Murdering Holiness explores the story of the "Holy Roller" sect led by Franz Creffield, a charismatic, self-styled messiah, in the early years of the 20th century.

Acknowledgments

Cast of Principal Characters

1. Introduction

2. The Creffield Sect in Corvallis, 1903

3. Driving Out the Sect: The Triumph of the White Caps, 1903-4

4. "Sensualist Practices Prescribed and Ordained as Coming fromHeaven": Sex and the Creffield Sect

5. Disciplining the Sect: Invoking Insanity Law, 1904

6. Revival and Revenge, January to May 1906

7. Seattle Prepares for Trial, May and June 1906

8. Justifiable Homicide and the Unwritten Law: Seattle Debates theMitchell Case

9. The Trial of George Mitchell, Part 1: Jury Selection and the Casefor the Prosecution

10. The Trial of George Mitchell,

Part 2: The Unwritten Law

11. "And the Evil That Men Do Lives After Them": The Deathof George Mitchell

12. The Law, Maud Creffield, and Esther Mitchell

Epilogue

Appendix: The Creffield Sect Membership

Notes

Bibliography

Index