The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-07-17
Picked up by Creffield as Com
panion Before Marriage.
CORVALLIS PLACED IN SORROW
Chronology OF Creffield and Holy Roll
erism, Which Had Inception
in Valley Town.

The feeling of satisfaction felt at
Corvallis over the acquittal of George
Mitchell gave place to one of sorrow
over the news that the slayer had been
slain by the hand of his own sister.
The entire population is deeply con-
cerned.
Esther Mitchell left that town for
Seattle to join Mrs. Mnad Hurt Cref.
field as soon as the news Of the shoot
ing of Creffield was received. On the
subject Of Rollerism she was always
the most fanatical of any of the Cref-
field followers. This was evident in
the earlier days of the cult, when she
was the most enthusiastic of all who
practiced it.
1t was we'll known that it was
Esther Mitchell that Creffield orig
inally selected to be his companion,
but that the plan was disarranged by
ber being taken East, after which
Creffleld married Maud Hurt. Esther
Mitchell was the first one to be COM
mitted to the Boys and Girls Home,
having been until that time an inmate
for some time of the home of o. v.
Hurt.
Then, as now and at all other times,
there was far away look in her eyes
and she has had an absorbed air.
Little interest was taken in affairs
about her. She rarely smiled, and
was never gay. In disposition, how
ever, she was kindly and gentle.
Holy Rollerism, as fought by Josh
ua' Creff,eld, had its inception at Cor
Wallis, in the Spring Of 1908. Cref-
field held campmeetings and succeeded
in getting a group of followers at
once.
Previous to this he had Eeen a Sal
walton Army Worker. He was born
in Germany and was deserter from
the German army.
On the might of January 4, 1904,
the fanatical teachings had gone to
such lengths that indignant fathers
and husbands of Corvallis women took
him out and gave him coat of tar
and feathers. They gave similar treat
ment to one of the male followers, G.
Brooks. The men were warned that
they should be killed If they ever re-
turned to Corvallis.
The next day Creffield returned and
was secreted by the Hurt woman un-
der the floor Of their home. Here he
dispensed with his clothing, proclaim
cd himself prophet of God and car
lied on his revolving orgies in the
name of religion.
July 28, 1904, Creffield's hiding
place. became known and he was taxi
Gu out and put in Jail.
In the meantime, Esther Mite hell,
because Of his influence over her, had
been sent to the Boys and Girls Aid
Society. After being kept there few
weeks, she was sent to her fathers
home in Illinois She was not per-
mitted to return to Oregon until
Cref1ied was sent 10 the penitentiary.
Other women, including Mrs. D. V.
Hurt, Mae Hurt aud Maud Hurt, were
sent to the insane asylum for short
time because of Crefiield's influence
over them while he was secreted uu-
der the Hurt residence.
Creffield, a few days after his dis
covery, was brought to Portland and
tried on statutory charge pres gred by
Burgess Il. Starr, husband az Mitch
ellis elder sister, Creffield victim.
In August Creffield was found guilty.
He refused to have lawyer and
tried to clear himself by reading pas
sages in the Bible. When found gull
ty be made no effort to secure lien
ENJOY, simply stating that, like Christ,
he was misunderstood.
Soon after Creffield went to prison,
his wife, Maud Hurt, whom he mar
ried shortly before being tarred and
feathered, secured a divorce. There
were no further Holy Roller demon
stratious, and seemingly the dangerous
cult was broken up.
EARLY in February of 1906,
Crefileld's sentence was commuted
by good behavior, and he left the state
prison, going to California. From
there he got in correspondence with
his former wife, who had remained
with her father, O. v. Hunt, of Cor
Wallis. A reconciliation was effected.
Creffleld returned to the vicinity of
Corvallis aud got a number of women
aud Que man, Frank Hunt, to go to a
lonely spot on the beach in Lincoln
county. His purpose was to found a
Holy Roller colony. He made par
ticular efforts to secure Esther Mitch
ell to his keeping. saying sne was to
be the mother Of second Christ, who
was to be born to the world.
Late iu April of this year, Mitchell.
after being released from the Good
Samaritan Hospital in Portland, de-
clared to bis close friends his inten-
tions of killing Oreffield. He told
several of his friends that God had
told him to remove the Holy Roller
leader from the earth for running his
sisters.
About May LIST, Mitchell went to
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