Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-05-11
rARRED AND rrArHnRRD.
When Crefield rell Into the Hands Of
White Caps at Corvallis.

The death of Crefield by the hand Of
a young man whom he had deeply
wronged, recalls the incidents at Cor.
wallis in which the bogus saint was
tarred and feathered. The date was
January 4, 1904. The story as told in
the Times at the time it happened,
runs this, in part:
"Tar and feathers were administered
to Apostles Creffield and Brooks by
crowd of 20 men Monday night. The
affair took place under the light of
winter moon near the first bridge near
the sawmill at about 10 o'clock. The
white caps crossed the ferry and went
over to the Beach house, 200 yards to
the eastward They stole nOisclessly
up to the house, which they surround
ed. Then they broke in the front door
took the apostles, nd recrossing the
ferry, went to the bridge. where the
clothing was removed from both men
and tar and feathers applied. With
the ceremony complete, their clothing
was again put on, and the apostles
told to leave the vicinity and not to re
turn or worse treatment might be ap-
Piled They started north along the
Albany road, running at full speed.
When the affair was in progress Brooks
was stoical, never uttering word
Just before the tar and feathers were
applied however, Creffield, who had
trembled all along, said, "Let us
pray" "We have heard too much of
your prayers already" was the gruff
response of one of the party, and Cref
field had nothing more to say.
There was no attempt at secrecy by
those who took part in the affair. None
wore masks, and none affected a dis.
guise The identity of many of the party
is known, and all are men Of standing and
character. They say there was not a
boy or hoodlum in the party. In the
main they were persons who have felt
the unhappy consequences of the
strange spell the apostles seem to exet
on the members of families often in
way to bring sorrow and trouble.
"At the Beach house a dozen mem.
bers of the rollers held a rendezvous for
the past month. When the white caps
arrived they Immediately surrounded
the house, barring all avenues of es-
cape. Then several stalwart men ad.
vanced to the front door, and, after a
loud knock, burst in. Nearly n dozen
rollers were in the room, Brooks and
Crefiel6 among them. Some of them
We're seated on chairs and others on
the floor. Most Of them were barefoot
ed.
"At the sudden appearance of the
intruders the members of the sect were
more or less startled. Brooks and Cref
field were told to put on their shoes
The female portion Of the assembly
began to sing and so continued during
the rest of the ceremony. Brooks and
Creffield obeyed the order to put on
their shoes and hats and both were
! tied together and led out of the door.
1 After leaving the house the party
marched directly 20 the ferry and
crossed to the Corvallis side. On the
boat, the captors stood close about the
prophets to prevent any attempt TO es'
cape. Passing under the electric lights
en- route. the white caps came directly
from the ferry to Main street, and then
went north on Main street past the
sawmill, and on north 10 the first bridge
Hating there they ordered the pro
phets TO remove their clothing. The
men did as told. The scene at the mo
ment was dramatic. The moon shone
clear and bright in the east, with the
two apostles. nude and shivering In the
center Of the group. Silence was only
broken by the movements Of the men
and an occasional remark, sometimes
Of jOeular character. One man, sur
yeying Crefield after the tar and feath.
ers had been wen smeared, remarked,
"Well, you would make fine old San.
Ia Claus now. :" Crefield made no 70
ply All the time he trenbled like an
aspen, and was undoubtedly much
frightened 1t was otherwise with
Brooks, who was stoieal throughout
and apparently undistuTbed by the pro
ceedings. After the incident, Crefheld