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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.
July 30, 1906: Esther Will Deny
Committing Murder In The 1st Degree
Seattle Star 7/30/1906 p1
Esther Mitchell Pleads Tomorrow
Will Deny Committing Murder In The First Degree And
Will Put Up An Insanity Defense When The Case Comes To Trial.
Esther Mitchell, charged
with the murder of her brother, George, will appear before Judge Frater
tomorrow morning and enter her plea of not guilty. Her lawyers will put up the
defense of insanity when the case comes to trial next October.
Attorney A. E. Clark, Miss
Mitchell’s chief counsel, arrived in this city from Portland yesterday. Although
Mr. Clark would not be quoted as saying that insanity would be the defense,
when seen by a reporter for the Star this morning, his inference was to this
effect.
“The trial will probably last two weeks,” said Mr. Clark. “Our plans are far from completed as yet, but it is safe to say that there will be much expert testimony employed. Some of the witnesses who were on the trial of George Mitchell will also testify in this case. We will also bring up witnesses from Oregon to testify that during much of the time Esther was in Oregon she was under the morbid influence of religious fanatics.”
Chapter 28: Insanity?
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July 28, 1906: Mitchell
Juror is Insane
July 31 1906: Esther
Mitchell Says Not Guilty
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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
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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)
Buy Holy Rollers: Murder & Madness in Oregon's Love Cult as an eBook for a measly $3.99 or get an autographed paperback for $15.
Holy Rollers is a story that has everything a good read should have: sex, religious fervor, mass insanity, the downfall of prominent families, murder and sensational court trials.
And it's all true.
John Terry, the Oregonian's 'Oregon's Trails' columnist says of the book: "A dandy piece of research and a good read. Lots more stuff than I was aware of. It deserves an audience"
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Theresa (T-) McCracken, 890 North Bayview, Loop Waldport, Oregon 97394 (541) 563-3112
***
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Newspaper Articles about Creffield & the Holy Rollers
1897-1899:Local Lore, News Of Corvallis and Vicinity Told in Brief B. C. (Before Creffield)
1900:Holy Rollers' Lives Before Creffield
1901:Holy Rollers' Lives Before Creffield
1902:Holy Rollers' Lives Creffield
January 18, 1903: Fred Mitchell Attempts Suicide
June 10, 1903: Salvation Army Major Deserts and Joins the Holy Rollers
October 31, 1903: Zealot Worshipers Burn Furniture, Dogs & Other Things
November 2, 1903: Fanatics In Court
November 3, 1903: Had Promise of Tar and Feathers
November 4, 1903: Flight of The Apostles
November 5, 1903: Once-Esteemed Family No Longer Has the Sympathy of the Community
November 6, 1903: Rollers Take On New Life
November 7, 1903: Is Creffield Back?
November 11, 1903: “Apostle” Creffield Still Under Cover
November 24, 1903: Girl of Sixteen Almost Insane
November 25, 1903: In Pursuit of Creffield
November 27, 1903: The Lord May Starve Them
November 28, 1903: Holy Rollers Receive Unwilling Baptism
December 7, 1903: Demented Woman Suffers
December 8, 1903: Hurt Seen In Portland
December 11, 1903:Holy Rollers Roll Into Eugene Church
December 21, 1903:Holy Roller Victim Worse December 22, 1903: Linn County Holy Rollers December 23, 1903: Is Crazy Now
December 29, 1903: Holy Rollers’ Not Liked at the Dalles December 30, 1903: Owner of Property Refuses to Permit Séances January 6, 1904: Holy Rollers Tarred and Feathered January 9, 1904: Their Welcome Departure January 12, 1904: Editorial Comment: “Put yourselves in our place!” January 13, 1904: Where Brooks Went January 19, 1904: Our Brainy Contemporaries January 25: Holy Rollers’ in Hobo Camp Life February 1, 1904: Camp In Linn County Is Broken Up By Officers February 6, 1904: How They Tell The Holy Roller Story In Far Off Scotland February 11, 1904: Medium Mystify Corvallis People March 1, 1904: The “Holy Rollers” Offend Humanity March 16, 1904: Holy Rollers to Be Arrested on Serious Charge March 17, 1904: Where is the Apostle? March 21, 1904: Reward For Creffield's Capture March 23, 1904: Fugitive Creffield March 28, 1904: Reward is Offered April 1, 1904: “Holy Roller” Chief Very Badly Wanted April 18, 1904: Holy Roller High Priest Is Seen April 29, 1904: Urania Seeley is Arrested May 2, 1904: Frank & Mollie Hurt are Committed to the Asylum May 4, 1904: Maud Hurt-Creffield & Sophia Hartley are Committed May 7, 1904: Attie Bray &Rose Seeley are Committed June 11, 1904: Attie Bray Escapes June 17, 1904: Mae Hurt is Committed June 29, 1904: Sarah Hurt is Committed July 22, 1904: Holy Roller on Death Row July 29, 1904: Creffield Found Half Dead Under Hurt’s House July, 30 1904: Armed Guards Protect Creffield July, 31 1904: Corvallis Could Not Raise a Mob August 1, 1904: Creffield says, "I am Elijah" August 2, 1904: Creffield Does Not Dislike Prison August 4, 1904: Creffield Says He Is Entirely Purified August 5, 1904: He Does Nothing Unless Directed by God August 6, 1904: Creffield Believes in Satan and Eternal Punishment August 9, 1904: No Flowers For Creffield August 13, 1904; The Holy Rollers And The Man Who Made Them August 16, 1904; Creffield Reward Will Be Returned August 19, 1904: Followers in Asylum Stick To Faith August 23, 1904: Creffield Will Fight His Own Case August 28, 1904: Creffield Destroys His Revelations September 16, 1904: Creffield is Guilty September 21, 1904: Holy Rollers go in and Out of the Asylum March 22, 1905: Prison Life Of Joshua Creffield> April 8, 1905: Life In Corvallis Returns to Normal December 12, 1905: Frank & Mollie Hurt Have a Baby Girl April 24, 1906: Creffield Establishes a Camp Near Waldport April 30, 1906: Donna Starr Leaves Children to go to Her Spiritual Love, Joshua Creffield May 1, 1906: Creffield Takes Credit for The San Francisco Earthquake May 3, 1906: Creffield In Fear Of His Life May 7, 1906: Holy Roller Shot Down Like A Dog May 8, 1906: Medal to Be Given Mitchell in Recognition of His Killing May 9, 1906: Oregon Prosecutor Would Aid Mitchell May 10, 1906: Shows No Emotion At Husband’s Grave May 11, 1906: Bail Is All Ready May 12, 1906: Mitchell Denied Bail May 13, 1906: Creffield is Due To Rise Today May 14, 1906: Creffield’s Widow Watches At Grave May 15, 1906: Corvallis Starts Fund for Defense of Mitchell May 16, 1906: Holy Rollers Starving Near Heceta Head May 17, 1906: Public Sentiment Favors Mitchell May 18, 1906: Creffield Railed in Vermont May 19, 1906: Mitchell to Enter Plea of Not Guilty May 27, 1906: Joshua Says Not to Worry June 1, 1906: Morris Claims Mitchell Rid World of a Fiend June 16, 1906: Prosecution and Defense are Making Last Preparations June 19, 1906: Many Witnesses For Mitchell June 24, 1906: Trial Will Cost Taxpayers Ten Thousand Dollars June 25, 1906: George Mitchell on Trial For His Life June 26, 1906: Mitchell Jury is Selected With Care June 27, 1906: Mitchell Trial Held Up By Squabble June 28, 1906: Jury is Secured to Try Mitchell June 29, 1906: Trial is Now on in Earnest June 30, 1906: Mrs. Creffield's Testimony July 1, 1906: Creffield’s Ghost Controls His Flock July 2, 1906: Esther Mitchell on Stand Refuses To Aid Brother July 3, 1906: Hurt Tells of Debauched Wife and Debased Sisters July 4, 1906: Creffield’s Unsavory Record Presented to the Jury July 5, 1906: Expected Admissibility of Evidence Will Arouse Controversy July 6, 1906: Others Testify They Wished to Kill Creffield July 7, 1906: Insanity Expert on the Witness Stand July 8, 1906: Plan To Revive Holy Rollerism July 9, 1906: Killing of Judge Emory May Effect Mitchell July 10, 1906: Mitchell Case Goes To Jury July 12, 1906: General Rejoicing at Mitchell’s Acquittal July 13, 1906: Esther Mitchell Kills Her Brother! July 14, 1906: Mitchell Boys Are Done With Esther July 15, 1906: Hurt Will Come to Aid of His Daughter July 16: 1906: Will Mortgage His Home for Daughter July 17, 1906: Let’s Think When We Talk July 18, 1906: Mrs. Starr’s Life Threatened July 19, 1906: Mrs. Creffield Weeps in Jail July 20, 1906: George Mitchell’s Attorney Offers Aid to Murderesses July 21, 1906: Mitchell Boys to Stand by Esther July 22, 1906: Hurt Thinks Both Women Are Insane July 23, 1906: Frater Favors a Commission of Alienists July 24, 1906: Mackintosh Will Oppose Calling Commission July 26, 1906: Is Reconciled to Holy Roller Wife July 27, 1906: Holy Rollers Seek Home in Wyoming July 28, 1906: Mitchell Juror is Insane July 30, 1906: Esther Will Deny Committing Murder In The 1st Degree July 31 1906: Esther Mitchell Says Not Guilty August 1, 1906: Relatives to Help Esther Mitchell August 4, 1906: Creffield Greatly Hurt True Religion August 6, 1906: Mitchell Boys in Drunken Row August 8, 1906: St. Louis Woman Coming to Convert “Rollers” August 12, 1906: Esther Mitchell Close to Death from Typhoid August 13, 1906: Esther Mitchell Not Seriously Ill September 1, 1906: Four Charged with First Degree Now in County Jail September 10 1906: To Examine Minds of Slayers September 12, 1906: Hurt Thinks His Daughter Insane September 13, 1906: Esther Mitchell Objects to Help September 14, 1906: Women Not Agitated September 15, 1906: Mrs. Creffield’s Trial Set for Next Month September 17, 1906: Mrs. Creffield on Stand September 18, 1906: Maud Creffield Anxious to Hang September 19, 1906: Are They Sane of Insane? September 21, 1906: Both Women May Go Scott Free September 22, 1906: Where is This Thing to End! September 23, 1906: Murders Must Be Tried September 24, 1906: Must Not Deport September 25, 1906: Judge Frater is in Very Small Business September 28, 1906: Insanity Board Not Paid October 1, 1906: Holy Roller Woman Dies While in Trance November 9, 1906: Mrs. Creffield Said to Be in Very Nervous State November 17, 1906: Maud Creffield Dies in the County Jail November 18, 1906: Death May End a Hypnotic Spell November 19, 1906: Reviews Findings in Examination of Brain November 20, 1906: Mrs. Creffield Killed Herself with Poison! November 21, 1906: Poison Is Found In The Stomach Of Mrs. Creffield November 22, 1906: Esther Says Maud Did Not Kill Herself December 4, 1906: Washing Dirty Linen December 17, 1906: Sad Christmas For Holy Roller February 21, 1907: Esther Mitchell Goes to Asylum April 30, 1907: Esther Mitchell Still Believe in Creffield & His Return April 6, 1909: Esther Mitchell Leaves Asylum April 9, 1914: Esther Mitchell Marries James Berry August 3, 1914: Esther Mitchell is Dead By Own Hand 1953 Stewart Holbrook's Murder Without Tears 1951 Startling Detective Magazine: Nemesis of the Nudist High PriestA List of All the Articles
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Sample Chapters from Holy Rollers:
Murder and Madness in Oregon's Love Cult
***
The Cast of Characters
Photos and Bios of the Holy Rollers
***
Holy Rollers' Asylum Commitment Papers
***
***
1903 to 1907 Newspaper Articles About the Holy Rollers
1906 Editorial Calling for Gun Control
After Multiple Murders Involving the Holy Rollers
Stewart Holbrook Holy Rollers Article
Advertisements from 1893 to 1913
***
Oregon Insane Asylum
Where the Holy Rollers Were Committed
Creffield, Brainwashing & Thought Reform
Early Cases of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity
1906 Autopsies Of Holy Rollers
Forensics Before CSI
Holy Roller Bizarre Divorce Decree
Hartley describes trying to kill his wife's lover
***
The Shadow Testament
A Play About The Holy Rollers
How the Fire Fell
A Movie About The Holy Rollers
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Life in Corvallis in the early 1900s
Life in Waldport, OR in early 1900s
Facts & Stats about 1906
And How The Holy Rollers Measured Up
Oregon State Penitentiary
Where Creffield Was Incarcerated
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Could you ever be lured into joining a cult?
Share your thoughts about, and experiences with, cults
***
The Salvation Army Opening Fire in 1886
Reverend Knapp's Bible Songs of Salvation & Victory
Songs Sung by the Holy Rollers
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Order Mugs & other Stuff with Edmund Creffield's Mug Shot on them.About the Authors
In addition to writing, McCracken is a cartoonist.
To see some of her 'toons, go to the Home of McHumor Cartoons mchumor.com
email
Snail Mail
Theresa (T-) McCracken
890 North Bayview Loop
Waldport, Oregon 97394
(541) 563-3112
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Theresa (T-) McCracken