The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-07-06
o. V. HURT TESTIFIES.
Tells Jury How Creffield RI
med and Broke Up His
Once Happy Family.

titled in the Mitchell trial this af.
ternoon.
The courtroom was crowded and
every spectator hung on the words
of the father telling the story of
how his daughter was ruined and
disrupted by the lust of the fanati.
cal Holy Roller leader. Hurt told
everything he knew. He was a
friend of George Mitchell and shift
ing his glance from one juror to
another, he told the tale OF misery
brought to his family by Crefheld.
o. V. White testified that he met
George Mitchell in Portland a
month before the shooting and then
related the story he poured into
George Mitchell's ears, which the
defense claims made a maniac of
the farmer boy and sent him on
his search for Crefield bent upon
murder.
He told the story OF the Holy
Rollers as he knew it from bitter
experience. At times Hurt wept
and begged Attorney Will II. Morris,
one Of Mitchell's attorneys, not to
force him to 60 further into the
vile story. But the attorney begged
him to tell all and Hurt, after a
glance at Mitchell, would comply
II INST the defendant, Mr.. Mitch
ell, 10 Portland, the last week ir
March. I told him Crefield was
out of prison and described to him
the effests of bis power over the wo
men folks.
''I told him that Creffeld used tt
get his followers to lie on the foo
and roll about, praying and shout
ing. He would keep telling then
that God would smite them unless
they did as he said. He claimed
to bs the Savior. I have known
him. 10 keep them rolling abou
on the floor III this manner for from
II to "a hours at one time. Hi
power over his followers, who wer
nearly all women, was something
wonderful. They did whatever b
said. They were dead to all human
sympathies. Tney let their chill
dren, their husbands and their par
ents go uncared for and without
kind thought or word.
"Crefield would say, for example
Either Mitchell, you do this ant
she would do it. He would tel
my wife or daughter to do a thin
and it would be done as he said.
"At one time, as Creffeld's pow
er grew, they offered sacrifice 9
two dogs and a cat. I heard ther
had been talk of offering up littl
lgirl as sacrifice.
"It fnally came to such a pas
that Csemeld made the wome
burn all their clothes as sacriGc
and wear Lo.hing but thin wrap
fpera. These garments would Eve.
be dispensed with during the rol]
ing services. 80 ~
"That man. gentlemen of tie ju
ry, hes ruined my life. He ri
ined my home and family. tol
Mitchell the man ruined his sister:
"Under Crefheld's influence N
little daughter grew Sd she woul
have nothing to do with me. ha
hsr removed then to the Boys an
Girls Aid society. After she had bee
there a few days she grew tired {
it. When she came home I hear
from her lips all that had been &c
ling on
"She asked ne not to be harsh wit
my wife, her mother, because sE
had been among the last to bend
n 6 FL ID will When he gave bs
coMmand that [ will not repea
my wife refused to obey, my lit
girl told me. Then Crefiield drov
e my wife to his bidding. He tol
4 her if she refused he would dri1
her out Of the church, and that &c
would smite her. Then she SUI
t limited. -