Jftflysfrittg- III
PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1906.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
VOL. XLVI.-SO. 14,226.
IS
SHOT DOWN
BY SISTER
Slayer of Holy Roller
Creffield Murdered
in Seattle.
ESTHER GREETS WITH SMILE
Loiters Behind at Depot for
Opportunity to Assassinate
Avenger of Her Honor.
PISTOL HIDDEN BY HER CAPE
Another Brother Reaches for
Weapon Just Too Late.
BULLET ENTERS HIS HEAD
1'amlly Party Was at Union Station
to See George and His Brother
Off for Portland on the
Afternoon Train.
FRINCIPA1S IX HOIS ROLLER
TRAGEDIES.
EDMOND CREFFIELD Self-proclaimed
Joshua and prophet, who
organized the cult at Corvallls.
MRS. BURGESS E. STARR George
Mitchell' j married sliter. whose
complete aubmleelon to Creffleld's
fanatical practices resulted In the
fellow's conviction of a statutory
charge, for which he was sent up
for two years in the State Prison.
GEORGE MITCHELL Slayer of Cref
field because of the Roller's bestial
treatment of his sisters.
ESTHER MITCHELL George Mitch
ell's younger sister and one of Cref
fleld's most fanatical followers,
who believed she waa to be the
mother of a second Christ, and who
hilled her brother at Seattle yes
terday. MA I'D HURT CREFFIELD Daugh
ter of O. V. Hurt, of Corvallls. and
wife of the Holy Roller prophet,
who probably incited Esther Mitch
ell to kill George.
SAMPSON LEVINS Former Corvallls
man and follower of Creffield, said
to be reorganizing the Rollers in
British Columbia, and who Is
thought to have supplied Mrs. Cref
field with funds.
FRANK HURT Of Corvallls. faithful
disciple of Creffield, believed to
have known of plan to kill George
in event of acquittal.
SEATTLtE, Wash., July 12. (Special.)
Esther Mitchell shot and killed her
brother George, the slayer of Franz Ed
mund Creflicld, in the Union depot, at
4:20 o'clock this afternoon, as George and
his brother Perry were on their way to
take a Northern Pacific train for Port
land. Miss Mitchell was walking behind the
two brothers, in company with a third
brother, Fred. She had gone to the depot
for the purpose of killing her brother,
and though she greeted him with a smile
and a hearty handshake, she loitered be
hind to get her opportunity. A revolver
purchased the day before by Mrs. Cref
field for the assassination was carried
concealed under a cape thrown carelessly
over Esther Mitchell's left arm.
Fred Mitchell offered to carry the cape
and as she, handed it to him, the sister
raised her revolver and fired. The bullet
etruck young Mitchell behind the left ear
and he died instantly.
Brother Leaps Too Late.
As the gun was brought up Fred Mit
chell leaped to seize the weapon but he
was too late. He grabbed Esther's arm
Just after she fired and the girl collapsed
In his arms. She stayed there until depot
policemen hurried up and placed her un
der arrest.
Both Esther Mitchell and Mrsi Creflleld.
who was arrested at 7 o'clock tonight,
while on her way back from the ceme
tery, where "Joshua" Creffield Is buried,
acknowledged in statements taken before
Chief Wappensteln that they had con
spired to kill George. Had it been nec
essary Esther Mitchell was prepared to
follow her brother to Portland. It was
this insane demand for vengeance that
prompted her to refuse to accompany
her father on his return to Illinois.
"I killed George because he had killed
an Innocent man, and because he had
ruined my reputation by saying that
Creffield seduced me," Esther Mitchell
declared, but both her statement and
that of Mrs. Creffield indicate that the
two had conspired to assassinate.
Mrs. Creffield Bought Gun.
Mrs. Creffl .Id prompted the ahootlng,
MITCHELL
and she bought the gun with which it
was done. It had been agreed between
them that the first one seeing .George
should slay him.
George and Perry Mitchell were to have
gone to Portland last night. In fact,
George had made all arrangements to
meet certain newspapermen upon his ar
rival. At the last moment, however, L.
T. Sandel, who testified in George's be
half at the trial, asked George and Perry
to spend the night as his guests at South
east Seattle, where a small group of
Holy Rollers, including Frank Hurt and
wife, reside. They did so.
Today Fred Mitchell saw his sister and
he told her that the departure of his
brothers had been delayed. He told her
they would leave Seattle at 4:30 o'clock
this afternoon. She took the gun Mrs.
Creffield ha,d purchased and went to the
depot to meet them.
Esther Takes Brother's Hand.
Perry Mitchell saw his sister standing
near a pillar when he checked his grips.
She had been seated near the center of
the room watching for the three boys
and had arisen when he passed.. Perry
greeted her and a moment later signalled
to George, whom Ksther had not seen.
He approached and without words the
brother and sister shook hands.
Esther offered to accompany the broth-
! TSe Mitchell, ihe Mur.lered Man. t
ers to their waiting train and the four
started down the aisle toward the door,
George and Perry Mitchell were in front
with Fred and Esther walking a short
distance behind. Fred was at the side of
Esther, but about two feet distant. She
was carrying a cape thrown over her left
arm, and beneath it was concealed the
revolver.
Fred offered to carry the cape as the
group passed down the aisle and reached
for It. As he took it from Esther's arm
she whipped the revolver into her right
hand, raised the gun and fired. George
dropped, killed Instantly.
Murderess Collapses After Crime.
Esther fell back as Fred Mitchell
reached for her revolver and sat down
into his lap with her arms about his
neck. Fred had wrested the gun from
her, but too late to prevent the killing.
By a curious coincidence Officer Hurt,
the man who arrested Mitchell when he
killed Creffield, was the depot policeman
who took Esther into custody for slaying
her brother. Hurt turned her over to
Officer Mason. To Mason the girl said,
answering -a. question:
"I am George Mitchell's sister and I
shot him."
"Why did you do it?" asked Mason.
I will make my statement later on," said
the girl calmly. She did not show any
emotion.
Miss Mitchell was hurried to the police
station, while the body of George Mitchell
lay on the depot floor awaiting the Cor
oner. About the time Esther had reached
the station George's body was 1 carried
from the station toward the morgue. Hun-
Concluded on Page 6.)
ESTHER MITCHELL, HOLY ROLLER, WHO KILLED
HER BROTHER
,:
Drawn
ESTHER URGED ON
BY MRS. CREFFIELD
Praise of Avenger Put
Murder in Heart.
PLOT FORMED AFTER TRIAL
Widow Discusses Plans With
Mitchell's Sister.
BUYS HER A REVOLVER
Girl Was Selected to Do the Killing,
as Mrs. Creffield Believed She
Was Suspected and Would
Be Watched.
ESTHER MITCHELL'S STATEMENT.
"I do not regret it. I am glad I
did It. I fired once and tried to fire
another, but there was such a loud
noise made by the crowd I don't
know whether I fired again or not.
"I shot him in the head, and I
knew if I hit where I intended to it
was sure death.
"I intended to follow him to Port
land If I did not shoot him here.
"I killed George because he killed
an innocent man, and because he has
ruined my reputation by saying that
Creffield seduced me."
SEATTLE, Wash., July 12. (Special.)
Arrived at the police station Esther
Mitchell, apparently unconcerned,
walked without assistance, into the of
fice of the Chief of Police. As she
passed two newspaper men requested
an interview, but she retorted: "I was
told not to talk to newspaper men," and
that was the attitude she maintained
after her arrest.
But to the Police Chief she readily
gave her explanation and later dictat
ed this statement to Detective Ken
nedy, called in to get a stenographic
report of her confession.
"Mrs. Creffield and I had talked over
the matter of killing George. The one
that had the best chance was to do it.
Mrs. Creffield bought the gun at Sec
ond avenue and Union street. We were
at the room about 4 o'clock this after
noon and I thought that I would have
a better chance to do it than Mrs.
Creffield. as my brother George wanted
to see me and I believed that he would
think nothing about me going to the
depot. Then Mrs. Creffield gave me the
gun and I was to do it. We agreed that
it was to be done as soon as possible.
Ats. Creffield Looked for Victim.
"Mrs. Creffield had been out once or
twice looking for George, and if she
had got the chance she would have
done it and I would have done the
same. The first one that got a chance
was to do it.
"I would have done it before if I had
got a chance. I took the gun yesterday
and my brother Fred walked with me
down to the depot, when my father
went away. They wanted me to see
From a Photograph by Harry Murphy.
George then .and I didn't want to, be
cause I couldn't get the gun un
wrapped. I had the gun wrapped up and
concealed and I refused to see George.
"When I went home I took the gun
and placed it under the mattress. Then
I took it out about noon today and kept
it with me. My brother Fred was up to
my room today and said that Perry and
George were going to Portland today
at 4 o'clock. I went to the depot and
saw Perry get his ticket and I fol
lowed him.
"At last 1 saw George and I shook
hands with him and I was walking to
the door with him. He and Perry were
walking in front and Fred and I were
walking behind. At that time I had the
gun in my coat. I removed it from my
bosom where I had it concealed. Fred
offered to carry my coat and I told him
all right. Then I was walking to the
door. George was in front of me.
Just the Chance She Wanted.
"It was just the chance I wanted and
I then shot him. My brother Fred
grabbed me and I sat down on his lap
and put my arms around his neck. I
sat there and the officer came.
"I do not regret doing it. I am glad
I did it. I fired once and tried to fire
another, but there was such a loud
noise made by the crowd I don't know
whether I fired again or not. I shot
him in the head, and I knew if I hit
where I intended to it was sure death.
I Intended to follow him to Portland
if I did not shoot him here."
Acting under instructions from
Deputy County Attorney John F. Mill
er, who had prosecuted her brother,
Dr. J. B. Loughary made an examina
tion of the girl to test her sanity. His
report was that she was sane except
on the question of the Holy Rollers'
creed.
When Mr. Miller entered the Chief's
office to see Esther he asked her If she
knew him, and she promptly replied:
"Yes, Mr. Miller, I know you.'
Reasons for the Killing.
Later, as she was being taken away
in a carriage to the County Jail, Miss
Mitchell declared to Chief Wappen
steln: "I killed George because he killed
an innocent man and because he has
ruined my reputation by saying that
Creffield seduced me."
Esther was taken to the County Jail"
in a private carriage, and she asked
that the blinds be drawn to shield
her from the curious crowd. Police
Matron Mrs. Kelly supported her as
she ehierged from the Chief's office,
but the girl's steps were firm and her
attitude showed she did not need as
sistance. Sheriff Smith was in charge
of the girl.
Orders were given for the arrest of
Mrs. Creffield immediately after Esther
Mitchell had been taken. Detectives
failed to find her at the lodging-house
where she had stayed with Miss Mitch
ell. Half an Jiour later Mrs. Creffield
telephoned from a grocery store at 434
North Broadway to Police Captain Sul
livan, saying she would remain there
until an officer called. She an
nounced she presumed she was wanted.
Heard of Murder on Street.
When Detective Brown found Mrs.
Creffield at the grocery store, she de
clared she had seen two "plain-clothes
men" approaching the house as she
left, and thought they might want her.
She insisted she had been to the cem
etery to visit "Joshua" Creffleld's
grave, and on her way back heard the
(Concluded on Page 4.)
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather,
YESTERDAY'S Maximum
dear.; minimum, 70.
TODAY'S Fair and not a
temperature, 08
j warm. North -
west winds.
Killing: of George Mitchell.
Esther Mitchell shoots her brother George at
the Seattle Union Depot. Page 1.
Cold-blooded assassination Is planned with
Mrs. Creffield, widow of Holy Roller chief
slain by George Mitchell. Page 1.
Mrs. Starr, another sister, receives the news
in Portland, with a smile. Page fl.
Esther Mitchell deeply Imbued with the
strange teachings of Creffield. Page 6.
Morbid mob at Seattle storms morgue doors
to see victim. Page 6.
Foreign.
Captain Dreyfus declared Innocent and will
be promoted. Page ,
Ex-President Regalado of Salvador killed In
battle with Guatemala. Page 3.
Guatemalan rebels claim decisive victory.
Page 3.
Extensive reforms in British army proposed.
Page 9.
Russia.
Anarchy reigns and open rebellion Is ex
pected. Page 3.
Cabinet offers resignation and Czar proposes
coalition. Page 3.
Admiral Chouknin dies. Page 3.
Politics.
Hearst gives way to Bryan that lie may
organize new party. Page 2.
Colorado Supreme Court forbids Investiga
tion of election frauds. Page 5.
Bryan defines his political opinions. Page 4.
Domestic.
Mrs. Hartje denies she wrote love letters and
experts declare them forgeries. Page 1.
American sealers brutally treated in Russia.
Page 14.
Seven children drowned In Iowa. Page 10.
Sport.
Beavers defeat Slwaahes easily, 6 to 1.
Page 7.
Long-distance automobile race starts. Page 7.
Pacific Coast.
Chautauqua draws large crowds to Glad
stone Park. Page 1.
Charges of graft made against city officials
of L.a. Grande. Page 7.
Company K man of Portland wins gold
medal at Salem shoot of Guardsmen.
Page 7.
Commercial and Marine.
Columbia River salmon run is slack.
Page 15.
Selling wave strikes stock market. Page 15.
Bullish sentiment in grain markets. Page 15.
Columbia River gradually cutting deeper
channels, says Army Engineer. Page 14.
Portland and Vicinity.
Portland spends a big sum to keep cool.
Page 10.
East Si Improvement Association commit
tee Inspects oil tanks. Page 10.
First Battery reaches Oregon City on first
day of practice march. Page 10.
Executive Board calls delinquent city con
tractors to time; imposes penalties.
Page 10.
Salem grower predicts higher prices for
hops. Page 11.
Water Superintendent Dodge denies that
river water Is pumped into city mains.
Page 11.
Booth land-fraud case argued in , Federal
Court. Page 11.
."m.ntv Kin iV)1 t 17 "Blx-blt" lcsurancA com
panies. Page 11.
SHE EXERCISES
S
Mrs. Hartje Denies
Writing Letters.
FORGERY USED AGAINST HER
Expert Finds Several Hand
writings in Them.
PASSION FOR TOM MADINE
Millionaire Disconcerted by Wife's
Change of Testimony Forged
and Mutilated Papers Used
to Secure DIvocre.
PITTSBURG, July 12. Mary Scott
Hartje, who is contesting a suit for di
vorce brought by her husband, Augustus
Hartje, the millionaire paper manufact
urer, was the startling witness when the
case was taken up today, after a week's
adjournment to allow counsel for both
sides to examine with experts handwrit
ing in the letters that Mrs. Hartje is al
leged to have written, and which figure
prominently in the case.
Mrs. Hartje threw the counsel for her
husband into a somewhat disconcerted at
titude when she flatly contradicted her
testimony of last week and denied that
she ever wrote the Wagner letter, known
as exhibit No. 6. This letter is one of the
"standards" in the case, and formed
large part of the premise from which the
handwriting experts for her husband ar
gued that she wrote the famous 40 letters
to "Tom" Madine, the coachman co-re
spondent in the case.
Expert Discovers Forgery.
The sensation thus produced was further
heightened when David N. Carvalho, the
handwriting expert, was called for Mrs
Hartje and declared on the stand that the
torn and mutilated exhibit . o. 35, on
which the case is. In part, based, was
"forged and mutilated document." He
said he had noted three distinct handwrit
lngs in the exhibits.
Mr. Hartje's lawyers asked for an ad
journment that they might determine their
course. An adjournment was refused, but
a recess was taken. When the case was
resumed at 2 o'clock. Mr. Carvalho went
on the stand and reiterated his testimony.
Dr. Marshall D. Ewell. the Chicago hand
writing expert, corroborated him. Both
said the letters they had examined were
in the same handwriting as the Wagner
letter.
Court adjourned for the day with Mr.
Ewell on the stand. Both Mr. Carvalho
and Dr. Ewell will be called to the stand
again tomorrow and each of the 40 letters
will be taken up separately.
What) Mrs. Hartje Did Not Write.
Mrs. Hartje was shown exhibit No. 6, a
letter addressed to Susie Wagner, a form
er domestic. When on the stand pre
viously, Mrs. Hartje said she had writ
ten the letter. Today she denies its au
thorship. After an examination of the
letter during the week's recess she said
WOMAN
RIGHTS
HELD AS ACCESSORY IN MURDER OF
GEORGE MITCHELL
' '" : ' ;vT; ' X;''-- im ' "' ' '
MRS. MAUDE
she had come to the conclusion that the
handwriting was not hers. "I wrote Susie
Wagner a letter," the witness continued,
"in which there were many of the same
expressions, but the sentence to the effect
that I wanted Susie on my side was
never written by me."
Mrs. Hartje was then closely ques
tioned as to what she did during the
recess, particularly as to the examina
tion of the "standard" letters. During
the course of the examination, the wit
ness was extremely nervous.
Written by Different Persons.
Mr. Carvalho said he had examined
the letters, and found that some were
written by one hand and some by
others. "I don't think," said the witness,
"that exhibit No. 6, the Wagner letter,
was written by the same hand." Con
cerning exhibit No. 34, an envelope, the
witness said, "the handwriting on that
envelope is not the handwriting of the
other letters, but a fair resemblance."
On exhibit No. 35 he found that some
of the pieces had been misplaced and
that the pencil was applied to it. He be
lieved it to have been written by the
same person who wrote the Wagner let
ter, and that letters 19 and 20 were also
in the same handwriting. fexnimt jno.
35 was the letter which Edward G.
Hartje found in the ashpile in the barn
at Augustus Hartje's residence.
Jbetters Burn With Love.
The letters; - on the authorship of
which the decision of the court rests,
were filled with the most loving senti
ments, breathing passionate regard In
every sentence, assuring the coachman
of th.e writer's undying love, that she
had left her husband for him and would
never love anyone else. She accused him
of growing cold toward her, but said
her hear, was on fire with love for him
and always would be so.
Interspersed with all these loving
messages was much practical advice,
such as admonishing him to be careful
about brushing the horse dust out of
his hair, not to neglect his bath, to put
talcum powder on his feet and be sure
and change his socks daily.
The libellant rested his case on the
reading of the letters and the defense
is now on.
Letter No. 1 purports to have been
written in London, when the Hartjes
were about to return from their Euro
pean trip. It advises Madine to lie low
and not let Hartje see him going
aboard the boat. After getting safely
aboard his directions for the evening
are as follows:
"I will wait until I know he is in
bed. Then you be around the door. Just
be there sitting some place, and when
you see me follow right after me, but
not too close. If there is no one In the
hall, just turn right in my door."
There has been much testimony dur
ing the trial to show that the Hartjes
occupied separate rooms on the Baltic
returning from Europe. Another letter
speaks of sending Madine some money
(this is on board the boat), and says:
"Be very pv 'int. l this, for dear
knows what may happen .before you
are safe in my arms again. Go to bed
early and take good care of yourself.
I got down on my knees and prayed
that we might be aboard this boat
tonight."
Gives Practical Advice.
In a third letter is this practical ad
vice: "Do be careful what you eat and
don't eat. too fast. Keep your body
clean and take all the rest you can
get. Some day we will have things
different. What I have you shall
share. I will keep you well and take
care of you as I do the children."
In many of the letters there are sen
tences to show that John Scott, father
of Mrs. Hartje, his wife and her sisters
all knew of her love for Madine and
aided and abetted it, but that the
father's advice was that she be careful
until the divorce, suit was ended an
she obtained a settlement from
Hartje which would enable her to go
away and live with Madine in comfort
(Concluded on Page 4.)
HTIKT CREFFIELD.
DREYFUS
HONOR
CLEARED OF STAIN
French Court Finds
Him Innocent.
NO BASIS FOR CONVICTION
Declares Esterhazy Wrote the
Damning Letter.
NEW TRIAL UNNECESSARY
After 12 Years' Torture and Perse
cution, Dreyfus Is Vindicated and
Will Return to the Army
as Brigadier-General.
TRAGEDY OF DREYFUS.
September, 1894 The bordereau dis
covered in waste paper basket at
Germany Embassy by French spy.
October 15, 1884 Captain Dreyfus
formally accused of writing treason
able bordereau by Major Paty Du
Clam.
December 19, ISO 4 Captain Dreyfus
tried by secret courtmartlal and con
demned. January 5, 1805 Public military
degradation on square of military
school, Paris, in presence of 6000
troops and crowds of civilian spec
tators. March 15, 1895 Dreyfus lands on
Devil's Island.
November 14, 1897 Major Esterhazy
formally denounced by Dreyfus family
to the Ministry of War.
January 8. 1898 Esterhazy acquitted
by a courtmartlal.
January 13. 1898 Emll Zola made
public accusation of Illegal court
martial proceedings in both Dreyfus
and Esterhazy trials.
January 20, 1898 Zola prosecuted
by Minister of War and found guilty.
August 30, 1898 Lieutenant-Colonel
Henry confessed to forging letters
which helped condemn Dreyfus, then
committed suicide.
September 19. 1898 Cabinet deter
mined on revision of the Dreyfua
case.
" June 3, 1899 Court of Cassation
annuls sentence and orders new court
martial. July 1, 1899 Dreyfus lands in
France from Devil's Island.
August 7, 1899. Second courtmartlal
on Dreyfus begins at Rennes.
September 9, 1899 Dreyfus found
guilty again with extenuating circum
stances and sentenced to ten years in
prison.
September 20, 1899 Pardon granted,
Dreyfus still protesting his innocence.
July 12, 1906 Court of Cassation
annuls sentence and declares him in
nocent. PARIS, July 12. Alfred Dreyfus was to
day completely acquitted of the charges
on which he was condemned as a trai
tor, dismissed from the army and Im
prisoned on Devil's Rland, and regarding:
which France has been torn for years
by the most bitter political and racial
agitation. His vindication was twofold,
the Supreme Court first announcing its
decision and the Ministry later deciding
to present an urgent bill In Parliament
restoring Dreyfus to the army, with ad
vanced rank and, otherwise giving the
government's most ample reparation.
The decision of the court was a fore
gone conclusion, as exhaustive inquiries
had completely demolished the fabric of
the accusation against Dreyfus, showing
that the real culprit was Major Count
Esterhazy. The decision therefore an
nulled the condemnation of the Rennes
courtmartlal and ordered that the acquit
tal be posted and published throughout
France.
Tonight the Ministers held a prolonged
special session at the palace under Presi
dent Fallieres and determined on the
government's course in carrying out the
decision. The text of two bills were
formulated, which will be introduced In
the Chamber of Deputies tomorrow, con
cerning respectively Dreyfus and Colonel
Plquart, with the object of restoring both
to the ranks they would have held If they
had continuously served in the army.
Dreyfus consequently will be nominated
a Major, with eventual early promotion
to a Lieutenant-Colonelship. Plquart will
immediately become a Brigadier-General.
Dreyfus' name also will be inscribed on
the list for the Legion of Honor, but he
will not be directly nominated to the dis
tinction, though probably a decree plac
ing him on the list will shortly appear.
Deputy Breton ha given notice of a bill
providing for the transference of Emile
Zola's remains to the Pantheon with a
public ceremony.
COTJRT ANNOUNCES DECISION
All Accusations Unfounded and No
Cause for New Trial.
PARIS, July 12. The Supreme Court
today announced its decision annuIlUg
the condemnation of Dreyfus without &
new trial. The effect of the decision is
a complete vindication of Dreyfus, en
titling him to restoration to his rank la
the army aa though he had never been
accused.
The decision was read by Presiding
Judge M. Ballot-Beau pre, president of th
Court of Cassation, immediately on the
reassembling of the court at noon. The
Concluded on Page 0.)