Franz Edmund Creffield, commonlyknown as Edmund Creffield and by the pseudonym Joshua (c. 1870–1906),was a German-American religious leader who founded a movement inCorvallis, Oregon, that became known locally as the "HolyRollers". The movement, mainly popular among women, was widelyregarded as a cult. Creffield, who believed himself the second comingof Jesus, had a number of run-ins with the authorities and the localcitizenry over the next several years, often stemming from hisrelations with his female followers and his increasingly erraticbehavior.

In 1906 Creffield was murdered byGeorge Mitchell, whose sister was one of Creffield's followers. Afterbeing acquitted of wrongdoing in the killing, Mitchell was himselfmurdered by his sister in revenge, with another follower subsequentdied by suicide. The story attracted national attention and was majornews for a time in the Pacific Northwest.

Early life

Franz Edmund Creffield was originallyfrom Germany; it is unclear how he came to Oregon. He first appearedin Portland in 1903, and he quickly became involved in the SalvationArmy. Later that year he was sent on mission to the town ofCorvallis. Soon after, he broke with the Salvation Army and formedhis own group, which he called the Bride of Christ Church.Townspeople regarded the church as a cult and called them "HolyRollers" because they rolled on the floor for hours duringtheir services.

Bride of Christ Church

Creffield did not say anythingoutrageous when he first came to Corvallis in 1903, preaching mostlyabout "the beauty of the full Gospel." Soon hisfollowers believed he was receiving messages directly from God.Creffield preached for hours on end and his followers loudly rolledon the floor pleading for God's forgiveness. When their cacophonousmeetings began running into the early morning hours, Creffield wasbarred from holding services within city limits.

During the summer he and his followerscamped out on Kiger Island in the Willamette River. When the fallrains started Sarah Hurt and her three children, Maud, Frank, andMae, some of his most ardent followers, invited him and about twentyothers to move into their house just outside Corvallis. In Octoberthe group burned most of the house's contents including furniture,utensils, heirlooms, a cat, and a dog. Reports that a baby had beensacrificed were false.

People soon began to ask if Creffieldcould really "live in the same locked house with a number ofyoung girls, and do nothing in the world but be religious."

In January 1904, twenty vigilantescalled the White Caps tarred and feathered Creffield, and told him toleave town and never come back. The next day Creffield and Maud Hurtwere married in a room where "the odor of [pine] tar wasnoticeable."

In February Creffield was accused ofhaving adulterous relations in Portland with Maud's aunt, DonnaStarr. Adultery was a criminal offense, so a warrant was put out forhis arrest. A statewide manhunt went on for months. Meanwhile, manyof his followers fasted and spent their days lying flat on the floorpraying. Most were committed to either the Oregon State Insane Asylumor the Boys and Girls Aid Society in Portland.

In July, one month after Sarah Hurt wascommitted, Creffield was discovered nude and starving under herhouse. Creffield said he was innocent, but was found guilty andserved seventeen months in the Oregon State Penitentiary. Whenreleased, he claimed he was Jesus Christ risen from the dead, hisresurrection being his emergence from prison.

Creffield said he was responsible forthe 1906 San Francisco earthquake and his followers, all of whom hadbeen released from the asylum, believed him. "Creffield isJesus Christ," Cora Hartley said. "He condemned thecity of San Francisco and brought the earthquake; he has condemnedthe city of Corvallis and an earthquake will destroy this place."She and the others obeyed his order to evacuate to the coast.

Assassination

In April, Louis Hartley, a wealthy mineowner, followed his wife, Cora, and daughter, Sophie, when they wentto Newport to meet up with Creffield and the others. As the groupboarded a ferry, Hartley fired a revolver four times at Creffield.The gun snapped harmlessly because the center-fire cartridges werewrong for the rim-fire gun.

Others were also gunning for Creffield,so he fled to Seattle with Maud. There, George Mitchell, Esther'sbrother, found him and, in front of witnesses, killed him.

Multnomah County's district attorney,John Manning, sent King County's prosecuting attorney, KennethMackintosh, a letter saying, "I investigated many, manycharges against him [Creffield] while he was on his Holy Rolling tourin Oregon, the character of which were perfectly awful, in so far asbeing low, degenerate and brutal, and if permitted, I would like anopportunity to testify before the grand jury, before Mitchell isindicted ... I think the taking of the law in one's own hands,under such circumstances, to mete out summary justice is almostexcusable.". Mackintosh was appalled by Manning'ssuggestion.

O.V. Hurt, Creffield's father-in-law,hired one of the best law firms in Seattle to defend George. Numerouswitnesses testified to telling George that "free love"took place in 1903. They said they told George that Creffieldpreached that Christ would be reborn and one of the Brides of Christwould be the new Mary and that he needed to lay his hands upon themand purify them. They said they told George that mothers weredebauched in front of their daughters, including Sarah and her thensixteen-year-old daughter, Mae. They said they told George thatfinally Creffield announced that the new Mary was Esther Mitchell,the then sixteen-year-old sister of George.

Many believe that much of the testimonywas perjury, a tactic to avoid hearsay and put Creffield on trial.George was found not guilty by reason of insanity and released. Twodays later, Esther shot and killed him using a gun Maud bought usingtheir witness fees.

O.V. was devastated, but still lovedhis daughter so he hired the same lawyers who had defended George, todefend her. Before the case went to trial, Maud committed suicide.Esther was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed toWestern State Hospital, an asylum in Steilacoom, Washington.

Esther was released from the asylum in1909. She died by suicide in 1914.