Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-05-11
THE cREFFlELD TRAGEDY.
Story of the Shooting as Told by
Seattle Reporter.

The Portland Journal of Mon
day contained the following story
of Creheld's death, which is
more minute in detail than any
thing that could be learned from
local sources:
Seattle, Wash, May r.
Franz Edmund Crefheld, self
styled Joshua leader of the
Holy Rollers, was shot and in
stantly killed on First avenue
near Cherry street at 7:3o O'Clock
this morning by George Mitchell.
of Portland. Crefheld was the
leader of the band of Holy Rol-
lers that caused so much excite
ment at Corvallis, Oregon, three
years ago. Mitchell made no at
tempt to escape after the shooting
but stood beside the body of his
PROSTATE victim until Patrolman
Lecount placed him under ar
rest. He told the police that he
shot Crefield because he had
ruined his two sisters, Mrs. Bur-
CESS Starr and Miss Ethel Mitch
ell.
AS soon as he reached the city
Jail Mitchell asked permission to
send a telegram. He sent the
following to o. V. Hurt at Cor
wallis, the father of Creheld's
wife.
'I've got my man. Pm in
Jail here. George"
The shooting of Crefheld was
witnessed by his wife and a few
other pedestrians. It took place
outside the Quick drug store in
the heart of the retail district.
Mitchell has been in Seattle since
Wednesday looking tor Crefeld.
Mitchell was walking up First
avenue when he saw Crefheld
coming down First avenue with
his wife on his arm. Mitchell
stepped in close to the drug store
and as Crefheld and his wife went
by he drew 38 caliber revolver,
sending a ball through the back
of Creheld's head. The bullet
came out above the right eye.
Crefheld fell to the side walk and
was carried into the drug store
and DR.. Bories was summoned.
Crefield's wife threw herself
down by his side and wound her
arms around his neck, kissing his
lips and historically exclaiming
at the same time:
He cannot die, he cannot die;
he did no harm to George Mitch
ell" DIR. Bories lifted her to
her feet saying, ''But he is dead
madam. :"
The woman was taken to pol
ice headquarters with her hus-
bands slayer and held as a wit
ness.
The Crefield's have been here
for a little over a month. They
have been living in a little attic
room at II6 Fifth avenue. The
only furniture in the room was
two chairs, a cheap, table and
sleeping cot. The only clothes
the woman had on was a tattered
skirt and shirtwaist. Her hus-
band yesterday promised to buy
her new skirt and they were on
their way to the store to purchase
it when he was shot.
Mrs. Creheld saws her husband
did not see Mitchell. She caught
sight of him just as he pulled the
trigger. Mitchell is 23 years old
and gave his occupation as la
borer. At police headquarters
ne said:
81 killed him; I have beer
looking for Creheld, and l got
him. I have no regrets. I am
willing to take any punishment
that is meted out to me without
a whimper. I did not kill a
man, I killed a brute. He OBJ
tanned a devilish influence over
my two sisters and ruined then
and I did only what any true
brother would do"
The police agree with Mitch
ell and gave him the best quar-
tiers in the Jail making his i'm
prisonment as comfortable as
possible.
| It developed that Creffield has
been married here twice. Over