51 Witchcraft Suspects in Jail: May 23, 1692

May 23, 1692: Surprise Examinations, New Warrants, and 51 SuspectsWe race through a packed Monday as accusations explode across Salem: Elizabeth Booth alleges nighttime torment from Mary DeRich and the Procters while officials move fast with fresh complaints, sweeping warrants, and three arrests delivered to Salem for questioning. Our biggest jolt comes from Captain Nathaniel Cary’s firsthand account of how magistrates and accusers turned a supposed meeting into a trap—forcing Elizabeth Cary into a painful, staged “test” before seizing her and sending her to jail in shackles. Meanwhile, testimony stacks up against Mary Esty, John Willard, Mary Whittredge, Dorcas Hoar, Roger Toothaker, and others, even reaching back to the long-dead Sarah Osburn. By day’s end, prisoners are shuffled to Boston and Salem, and Hathorne’s tally shows the crisis has swelled to 51 suspects.00:00 Welcome and Date00:15 New Accusations Filed01:05 Warrants and Arrests01:33 Examinations Begin02:01 Missing Records Explained02:31 Elizabeth Cary Trap03:52 Cary Arrest Aftermath04:10 Testimony Roundup05:26 Prisoner Transfers Count05:42 Fifty One Suspects