The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-05-08
CREFFIELD IN HIDING.
His Long Sojourn Under the
Hurt House-The Incident
Recalled.

hiding from the authorities in
which he spent something like four
months under the house of o. V.
Hurtof Corvallis. The discovery was
made by Roy Hurt, aged "a, at II
O. clock on the morning of July 20,
1904. The story of it was told as
follows in the TIMES of the goth:
"With his body entirely nude
and his frame a mass of skin and
bones from the effects of his fam
ished condition, Crehield, the man
who by his wild religious teachings
has sent half a dozen of his follow
ers to the insane asylum and several
others to the Boys and Girls Home
in Portland, was found secreted un-
der the house of o. V. Hurt yester
day morning. and at quarter to
eleven o'clock was lodged in the
Benton county Jail at Corvallis.
The discovery was made by Roy
Hurt. He was looking for corks
under the house, when he noticed
something white in the northeast
corner. He crawled out from under
the house, and pulling out bricks in
the foundation here and there, dis
covered first a pillow, and then a
quilt, aud was at last getting so
close to the apostle, whom he had
not yet seen. that the latter spoke
to him. The lad knew the voice
and hurried to town to inform his
father. who with Chief Lane went
at once to the scene. With some
difficulty they induced Crehdeld to
come out, and after supplying him
with clothing they hurried him in.
to buggy and drove him by a
back street to the Benton county
Jail. in which the apostle was at
once lodged. The whole occurrence
transpired within half an hour, and
Cref6e1d was locked securely in a
steel cellin the Jail before many
Corvallisites learned what had tax
en- place. Crefield was so weak
from his long reclining position
under the house, and from his
famished condition, that after he
came out from under the building
he had to be supported by his capt
ors to the carriage.
1t is the belief that all these
weeks and months that Creffe1d
has been the object of reward and
search. he has been hiding under
the Hurt house. 1t is believed al
so that he was ted and maintained
here by his followers, His time
under the building wasspent in a
hole In the ground under the north.
east corner of the house. 1t is more
than three months ago that Cref-
field fed from Portland. The hole
in the ground is alongside the brick
foundation and is six feet long, Is
inches deep and two and a nall
feet wide. The spot was the dark.
est place under the house. In the
hole. there was pillow and two
old quilts. Under the pillow was E
the pillow was a pair Of old draw
ers and shirt. These were the
only articles the apostle had to keef
him warm.
The dirt from the hole had beer
leve1ed off and under it were foune
II half gallon and seven quar-
fruit jars, all empty save that il
one there was little sugar, in an
other little flour and in severa
decayed remains of a little uneater
fruit. A small tin cup had butte
in it, and another showed that i
had been used for stirring flour. Ii
| one of the jars fruit and flour hat
been stirred together. These ar
ticles, with a knife and spoon, al
hidden under the dirt, completed
the naked apostles commissary de
partment.
In the county Jail. Crefield wa
as silent as a sphinx. To a news
paper man, he would not talk
When DR.. Pernot was summone'
to investigate his physical condi
ton, it was some time before tn
long-haired, light bearded, ghost
like man would say anything. o.
l one. subject, though he was profus
, in speech, he insisted on talking
: about Jesus. In whispers and dis
) iointed sentences, he said, "Oh,
I feel so good; Jesus is SO near me
Jesus told me last night this woul
: happen" In this kind of vein b
wanted to chatter all the time
l When the doctor diverted his al
tention with the inquiry, ''whe
did you have your last NEAL" ther
e was no reply. what did you hav
for your last meal" was followed b
: hesitation and then a whispered
: ga little -four" All the time th
i gray eyes shone bright and were
: 1urid setting for the hollow cheek.
+ the unkempt hair, the long 1igh
o beard and the steel cell bars. Whe
S asked if he wanted food he soid a