EPISODE · Jun 1, 2026 · 9 MIN
Preparing for the Witch Trials: May 31, 1692
from Salem Witch Trials Daily · host Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack
May 31, 1692: John Alden Arrested as Salem Witch Trials NearWe’re racing toward the start of the Salem witch trials, and May 31, 1692 explodes with action: John Alden’s shocking arrest, seven examinations in the Salem meetinghouse, and a flood of depositions as the colony braces for court in just two days. We follow surviving records for Alden, Martha Carrier, Elizabeth How, and Wilmot Redd, alongside the missing examinations of Philip English, William Procter, and Sarah Rice—and the possibility that Mary and Margaret Toothaker were also questioned. We also track a powerful Rebecca Nurse petition and two pivotal letters: Cotton Mather’s guidance to Judge John Richards on evidence and confessions, and Attorney General Thomas Newton’s urgent transfer orders for key inmates ahead of June 2. Salem Witch Trials Daily dives into spectral evidence, courtroom chaos, and accusations that spared no one.00:00 Daily Intro00:19 Busy Day Overview01:18 Rebecca Nurse Petition02:17 Cotton Mather Advice03:30 Newton Trial Prep Letter05:06 John Alden Examined07:25 Martha Carrier Examined08:41 How and Redd Exams09:13 Closing and Next Episodes
What this episode covers
May 31, 1692: John Alden Arrested as Salem Witch Trials NearWe’re racing toward the start of the Salem witch trials, and May 31, 1692 explodes with action: John Alden’s shocking arrest, seven examinations in the Salem meetinghouse, and a flood of depositions as the colony braces for court in just two days. We follow surviving records for Alden, Martha Carrier, Elizabeth How, and Wilmot Redd, alongside the missing examinations of Philip English, William Procter, and Sarah Rice—and the possibility that Mary and Margaret Toothaker were also questioned. We also track a powerful Rebecca Nurse petition and two pivotal letters: Cotton Mather’s guidance to Judge John Richards on evidence and confessions, and Attorney General Thomas Newton’s urgent transfer orders for key inmates ahead of June 2. Salem Witch Trials Daily dives into spectral evidence, courtroom chaos, and accusations that spared no one.00:00 Daily Intro00:19 Busy Day Overview01:18 Rebecca Nurse Petition02:17 Cotton Mather Advice03:30 Newton Trial Prep Letter05:06 John Alden Examined07:25 Martha Carrier Examined08:41 How and Redd Exams09:13 Closing and Next Episodes
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Preparing for the Witch Trials: May 31, 1692
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