Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-08-04
PROPHET
MAY BE
HYPNOTIST
Believed That Creffield has
Power TO Influence His
Followers

Somewhere in the eastern part o
the United States the mother Of Ed
mund Crehield, now in the Multno
nah county pail, facing trial for |
serious crime, is grieving because she
does not know the whereabouts o.
her boy says the Portland Telegram
Trying to find her son, this mother
whose address is not known here, mas
written to American headquarters OF
the Salvation Army in New York City
and inquiries have been forwarded to
Portland, where Creffield once was en-
gagged in Salvation Army work.
Is Edmund Creffield a hypnotist?
Did he have his II followers at Holy
Roller camp under his influence? Could
he, II he were nursed back to his
original self, bring them out of their
spell?
Members of the Portland Salvation
Army corps, who Knew Creffield when
he belonged to that organization, de-
clare him to be possessed of hypnotic
power.
Il was learned late this afternoon
that Creffield had made a deep study
of hypnotism and it is known that he
practiced his power on people acre in
Portland before he went to Corvallis
Members of the Salvation Army, of
which Crefield was an important Off
GER say he was a hypnotist, and it is
their belief that he had his followers
under this strange influence.
The officials are now collecting evi.
dence TO be produced at the Apostles"
trial Thursday morning to show that
the women whom he led to accept his
doctrine were held under some kind
of mental SPELL 1t is the theory that
II he were strong again he could
bring the people to their normal con-
iition and that they would no longer
need to remain in the asylum. The
hypnotic influence of some other per
son besides Creffeld may be tried on
these patients.
Same Symptoms for All.
Although not until recently realized.
all his followers seemed to go the
same way-all losing control of their
mind. They would move TO the bid.
ding OF their leader, and did things
the officers believe they would not
nave done had they not been control.
led by a power that they could not
resist At the trial tomorrow. il the
case is not again postponed because
OF Creftield's great weakness. there
viii be evidence introduced on this
question.
n e. Starr complaining witness in
the case against Crefield, whom he
thinks wronged his wife. says he be.
lieves Cretield had his wife under
The strange hypnotic power.
Once Salvation Leader.
"hrough his untiring work and his
convincing teachings, Edmund Cret |
neld. now in the county Jail awaiting
trial on the charge Of adultery. was
considered one OF its most valuable
Officers, while he was a member OF
The Salvation Army.
He has since he started his exclus
'ive' peculiar and strange religion fan.
en- from grace, according to the rules
of the salvation Army, and is con.
'idered worse than a backslider. who
has gone deep into the ways Of sin.
Members OF the Portland branch OF
he Salvation Army know CrsfHeIj
'uI now they refrain as much as DOS.
'lole from even speaking Of him. Il
s hard to get any information from
hem about their former brother, They
ell some facts, but only on close
questioning, Waen Ensign Maude
'gney and Captain Bertha Holetop
we're seen yesterday. they told an in, !
N'NSNuS story or the Apostle" " Their /
tory follows:
Entered Salvation Army.
II was four years ago this summer
nat Edmund Crefield. a native Of
'ermany was led to see the light Of
esus Christ. lie was then only all
ommon street listener, but ne re
eived the light, and from that tims
u he was an earnest worker in the
rmy Shortly after his conversion
came TO Portland, where he en-.
'red the training department Of the
Imy In the garrison here he adj.
aheed nom a private or common
'ldier in the ranks to the rank Of
en'enant. About elk months later II
= about three years ago he became C
captain raat was the last position b
which he advanced. a
While in Portland he did not have r
l' charge Of any single division bpt A
! took Charga Of Glasses and A.. NJ