvallis
Father of Mrs. Ida M. Creffield Here to Arrange for
the Funeral.
O. V. Hurt, father of Mrs.
Ida Maud Creffield, arrived in Seattle yesterday from his home at Corvallis. He
went at once to the Bonney-Watson morgue to view the remains of his dead
daughter. He was accompanied by his 18-year-old daughter.
No arrangements for the
funeral of the dead woman have been made further than to decide that the body
will be buried in Seattle. The funeral services will probably be held either
this afternoon or tomorrow. Mr. Hurt said at the funeral parlors that it had
been the express wish of his daughter that her body be buried in Seattle if she
did not live to go back to her home in Oregon. The father is very positive that
his daughter died a natural death and did not take poison. “The mistakes she
made were innocent ones,” he said.
Coroner Carroll has not yet
received a report on the chemical analysis of the contents of Mrs. Creffield’s
stomach, and the examination will not be completed until this evening.
O. V. Hurt announced
yesterday that the funeral services for Mrs. Creffield would be strictly
private and expressed himself as being very thankful
that the morbidly curious public was not allowed to see the body.
Seattle Daily Times
11/19/1906 p7
Esther Mitchell Breaks Down at Funeral
Slayer of Brother Weeps Bitterly as She Stands at
Bier of Her Companion-in-Crime, Maud Creffield.
Girl Exhibits Her First Real Grief.
Simple Services Held Over Woman Who Died Suddenly in
County Jail While Awaiting Trial for Murder.
For the first time since the
unexpected death of her bosom friend and companion-in-crime, Esther Mitchell
this morning broke down and wept like a child at the bier of Maud Creffield,
widow of the leader of the notorious Holy Rollers and the woman who planned the
killing of George Mitchell, who sent Joshua Creffield to his grave.
A simple though impressive
funeral service was held at the Bonney-Watson Company chapel for Mrs. Creffield
today. It was at the end of this service when the handful of friends and
relatives of the dead woman were asked to take their final leave that Esther
Mitchell stepped in front of the neat, but inexpensive casket containing the
body of Mrs. Creffield, and bowing over the glass enclosure, looked pitifully
for a moment on the dead face and wept loudly.
This girl, who at the
instigation and request of Maud Creffield, shot and killed her brother George
Mitchell, said nothing. she gazed steadfastly at the
casket a moment and then burst into tears crying loudly, but never uttering an
audible word. Here eyes were for awhile so steadily
fixed on the corpse that they seemed to be glued there. After
a time she was led away to a carriage in waiting and returned to the county
jail.
Seattle Star 11/19/1906 p3
Mrs. Creffield Laid to Rest
Funeral services for the
late Mrs. Maud Creffield were held this morning at 11 o’clock at the
undertaking rooms of Bonney Watson. By the wishes of her father O. V. Hurt, who
arrived in Seattle yesterday from Corvallis, the services were strictly
private. Burial was made in Seattle in accordance with the express wish of Mrs.
Creffield near the grave of her husband.
The coroner’s report on the
autopsy held over the body of Mrs. Creffield has not yet been sent in. coroner
Carroll is awaiting the result of the chemical analysis of the stomach.
Esther Mitchell, the
girl-murderess of George Mitchell, her brother, was given permission by order
from Judge Frater of the superior court, to attend the funeral of Mrs. Maud
Creffield, the woman whose hypnotic power over her it is alleged, drove her to
her crime. The girl left the county jail shortly before 11 o’clock in the
custody of Police Matron Kelly and Deputy Sheriff John C. Liner (illegible). Miss
Mitchell spent the greater part of this morning in tears, and refused to be
comforted.
Seattle Post Intelligencer 11/22/1906 p4
Holy Roller Leader Buried Beside Wife
Body of Franz Edmund Creffield Exhumed in Lake View
Cemetery.
The body of Franz Edmund
Creffield, better known to that peculiar sect of worshipers known as the “Holy
Rollers” as “Joshua,” was yesterday exhumed in Lake View cemetery and his
remains laid beside those of his wife, Ida Maud Creffield, who committed
suicide in the county jail last Friday night.
It was her wish that when
she died the body of her husband be laid beside her own and that wish was carried
out.
Seattle Post Intelligencer 11/20/1906 p10
Funeral Held to Late Mrs. Creffield
Esther Mitchell Breaks Down at the Bier of Her Dead
Companion.
But a few relatives of Mrs.
Ida Maud Creffield sat in the chapel of Bonney-Watson Company yesterday, when
Rev. W. J. Wilson preached the short funeral sermon over her remains. The
curious public was excluded, and the members of the family who loved the widow
of the Holy Roller leader despite her association with the self-styled
“Joshua,” mourned at her bier.
Esther Mitchell, who is held
in the county jail charged with the murder of George Mitchell, the slayer of
Creffield, was allowed to attend the funeral. she was
escorted to the chapel by a deputy sheriff.
She broke down and wept
bitterly when she looked upon the face of the woman who had been her companion
through all the dark days following the Holy Roller tragedies. She gazed at the
cold, set, features for a minute, then sank to her knees and tears rolled down
her pale, drawn cheeks. She was then led away to the waiting carriage and taken
back to her cell.
The body was buried in Lake
View cemetery. Two lots have been purchased, and the body of the Holy Roller
leader will soon rest beside that of his wife.
Seattle Post Intelligencer 11/20/1906 p10
Decided Change in Esther Mitchell
Since Companion's Death, Girl is Nervous, Dejected
and Tearful.
Since the death of Mrs. Maud
Creffield a decided change has become noticeable in the girl, Esther Mitchell, held in the county jail for the murder of her
brother last July. While she was, up to the time her companion was taken away,
stoical, calm and collected at all times, she is now in an entirely different
mood.
She occupies a cell near the
jailer’s quarters and remains in her couch during the hours of the day and
night. Few visitors are seen, and for these she has no welcome. For a time she
even refused to seen anyone, but her immediate friends
and relatives, but admitted a Post-Intelligencer reporter yesterday. She had
little to say, however, and showed plainly that she feels the loss of the
friend who has been with her through all of their mutual troubles.
Upon her return to her cell
yesterday, after attending the funeral of Mrs. Creffield, the girl took to her
bed again. She is extremely nervous and starts up with wide-open eyes when
anyone enters her cell. She was dejected and on the verge of tears during the
entire day. Esther refuses to talk of her case and shows no interest in the
question of her deportation or trial which is now
being considered by the Supreme Court.
Police Matron Kelly spends
considerable time with the girl, and Esther declares she appreciates this
greatly. During the nights one of the women inmates of the jail is placed in
the cell with her, partly as a means of prevention in case the girl should be
tempted to suicide and partly for the company it will afford her in her nervous
condition.
Seattle Post Intelligencer 11/20/1906 p14
Special Notices--Deaths and Funerals
CREFELD--Funeral services
for Ida Maud Crefeld were held at the parlors of Bonney-Watson Co. yesterday at
11 a. m. Interment at Lake View cemetery.
Corvallis Gazette 11/23/1906 p1
Her Funeral
Mrs. Maud Creffield at Rest--The Services Were
Private.
The funeral of the late Maud
Hurt-Creffield was held in Seattle Monday. The services were
attended by none save members of the family who were in the city. Mrs.
Creffield was 25 years of age and resided for many years in Corvallis. The
Oregonian gives the following concerning the funeral:
For the first time since the
unexpected death of Mrs. Creffield, Esther Mitchell this morning broke down and
wept like a child at the bier of the widow of the leader of the notorious Holy
Rollers. The funeral was held at the Bonney Watson Company’s chapel for Mrs.
Creffield. It was at the end of this service, when a handful of friends and
relatives of the dead woman were asked to take their final leave, that Esther
Mitchell stepped to the casket and bowing wept.
Behind Esther Mitchell were
O. V. Hurt, father of Maud Creffield, Mae Hurt, her sister, Frank Hurt, her
brother, and Mrs. Frank Hurt. In another part of the room were Attorneys W. H.
Morris and s. M. Shipley, who represented George Mitchell at his trial for the
killing of Joshua Creffield, and Attorney Holzheimer, attorney for Esther
Mitchell. There was no music and few flowers.
“Coroner Carroll has not yet received a report of the chemical analysis of the contents of Mrs. Creffield’s stomach, and the examination will not be completed until this evening. Hurt announced that the funeral services for Mrs. Creffield would be strictly private, and expressed himself as being very thankful that the morbidly curious public were not allowed to see the body.
Chapter of Holy Rollers where these articles are some of the sources:
Chapter 29: Poison?
***
November 18, 1906: Death May End a Hypnotic Spell
November 20, 1906: Mrs. Creffield Killed Herself with Poison!
***
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)