Salem Witch Trials Daily

July 1692 Thanksgiving Proclaimed Amid Salem Witch TrialsJosh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack discuss events around Friday, June 17, 1692, noting that a day after Roger Toothaker’s death, Boston leaders ordered a colony-wide Thanksgiving for July 14 to celebrate the defense of Wells, Maine, and the May 14 arrival of Governor William Phips and Increase Mather after lobbying in London for a new charter. They highlight the disconnect between official celebrations and the realities of war, a bad economy, and the Salem witch trials, with five people under death sentence for witchcraft as of July 14 and dozens more jailed without any feast. They also note Phips held a personal celebratory feast for ship carpenters, and explain that in colonial New England Thanksgiving was an irregular, specially declared observance rather than an annual holiday.00:00 Daily Introduction00:08 Boston Declares Thanksgiving00:37 Trials and Death Sentences01:12 Phips Throws a Party01:27 What Thanksgiving Meant

In today's Salem Witch Trials Daily, we look into the June 16, 1692 death of Roger Toothaker in the Boston jail. He was the 4th person to die from the Salem Witch Trials and the 3rd who died in jail, following Sarah Good's infant child and Sarah Osburn. (Bridget Bishop had just been hanged June 10th)Learn about Roger's life and family and their roles in the witch-hunt.

June 14, 1692: The Burroughs Children After Salem’s InjusticeWe take you to Tuesday, June 14, 1692, as George Burroughs’ third wife, Mary, leaves Wells, Maine with their baby, possibly before the siege ends on June 12, abandoning Burroughs’ seven children from his first two marriages to fend for themselves in a war zone. With their family property in abandoned Falmouth rendered worthless by conflict, the children’s plight is later captured in a September 1710 petition by son Charles Burroughs seeking restitution for their father’s execution, describing the scattered, helpless children, a stepmother unable to care for them all, and an estate largely lost and expended. Despite estimating losses far beyond, the seven children ultimately receive only 50 pounds to share, raising haunting questions about justice, restitution, and reparations in the aftermath of the Salem Witch Trials.00:00 Daily Introduction00:09 Mary Burroughs Flees Wells00:28 Children Left in War00:40 1710 Petition Evidence01:13 Restitution and Losses01:47 Reparations Reflection

June 13, 1692: Salem Lulls, Wells Attacked, and Goody Miller Slips AwayWe track a rare quiet day in the Salem witch trials as the Court of Oyer and Terminer sits between sessions and accusations taper off, with no new arrests after Ann Dolliver’s June 6 arrest until at least July 1, when a complaint targets Candy and her mistress, Margaret Hawkes. Our attention shifts north to Wells, Maine, where soldiers assess damage from repeated French and Wabanaki attacks and discover the body of a high-ranking French officer, Lieutenant General the Sieur de La Broquerie. In Boston, Governor Sir William Phips orders Major Samuel Appleton to send Essex County troops to reinforce Piscataqua and halts Massachusetts shipping until French threats at sea subside. In Fairfield, Connecticut, Katherine Branch accuses Goody Miller—who escapes to Bedford, New York, beyond Connecticut’s reach.00:00 Daily Introduction00:12 Salem Trials Lull00:35 Wells Maine Aftermath00:52 Phips Mobilizes Defense01:21 Fairfield Spectral Accusation01:40 Goody Miller Escapes01:42 Border Politics Wrap Up

Siege of Wells, Maine (June 12, 1692): French and Wabanaki Attack the English GarrisonWe’re on the front lines of the siege of Wells, Maine on Sunday, June 12, 1692, as French and Wabanaki forces march into town, form ranks, and unleash a coordinated volley at the English garrison houses—only to meet steady return fire that forces a withdrawal. The attackers try a fiery gamble, floating a raft of combustibles toward the sloops at the creek, but the tide betrays them; a final volley kills one Englishman before they turn on cattle across the river. Gunfire continues well after dark, keeping everyone on edge. We also unpack the bigger stakes: the long struggle for North America between English New England and French New France, and the Wabanaki Confederacy’s fight to survive and hold their land amid battles for resources and wealth.00:00 June 12th Update00:13 Siege of Wells00:30 Raft Attack Fails00:51 Nightfall Gunfire00:57 Why This Battle01:09 French English Rivalry01:44 Wabanaki Stakes

June 11, 1692: New Essex Justices Sworn as Wells, Maine Faces Siege in King William’s WarWe track the Salem Witch Trials and the wider New England crisis on Saturday, June 11, 1692. In Boston, John Higginson Jr., son of Salem’s senior minister, and Dudley Bradstreet, son of former Governor Simon Bradstreet, are sworn in as justices of the peace for Essex County. Far to the east, French and Wabanaki forces lay siege to Wells, Maine, where accused witch George Burroughs had once served as minister. Captain James Converse and 15 soldiers repel two assaults on the garrison houses, while sailors extinguish fires from flaming arrows aimed at sloops in the creek. As Wells braces through a sleepless night, we connect the attack to King William’s War (1687–1696) and the destruction of Maine settlements, including Falmouth (now Portland).00:00 Daily Introduction00:13 New Essex Justices00:29 Siege of Wells Maine01:00 King William's War Context01:19 Burroughs and the Frontier

On June 10, 1692 Bridget Bishop became the first to be executed in the Salem Witch Trials when she was hanged at Proctor’s Ledge in Salem. While Boston’s General Court carried on and Governor Sir William Phips appointed a committee to revise Massachusetts laws, fear rippled across the region—from Wells, Maine, where Captain James Converse guarded supply sloops after cattle returned bloodied, to Salem, where Sheriff George Corwin led Bishop from jail to the hanging site. A crowd gathered, the afflicted reported spectral attacks, and Beverly minister John Hale recorded Quaker Thomas Maule’s harsh condemnation. With a slow strangling noose and blood finally shed, the witch-hunt crossed a point of no return, putting the remaining accused on notice.00:00 Welcome to the Series00:10 Midsummer in 169200:18 Boston Court Business00:29 Tension in Wells Maine00:50 Bridget Bishop Taken01:07 Procter's Ledge Execution01:21 A Crowd and Specters01:37 How the Hanging Worked01:54 John Hale and Thomas Maule02:11 No Turning BackSalem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

June 9, 1692: Giles Cory’s Specter at the LectureWe take you straight into Salem on Thursday, June 9, 1692, where later testimony claims Giles Cory’s specter showed up at the lecture held the day before Bridget Bishop was hanged. Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Woodwell—identified as a 33-year-old married woman—report seeing the apparition, a reminder that the “afflicted” in the Salem Witch Trials weren’t limited to young girls, teens, or the unmarried. Salem Witch Trials Daily brings a quick, focused hit of primary-source-driven history, spotlighting spectral evidence, witness accounts, and the tense religious atmosphere surrounding Bridget Bishop’s execution. Chapters: Opening & date stamp (00:00); Specter at the lecture (00:10); Who saw it—Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Woodwell (00:25); Rethinking the profile of the afflicted (00:45).00:00 Daily Introduction00:14 Giles Cory Specter00:30 Afflicted Not Just GirlsSalem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

Show NotesJune 8, 1692. The day the legal machinery of colonial Massachusetts shifted from courtroom accusations to state-sanctioned execution. A newly formed provincial government has convened in Boston, and the first death warrant has been signed. Beyond the courtroom, terrifying spectral testimonies are mounting, and a prominent justice has just walked away from the bench in protest. The bureaucratic trap has snapped shut on its first victim.Our focus centers on the terrifying turning point where words became lethal. We trace the exact moment the legal system formalized its deadliest phase, revealing the unique, chilling distinction of Bridget Bishop's sentence and the immediate institutional fracture that threatened to tear the court apart from within.00:00 – Voices from the GraveUncover the unsettling June testimony where spectral apparitions allegedly named their killer.We explore the specific grievances of ghosts demanding justice from beyond the grave.01:00 – The Signing of the Death WarrantThe newly convened general court takes formal, lethal action in Boston.We dissect the exact, devastating charges of witchcraft brought against Bridget Bishop.Chief Justice William Stoughton issues a strict deadline for the colony's first hanging.02:00 – A Dangerous Precedent and Judicial RevoltDiscover why Bridget Bishop’s upcoming execution stands entirely alone in the history of these trials.A sudden, high-profile resignation shakes the Court of Oyer and Terminer to its core.Access our exclusive deep-dive playlists and bonus content to uncover the full story.Ready to dig deeper into the cold realities of 1692? Follow the links in our show notes to explore our curated Bridget Bishop playlist on YouTube and our latest feature from The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials.Keywords: Salem Witch Trials, Bridget Bishop execution, Court of Oyer and Terminer, 1692 legal system, Chief Justice William Stoughton, Martha Cory spectral evidence, Nathaniel Saltonstall resignation, colonial true crime podcast.Bridget Bishop YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz33kJfelxI&list=PLIz3vKHO9eBoz5tcU6y14FQ6WRAVFyTUoBridget Bishop: The First Person Executed in the Salem Witch Trials: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bridget-bishop-the-first-person-executed-in-the/id1812826945?i=1000771514762Bridget Bishop's Trial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHWulGtwyfcMen Accuse Bridget Bishop of Invading their Rooms at Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2cyMF86vzcGiles Cory, Abigail Hobbs, Mary Warren, and Bridget Bishop are Questioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hhcPlF-SEYBridget Bishop was an Afterthought when 3 other High Profile Witchcraft Suspects were Arrested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-smJW7SFF0Bridget Bishop and Mary Warren Accused of Witchcraft: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCrx2LVAOPsBridget Bishop Day Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOocStbIocMBridget Bishop’s Death Warrant Video: https://youtu.be/ZyBMGcrDRc0Salem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

June 7, 1692: Job Tookey’s Second Examination and John Allen’s Deposition Against Susannah MartinWe’re back with Salem Witch Trials Daily as we drop into Tuesday, June 7, 1692, where Job Tookey endures a second examination marked by the afflicted collapsing at his gaze and the touch test seemingly “working” once he touches their hands and wrists. Mary Warren, Susannah Sheldon, Elizabeth Booth Jr., and Mary Walcott escalate the spectacle with claims of poppets, pins, and a courtroom filled with ghosts in winding sheets—naming Gamaliel Hawkins, Andrew Woodbury, Trask’s child, and others crying for vengeance. Meanwhile, Magistrate Robert Pike records John Allen’s deposition against Susannah Martin, centering on an old dispute over hauling staves and a chilling aftermath: oxen said to run “diabolically” into the sea, leaving 13 lost.

June 6, 1692: Mary Ireson and Ann Dolliver Questioned at Beadle’s TavernWe head to Salem on Monday, June 6, 1692, where justices Bartholomew Gedney, John Hathorne, and Jonathan Corwin interrogate two accused women at Thomas Beadle’s tavern, guided by records kept by Simon Willard—who had also testified that George Burroughs possessed devil-given, preternatural strength. Mary Ireson faces the classic “touch test,” claims of spectral torment, and accusations of the devil’s book, while being urged to confess. The day escalates with a warrant for Ann Higginson Dolliver, the deserted daughter of Rev. John Higginson Sr., whose own brother refuses to sign. We follow accusations of poppets, nocturnal wanderings, dead-child vengeance, and courtroom claims that the devil stands present—an intense window into Salem Witch Trials examinations, afflicted girls’ testimony, and witchcraft evidence.00:00 Daily Introduction00:13 Willard Against Burroughs01:07 Mary Ireson Examined02:05 Devil In The Courtroom02:54 Ann Dolliver Arrested04:09 Ann Faces Accusers04:52 Poppets And Touch Test05:43 Devil Appears Again

Cotton Mather’s “Good Men Described” and a Quiet Day in SalemWe take you to June 5, 1692, a rare calm Sunday in Salem: the Court of Oyer and Terminer is not in session, and there are no reported afflictions from witch specters. Our focus shifts to Boston, where Governor Phips attends services at the North Church and Cotton Mather delivers his sermon “Good Men Described,” warning that people might sell their souls for “money or frolic” and equating rebellion with the sin of witchcraft. We connect Mather’s call to aspire to sainthood, imitate angels, and resist “following a multitude in the doing of evil” to the growing momentum of accusations during the Salem Witch Trials.00:00 Quiet Sunday in Salem00:18 Salem Witch Trials Daily Intro00:23 Cotton Mather Sermon in Boston00:42 Warning Against Following the Crowd

June 4, 1692: Mary Ireson Arrest Warrant and Job Tookey ExaminedWe track the Salem Witch Trials on Saturday, June 4, 1692, as magistrates John Hathorne, Jonathan Corwin, and Bartholomew Gedney record accusations against Mary Ireson of Lynn for allegedly afflicting multiple Salem Village girls, leading to a warrant for her arrest and delivery to Thomas Beadle’s tavern. We follow constable Henry Collins as he takes Ireson into custody, and we also examine witness accounts tying Mary Warren’s fits to claims about the devil’s book and threats attributed to Mary Toothaker and Ireson. Our timeline then moves to Beverly with the examination of Job Tookey, reconstructed through testimony from afflicted witnesses and neighbors who allege he boasted of raising the devil, admitted to murder, and sought a leading role among witches—claims that trigger further reported afflictions and corroborating statements.00:00 Daily Introduction00:13 Warrant for Mary Ireson01:04 Mary Warren Fit Testimony01:52 Job Tookey Examined02:52 More Witness Statements03:23 Devil Talk and Ringleader Claim03:43 Afflicted Response and Wrap Up

Grand Jury Indicts Rebecca Nurse and John Willard | Salem Witch Trials Daily (June 3, 1692)We head inside the Salem Court of Oyer and Terminer on June 3, 1692, as the grand jury—led again by foreman John Ruck—hears spectral testimony and older depositions against Rebecca Nurse and John Willard, with no physical evidence presented. Our focus is the turning point as Nurse is charged on four counts for allegedly afflicting Ann Putnam Jr., Mary Walcott, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Abigail Williams, while a handful of witnesses speak up for her before the jury returns billa vera on every count. Then the pressure shifts to Willard: accusations from multiple afflicted, “touch test” and Lord’s Prayer claims, and links to the Wilkins family case drive indictments on several affliction charges, with one count rejected. We also track surprising defense testimony for Elizabeth How, new spectral allegations against John Procter, and fresh arrests of Elizabeth Fosdick and Elizabeth Paine.00:00 Grand Jury Opens01:16 Rebecca Nurse Accusations04:49 Defense for Nurse05:54 Nurse Indicted06:27 Willard Evidence List09:17 Willard Folk Tests11:26 Willard Indictments12:22 Ministers Defend How13:44 More Arrests Reports

Bridget Bishop on Trial: The Court of Oyer and Terminer Opens in Salem (June 2, 1692)The new Court of Oyer and Terminer opens at the Salem Town House as we follow Bridget Bishop through the first full force of Salem Witch Trials justice—oaths sworn by William Stoughton, Thomas Newton, and Stephen Sewall, preliminary actions in other accused witches’ cases, and a startling jailhouse body search for “witches’ teats” on Bridget Bishop, Rebecca Nurse, and Elizabeth Procter. We trace Bishop’s arraignment and five-count indictment for afflicting Mercy Lewis, Abigail Williams, Elizabeth Hubbard, Ann Putnam Jr., and likely Mary Walcott, then move into vivid witness claims: spectral attacks, poppets, a cursed pig, and a bizarre “monkey” creature offer drawn from demonology-fueled fear. The day ends with a guilty verdict and a second search where marks seem to vanish—raising sharp questions about evidence, credibility, and the machinery of the Salem witchcraft trials.00:00 Bridget Bishop On Trial00:31 Court Convenes First Time01:45 Jailhouse Body Searches03:26 Indictments And Arraignment05:34 Witness Stories Begin06:03 Louder And The Creature08:09 Shattuck Family Accusations09:50 Poppets And Bewitched Sow10:54 More Depositions And Doubts12:01 Guilty Verdict And Reexamination12:42 Rebecca Nurse Petition Wrap Up

June 1, 1692: Spectral “General Meeting,” Perley Testimony vs. Elizabeth How, and Trials on the BrinkSalem is at a breaking point on June 1, 1692, with the Court of Oyer and Terminer about to open and overcrowded Massachusetts jails feeding a steady transfer of witchcraft suspects from Boston to Salem. We follow magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin as they question Abigail and Deliverance Hobbs, while Mary Warren describes a noisy parade of specters—George Burroughs, Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Procter, and others—offering a grisly “sweet bread and wine” feast at Mr. Parris’ house. Tension spikes with detailed testimony from Ruth and Samuel Perley against Elizabeth How, including years of alleged affliction, a child’s death, and strange livestock events. Confessions and counter-accusations collide as Sarah Churchill’s devil’s book claims are challenged as coerced, and jailed defendants push back by calling the accusers fraudulent—while summons go out for witnesses against Rebecca Nurse and John Willard on the eve of the first trials.00:00 Trials About to Begin01:21 Hobbs Hearing Specters03:11 Perley Case Against How06:09 Confessions And Poppets07:19 Accusers Called Out08:46 Jailhouse Pushback10:13 Summons For Tomorrow10:54 Wrap Up And Anniversary

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

Spectral Attacks, a Boston Arrest, and the Oyer and Terminer Jury CallWe dive into a chilling cluster of late-May 1692 developments: a tantalizing, barely recorded claim that Elizabeth How’s specter dragged Susannah Shelden to a pond, and the strange death of Captain John How’s sow—followed by countermagic, a numb hand, and lasting pain that pointed suspicion back to Elizabeth. Tension spikes as Philip English, hidden for a month, is seized in Boston and transferred into Essex County custody. We also track fresh accusations that never become warrants and revisit the vivid, decades-old testimonies Samuel Gray and William Stacy used to condemn Bridget Bishop—midnight visitations, vanished figures, sudden mishaps, and fleeting mentions of dead children. Everything races toward the turning point: jurors are ordered, witnesses warned, and the Court of Oyer and Terminer is set to convene in Salem.00:00 Daily Briefing May 3000:35 Philip English Arrested01:08 Mysterious Pig Incident01:52 Samuel Gray Testimony03:49 William Stacy Testimony07:11 Court of Oyer and Terminer07:44 Trials Begin and Fear

Sunday Arrests and Spectral Attacks: May 29, 1692We drop you into a shocking Sabbath in Salem’s 1692 crisis, when Wilmot Redd, Sarah Rice, and Elizabeth How are seized despite the day’s sacred rules—one arrest made even as the constable’s own mother sits jailed for witchcraft. Tension spikes as Captain John How refuses to escort his own sister-in-law to Salem Village, declaring he won’t be part of a witchcraft charge at any price. Our story races through reports of spectral assaults blamed on members of the Procter family, a sudden turn from stomach pain to fits, a frantic ride home through “devils in the woods,” and troubling contradictions in Elizabeth Hubbard’s account. The accusations widen further with claims against Elizabeth How’s and Rebecca Nurse’s specters.00:00 Welcome and Date00:14 Sunday Arrests00:39 Captain How Refuses00:54 Procter Specter Attack01:22 Ride Home and Devils01:44 Skipping Sabbath Meeting02:02 More Spectral Assaults02:12 Nurse Specter Claim

May 28, 1692: Eleven New Accusations and a Wave of Arrest WarrantsEleven new witchcraft accusations land at once, and with trials looming, the danger is immediate—three of today’s newly named suspects, Martha Carrier, Wilmot Redd, and Elizabeth How, will ultimately be hanged. We track the sweeping complaint filed by Jonathan Walcott and John Holten, aimed at a wide-ranging set of people from Andover to Boston, and tied to alleged attacks on Salem Village’s afflicted, while highlighting how even basic details like first names were missing in Judge John Hathorne’s record. Our deep dive connects families and rivalries—Carrier’s ties to the Toothakers, the Ingalls network, and minister Francis Dane’s far-reaching kin—alongside high-profile targets like Captain John Alden. Arrest warrants fly, constables move in across multiple towns, and the panic’s widening footprint reaches even Stamford, Connecticut.00:00 11 New Accusations00:39 Complaints Filed Today01:57 May 26 Spectral Attacks02:29 Martha Carrier Background04:17 Ingalls and Dane Connections05:09 Other Accused Profiles06:20 Warrants and Arrests07:31 More Warrants and Outcomes07:55 Connecticut Case and Records

May 27, 1692: Oyer and Terminer Rises as Jails OverflowWe’re at a turning point on Friday, May 27, 1692, as the new charter transforms Massachusetts into a royal province, wipes out the old legal system, and forces new courts and laws aligned with England—just as overcrowded jails strain under at least 51 witchcraft prisoners and rising “jail fever.” Governor Phips moves fast, creating the special Court of Oyer and Terminer under Chief Justice William Stoughton and a roster of elite, largely non-Salem judges—wealthy merchants, landowners, and doctors—some with prior witch-trial experience. We track the key appointments that will shape Essex County, including young, well-connected George Corwin becoming sheriff, and we follow the wider panic as Connecticut’s Katherine Branch accusations spark examinations and trials of Elizabeth Clawson and Mercy Disborough.00:00 New Phase Begins00:26 Charter Changes Courts01:05 Overcrowded Jails Crisis02:03 Oyer and Terminer Formed02:16 Meet the Justices04:01 Earlier Witch Trial Experience05:17 Court Scope and Reforms06:24 Essex Sheriff Shift06:46 Connecticut Case Update

Today was a fast day across the Massachusetts colony. Essex County Marshall George Herrick and Constable Joseph Neal saw several people be afflicted by supposed specters. Mary Walcott, Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, and a Mrs. Mary Marshall of Reading, who was reported as afflicted for the very first time, claimed that Mary Bradbury of Salisbury, Sarah Rice of Reading, Wilmot Redd of Marblehead, and Elizabeth Fosdick of Malden had harmed them through witchcraft. Mrs. Mary Marshall, the wife of Edward Marshall of Reading, likely knew Sarah Rice, who was from the same town. But the Salem Village afflicted, on the other hand, expanded their net to include people they'd never met in communities distant from their home. And today, May 26th is significant, because in 1647, the very first person in the American colonies was hanged for witchcraft. That was Alice Young of Windsor, Connecticut. She was executed in Hartford, May 26th, 1647. It's up to all of us to remember Alice Young. As you may know, Connecticut does not have a witch memorial for the state. So any tribute that you're able to offer her in her name, remembering the day that she died, helps honor her innocence.

Chest Pain on the Road Past Procter’s HouseWe track Salem on May 25, 1692, as magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin push paperwork forward with a mittimus transferring prisoners to Boston Jail—despite those prisoners already being there. Then our attention turns to a tense ride from Newbury to Boston: Priscilla Bailey and her husband Joseph pass through Salem Village and near John Procter’s house, where Joseph is suddenly struck by crushing pains, momentarily loses his speech, and believes he sees John and Elizabeth Procter at the house even though they are jailed in Boston. Priscilla sees only a “little maid,” and later Joseph’s vision of an approaching woman dissolves into a cow. The road quiets, but back in Newbury, Joseph reports invisible pinching and nipping that won’t let him go.00:00 Welcome and Date00:13 Magistrates Paperwork00:27 Baileys Pass Procter House01:13 Speechless on the Road01:26 Second Blow and Apparition01:49 Aftermath Back in NewburyLinksMary Esty: Victim of the Salem Witch Hunt with Mary Bingham: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mary-esty-victim-of-the-salem-witch-hunt/id1643770324?i=1000637013845Salem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠Emerson W. Baker and John G. Reid, The New England Knight: Sir William Phips, 1651-1695: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780802081711⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

We take you straight into Tuesday, May 24, 1692, as Boston’s leadership gathers at the Town House and the governor and council wrangle over who will hold the colony’s key civil offices—sheriffs, justices, and more—while Governor Phips also sets June 8 for the next General Court session. Then we head to Salem Village, where Mary Warren, seemingly trapped in a trance, confronts a chilling demand to sign the devil’s book and describes a specter’s grisly threats involving a coffin, winding sheet, and grave clothes. Another specter—Mary Ireson’s—joins in, afflicting Warren nearly to death, tying the day’s political maneuvers to the escalating fear and accusation surrounding the crisis.

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

Increase Mather Returns as the Witchcraft Crisis BuildsWe’re in Boston on Sunday, May 22, 1692, as Reverend Increase Mather preaches at the North Church just eight days after returning from London with a new charter, choosing Psalm 121:8 to mark his “going out” and “coming in.” Drawing on Cotton Mather’s notes, we follow Increase as he warns the congregation that “a power of devils” is in the air seeking harm, yet insists God will protect His people—an unmistakable signal of how deeply the witchcraft crisis has gripped the colony. With fear rising and the hunt accelerating, tomorrow brings a fresh wave of suspects, accusations, and wild allegations, ending with nine more people behind bars.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:11 Increase Mather Returns00:41 Sermon Warning of Devils01:06 Tomorrow’s Witch Hunt Escalation

Mary Esty Shackled as New Accusations and Philip English’s Threats EscalateWe pick up on Saturday, May 21, 1692, with Mary Esty imprisoned and shackled as Mercy Lewis reportedly begins to recover from violent fits and Magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin start examining Esty. While the court pauses and prepares to resume, new complaints from John and Thomas Putnam target Susannah Roots, Sarah Bassett, and Sarah Procter for allegedly afflicting multiple afflicted girls. The tension spikes with Susanna Sheldon’s deposition describing spectral assaults and a chilling confrontation involving Philip English, a knife, and demands to keep silent about the ghost of Joseph Rabson’s accusation of murder at sea—followed by threats reaching as far as Boston and even the governor. We also spotlight fresh testimony from Elizabeth Hubbard tying familiar names back to the prior day’s fear and fits.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:22 Mary Esty Examined00:54 New Accusations Filed01:18 Susanna Sheldon Attacked01:31 Philip English Threats01:43 Joseph Rabson Story02:07 Tell Hathorne Tomorrow02:24 More Threats and Depositions02:51 Podcast Plug and Wrap

Midnight Deadline: Mercy Lewis, Mary Esty, and the May 20 PanicMercy Lewis lies bedridden and voiceless in the Putnam home, terrified by alleged specters—identified as Mary Esty, John Willard, and Mary Whittredge—who threaten her to “sign the devil’s book” or die before midnight, even displaying a winding sheet and coffin. As Ann Putnam Jr., Abigail Williams, and others claim to witness the assault, Mercy pleads for her soul and says Esty will kill her for not clearing her. With fear heightened in a household recently marked by a baby’s death blamed on witchcraft, Constable John Putnam Jr., Marshal George Herrick, and Benjamin Hutchinson race through the night to secure a warrant from magistrate John Hathorne, seize Esty from Isaac Esty Jr.’s home, and haul her to Salem—yet Mercy’s fits continue. The day’s accusations expand to multiple other alleged attackers, foreshadowing the deadly arc that ends with Esty’s hanging on September 22, 1692.00:00 Midnight Threat00:36 Meet the Hosts00:48 Who Are the Specters01:09 Mary Esty Freed01:48 Mercy Near Death02:51 Visionaries Identify Mary04:14 Winding Sheet Warning05:06 Night Ride for Warrant06:05 Mary Esty Re Arrested06:30 Affliction Continues07:02 Aftermath and Meaning07:52 Other Accusations Roundup08:31 Closing and Next EpisodeMary Esty: Victim of the Salem Witch Hunt with Mary Bingham: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mary-esty-victim-of-the-salem-witch-hunt/id1643770324?i=1000637013845Salem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠Emerson W. Baker and John G. Reid, The New England Knight: Sir William Phips, 1651-1695: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780802081711⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

Prison Lane and a Lingering Accusation: Mercy Lewis Targets Mary EstyWe trace a tense morning on May 19, 1692, as guards breakfast at Ingersoll’s Tavern, collect prisoners from the Salem Village watch house, and escort John Willard, Elizabeth Hart, Roger Toothaker, and Thomas Farrar Sr. by cart and horseback to Boston Prison on Prison Lane (today’s Court Street). We set the grim destination in stark relief with John Dunton’s 1686 description of the Boston jail—a filthy, hellish place where minds and jailers gnaw at the living—where Sarah Osborne died and where Toothaker’s fate soon looms. Meanwhile, Mercy Lewis, now at Constable John Putnam Jr.’s home amid the Putnams’ afflictions, insists she’s tormented by the specter of Mary Esty, newly released after a month in jail, the only accused witch freed before the Court of Oyer and Terminer begins.00:00 Welcome and Date00:13 Prisoners to Boston Jail00:40 Inside the Boston Prison01:19 Mercy Lewis Relocates01:36 Mary Esty Haunts Again01:55 Release and Trials Ahead02:19 Tomorrow’s Dramatic Tease

John Willard Faces Hathorne as Salem’s Accusations SwellWe head straight into the chaos of Salem Village as accusations spill onto Samuel Parris’s pasture and the court finally brings John Willard in for examination. We follow the tricks and pressures that defined these hearings—fits on cue, the touch test, the Lord’s Prayer trap, and Magistrate John Hathorne’s relentless insistence that flight equals guilt and confession equals salvation—while Willard refuses to bend and declares his innocence. We also track the widening net of warrants and depositions, including the arrest of healer and self-styled witch finder Roger Toothaker, and the rapid movement of prisoners to Boston jail. Against the day’s mounting testimony, one sudden reversal stands out: Mary Esty walks free when most accusers stop claiming she afflicts them.00:00 Daily Trials Update00:23 Specters at Parris Pasture00:44 Roger Toothaker Arrested01:33 Willard Faces Court02:33 Fits and Touch Test05:03 Lords Prayer Pressure06:08 More Depositions Filed07:06 Transfers and Releases

May 17, 1692: Daniel Wilkins’ Death Ruled Diabolical as Spectral Accusations MultiplyWe follow the explosive events of Tuesday, May 17, 1692, when a coroner’s jury—stacked with familiar Salem Village names—rules that Daniel Wilkins died by “witchcraft or diabolical art,” citing bruises and puncture-like wounds. As fear intensifies, new warrants target fugitives Elizabeth Colson, Daniel Andrew, and George Jacobs Jr., while Susannah Sheldon unleashes a sweeping, vivid account of relentless spectral assaults, threats to sign the devil’s book, and encounters involving Philip English, Sarah Buckley, Mary Whitteridge, Bridget Bishop, Giles and Martha Corey, Mary English, and others. We also track marshal George Herrick’s and Benjamin Wilkins’ statement tying John Willard and Goodwife Buckley to Wilkins’ final days, as Mercy Lewis and Mary Walcott claim they witnessed the accused specters killing him—just hours before his death.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:10 Wilkins Inquest Verdict01:16 New Warrants and Claims02:04 Colson and Jacobs Attacks02:52 Philip English Specter03:40 Buckley Abduction Story04:17 Rescue in the Thicket04:35 Devil Book and Familiars05:40 Food Choking and Bites06:16 Martha Corey Pig Familiar07:20 Herrick Statement Filed08:11 Timeline of Wilkins Death08:38 Specters Named Before Death

May 16, 1692: Power Shifts, a Death at the Wilkins House, and Susannah Martin’s “Puppies”We follow an action-packed May 16, 1692, as Massachusetts’ new government takes office under Governor William Phips, with William Stoughton as lieutenant governor, while the Salem witchcraft crisis escalates. Daniel Wilkins dies after Mercy Lewis and Mary Walcott claim to witness John Willard’s apparition choking him, and Willard is arrested about 40 miles west in Lancaster a week after his first warrant. Susannah Sheldon reports being pressured by George Jacobs Jr. and Rebecca to sign the devil’s book and describes assaults by Rebecca, Elizabeth Colson, and Elizabeth Procter. Ann Putnam Jr. describes being tortured by an unidentified Lynn figure called “Old Father Pharaoh,” with Thomas Putnam and Robert Morey supporting her account, and she also accuses Elizabeth Hart. John Kimball adds vivid depositions against Susannah Martin involving disputed cattle, sudden livestock losses, and terrifying “black puppy” apparitions.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:12 New Government Takes Office00:39 Daniel Wilkins Death01:31 Susannah Sheldon Attacked02:02 Old Father Pharaoh03:24 Ann Putnam Accuses Hart03:43 Kimball Cattle Curse05:19 Puppies and Black Cloud06:53 Spectral Puppy Assault08:16 Aftermath and Rumors

Specters in the Meetinghouse and a Copy-Paste ClueWe follow the strange events of Sunday, May 15, 1692, when specters disrupted worship in Salem Village and Andover, with accusations tying Sarah Buckley, Martha Carrier, and George Jacobs Jr. and his wife Rebecca to attacks and temptations to sign the devil’s book. As Thomas Fuller Jr. and Benjamin Wilkins Sr. escalate their complaint against John Willard for afflicting Bray and Daniel Wilkins, Magistrates Hathorne and Corbin issue a second warrant that sets up Willard’s capture on May 17. Our look at later depositions brings Will’s Hill into focus, where Ann Putnam Jr. reports Willard’s specter tormenting the Wilkins family and claiming he would seek greater power from George Burroughs. We also uncover a strikingly identical line shared between Ann Putnam Jr.’s and Mercy Lewis’s May 18 depositions—despite differing dates—raising sharp questions about how these accounts were formed.00:00 Salem Witch Trials Daily00:04 Specters Disrupt Worship00:42 New Willard Complaint00:56 Willard Specter at Wills Hill01:15 Matching Deposition Lines

New Warrants, Missing Suspects, and a Spectral “Prediction”We follow Elizabeth Hart as she confronts Ann Putnam Jr. after being accused of afflicting her, only for Ann to claim Hart’s specter returned to torment her and push her to write it down. Tension spikes as Nathaniel Ingersoll and Thomas Putnam push fresh complaints naming eight new suspects and one already-arrested target, with oddly incomplete warrants leaving some women’s first names blank. Arrests unfold unevenly: some are taken, others vanish—including Elizabeth Colson, who slips away toward Boston and buys months of freedom—while Hart and Thomas Farrar Sr. are seized without trouble. We also track Mercy Lewis’s deposition about John Willard’s specter and the conveniently timed claim that Daniel Wilkins would die within two days, alongside eerie testimony against Dorcas Hoar and the arrival of Increase Mather and Governor William Phips in Boston with a new charter in hand.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:12 Hart Confronts Putnams00:42 New Suspects Named01:37 Warrants and Arrests02:44 Willard Specter Claim03:44 Dorcas Hoar Deposition04:41 Mather and Phips Return04:51 Closing Tease LinksSalem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠Emerson W. Baker and John G. Reid, The New England Knight: Sir William Phips, 1651-1695: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780802081711⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

Friday the 13th: Abigail Soames, Mary Warren, and the Courtroom “Touch Test” CircusWe head straight into a Friday the 13th examination where Abigail Soames is hauled to a tavern, searched, and pressed under relentless questioning while Mary Warren’s dramatic fits drive the room. A stray needle, whispered biographical “facts,” spectral accusations, and the infamous touch tests turn the hearing into a performance that reveals how easily a proceeding could be shaped by expectation and fear. The tension escalates as claims multiply—pins, bites, threats of murder, and even courtroom observers treating eye contact like proof of guilt—before the record widens to eerie depositions against Susannah Martin and Thomas Hardy, featuring night terrors, strange meetings, and disturbing transformations. It’s a fast, unsettling look at how testimony, spectacle, and superstition fed the Salem crisis.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:10 Abigail Soames Arrest00:37 Examination Begins01:00 Needle and Accusations03:05 Touch Test Drama04:58 Courtroom Circus06:22 Other Specters Named06:58 Rings Depose Martin07:32 Sleep Paralysis Explained08:41 Joseph Ring Secret Party09:36 Hardy Hauntings Continue11:12 Mute and Devil Book11:42 Closing and Next EpisodeLinksSalem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

Poppets, Confessions, and New Arrests: Salem, May 12, 1692We head to Salem on May 12, 1692, as magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin issue an arrest warrant for Ann Pudeator and Alice Parker and question Abigail Hobbs, Pudeator, Parker, and Mary Warren while specters torment Mary Walcott, Mercy Lewis, and Ann Putnam Jr. Hobbs details poppets, thorns, and covenants with the devil, tying her actions to George Burroughs in Falmouth, Maine and naming deaths she claims resulted. Warren levels a cascade of accusations against Parker, Pudeator, and the Proctors—ships cast away, poisonings, drownings, and threats with needles and images—while testimonies collide with contradictions and spectral claims. We close with the aftermath of Sarah Osburn’s death in the Boston jail and unanswered questions about her body, mourners, and disputed property linked to the Putnams.00:00 May 12 Overview00:36 Abigail Hobbs Confession02:03 Alice Parker Accused03:22 Mary Warren Poppets04:47 Proctors and Devils Book05:29 Shipwrecks and Murders06:52 Osburn Aftermath LinksSalem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

May 11, 1692: Willard’s Dish Crossing and the Jacobs & Martin DepositionsWe take you straight into May 11, 1692, as Susannah Sheldon claims she saw accused witch John Willard and an old man cross water in a dish and later tempt her with the devil’s book, while Elizabeth Hubbard reports Willard’s apparition tormenting her to sign. Salem magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin press George Jacobs Sr. amid violent fits, pin-pulling accusations, and long-running claims that he has practiced witchcraft for decades, alongside fresh depositions from Ann Putnam Jr., Thomas Putnam, and John Putnam Jr. We then shift to Salisbury testimony revived against Susannah Martin—nighttime spectral assaults, mysterious blood in a bucket, bewitched lights on the road, and a prolonged affliction doctors call supernatural—linking earlier accusations to her 1692 conviction and July 19 execution.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:10 Willard Apparitions Reported00:47 George Jacobs Examined01:53 Depositions Against Jacobs02:34 Peach vs Susannah Martin04:05 Corn Husking Threat05:03 Pressy Haunted by Light07:06 Brown Family Affliction09:31 Old Charges Resurface10:00 Outcome and Wrap UpLinksSalem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

Spectral Evidence and the First Death: Salem, May 10, 1692We’re visit Salem and Boston on May 10, 1692, as warrants fly, accusations harden into “evidence,” and a single day reshapes lives. George Jacobs Sr. and Margaret Jacobs are hauled to Thomas Beadle’s Tavern, where Jacobs—an elderly man with two walking sticks—spars with Hathorne and Corwin while Sarah Churchill and Mercy Lewis describe chilling spectral attacks and pressure to sign the devil’s book. The theological fight over whether Satan can assume an innocent person’s likeness turns deadly in practice, especially when Jacobs falters on the Lord’s Prayer under scrutiny. John Willard bolts rather than face arrest. The day closes with a grim milestone: Sarah Osburn dies in the Boston jail after weeks of harsh confinement, becoming the first victim of the Salem witchcraft panic without ever being tried or convicted.00:00 Warrants and Arrests00:28 Willard on the Run00:51 Jacobs Examined02:36 Spectral Evidence Debate03:32 Prayer Test and Jail04:27 Mercy Lewis Deposition05:47 Abigail Names Names06:14 Sarah Osburn Dies

May 9, 1692: George Burroughs Faces Salem’s MagistratesChaos erupts as Salem magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin, joined by William Stoughton and Samuel Sewall, interrogate former Salem Village minister George Burroughs and then confront him with a roomful of afflicted accusers. After a private courtesy interview, Burroughs denies key allegations and admits lapses in communion and baptisms—then the spectral testimony begins: Susannah Sheldon, Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Ann Putnam Jr. describe Burroughs’ “book,” violent torment, threats, and vivid claims that the ghosts of his first two wives accused him of murder and demanded vengeance. Additional testimony comes from multiple townspeople and captains, and Burroughs is bound over for jail. We also point to essential sources for May 9, including Marilynne K. Roach and the legal record collection edited by Bernard Rosenthal.00:00 Welcome to the Show00:11 May 9 Interrogations Begin00:31 Private Exam of Burroughs01:11 Afflicted Chaos Erupts01:34 Mercy Lewis Mountain Vision02:37 Mary Walcott Murder Claims03:17 More Spectral Book Threats04:07 Ann Putnam Ghostly Parade05:37 Magistrates Question Burroughs05:58 Other Witnesses and Jail06:17 Missing Records and Reading List

We take you into Salem Village on the sacrament Sunday of May 8, 1692, when Samuel Parris preached from 1 Corinthians about choosing the Lord’s table over the devils’. Then the accusations turn chilling: Mercy Lewis says George Burroughs’ apparition returned to intimidate her, warning she wouldn’t see his two dead wives because she might testify against him. With haunted testimony and threats in the air, Susannah Sheldon reports Burroughs’ specter pressing her about the next day’s examination—then vowing to kill her before morning. At Ingersoll’s Tavern, the story escalates as Burroughs allegedly admits by spectral confession to murdering children in Maine, killing his first two wives by smothering and choking, and even killing two of his own children—seven deaths tied to witchcraft.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:11 Parris Sacrament Sermon00:35 Mercy Lewis Deposition00:49 Ghosts and Murder Claims01:14 Susannah Sheldon Threatened01:34 Burroughs Confession Allegations01:46 Serial Killer by Witchcraft LinksSalem Witch Trials History YouTube⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegeHigh Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

Mercy Lewis Faces George Burroughs’ SpecterWe’re on May 7, 1692, as Mercy Lewis reports a terrifying encounter with the apparition of former Salem Village minister George Burroughs—her past pastor, employer, and landlord in Falmouth, Maine. Our story follows her claim that his specter brutally tortured her and pressed her to sign “his book,” then produced a different book said to have been kept in his study, boasting of hidden volumes she’d never seen. We track the chilling accusations Mercy attributes to him: that he could raise the devil, that the devil served him as a weapon, that he bewitched Mr. Shepard’s daughter after his May 4 imprisonment, and that he made Abigail Hobbs a witch—along with unnamed recruits. Mercy’s refusal, even under death threats, drives the tension to the end.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:10 Date and Context00:14 Burroughs Apparition Appears00:36 The Mysterious Book00:59 Claims of Dark Powers01:14 Threats and Torture01:21 Recruiting Other Witches01:43 Refusing to Sign01:56 Closing DefianceLinks:Salem Witch Trials History YouTube⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegeHigh Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

May 6, 1692: A Mysterious Illness, a Spectral Sighting, and a Warrant for Philip EnglishWe follow May 6, 1692, as Daniel Wilkins—nephew of John Willard—begins a serious and mysterious illness that will shape what follows. Days later, during Alice Parker’s May 12 examination, Margaret Jacobs claims she saw Parker’s apparition that very night in Salem’s Northfields. Meanwhile in Boston, with the General Court in session, magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin issue a second arrest warrant for the fugitive Philip English, still concealed in a friend’s house, tightening the pressure as events accelerate.00:00 Welcome to the Show00:07 Hosts Introduction00:10 Daniel Wilkins Falls Ill00:26 Margaret Jacobs Testifies00:42 Warrant for Philip English00:56 Thanks and TomorrowLinks:Warrant no. 2 for the apprehension of Philip English, and officer's return: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/Documents/Detail/warrant-no.-2-for-the-apprehension-of-philip-english-and-officers-return/4744Examination of Alice Parker: https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/n97.html#n97.1Salem Witch Trials History YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliis4vjMIUgg3wcA0pXeYQ/⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub: https://aboutsalem.com/salem-witch-trials-daily/⁠⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts: https://aboutwitchhunts.com⁠⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780375706905⁠Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619⁠⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780190627805⁠⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781589791329⁠High Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/collections/salem-witch-trials-collection

Blobs in the Chimney: Burroughs Held at Beadle’s TavernIt’s Thursday, May 5, 1692, and Salem’s tensions escalate and George Burroughs is held at Thomas Beadle’s Tavern, while officials delay his examination until May 9 so William Stoughton and Samuel Sewell can attend—signaling the shift toward the coming Court of Oyer and Terminer under newly arrived Governor William Phips. We follow Elizer Keyser from a wary conversation prompted by Captain Daniel King—who insists Burroughs is a “choice child of God”—to Keyser’s own suspicion that Burroughs is the ringleader. Then the story turns uncanny: Keyser reports a dozen jelly-like “blobs” and a quivering hand-sized light in his chimney, seen by his maid but not his wife, events later sworn to and tied to Burroughs by Mercy Lewis.00:00 Welcome and Date00:16 Burroughs Held at Beadle's00:43 Court of Oyer and Terminer Setup01:56 Concerns About Afflicted Testimony03:01 Keyser Confronts Burroughs04:26 Mysterious Chimney Apparitions05:16 Grand Jury Claims and Wrap Up Links:Statement of Elizer Keyser v. George BurroughsSalem Witch Trials History YouTube⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily Hub⁠The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials: https://aboutsalem.com⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts⁠Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692Bernard Rosenthal, ed., Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt⁠Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience⁠Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under SiegeHigh Quality Scans of Original Court Documents - Peabody Essex Museum Salem Witch Trials Collection

We take you to May 4, 1692, when Boston holds elections even as the new royal charter for the Province of Massachusetts Bay is about to transform the government. Simon Bradstreet is chosen to remain acting governor until William Phips arrives from London, and Thomas Danforth continues as acting deputy governor until he is replaced by William Stoughton. Our story then turns to 81-year-old Bray Wilkins, who later testifies that John Willard afflicted him during a lunch gathering at Richard Way’s home for travelers heading to the election, leaving Bray in severe misery for days and unable to eat or urinate. We also track the day Field Marshall John Partridge delivers George Burroughs to Salem.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:10 Massachusetts Election Day00:37 Bradstreet and Danforth Roles01:15 Bray Wilkins Affliction01:39 Deposition Details02:39 Agony and Recovery02:52 Burroughs Delivered to Salem02:59 Like Subscribe and Thanks

May 3, 1692: Burroughs’ Specter, a Tavern Transfer, and the Salem Trials’ Only ReleaseSpecters reportedly strike from jail cells and as far away as Maine: we follow May 3, 1692 as Elizabeth Hubbard swears George Burroughs’ apparition visits with the devil’s book and boasts he’s a “conjurer,” even while the real man is under guard en route to Salem. Guards move Susannah Martin, Dorcas Hoar, Lydia Dustin, and Sarah Morrell from Ingersoll’s Tavern breakfast to Boston prison, pushing the total to 28 suspects. Hathorne and Corwin confront Deliverance Hobbs over new spectral harm; she denies it but stands by her confession and describes a feast with Bridget Bishop and three Sarahs. The day also spotlights the trials’ lone catch-and-release—Nehemiah Abbott Jr.—and a chilling family moment as young Daniel Wilkins turns on John Willard before falling ill and dying days later, while Mary Walcott later recalls Rebecca Nurse’s specter claiming multiple killings.00:00 Daily Intro and Date00:28 Burroughs Specter Visit01:10 Prisoners Sent to Boston01:43 Hobbs Questioned Again02:04 Wen Man Mystery02:33 Jail Feast Confession02:48 Willard and Wilkins Omen03:32 Nurse Specter and Wrap Up

May 2, 1692: Burroughs Captured, Hoar & Martin Clash with the CourtWe take you straight into Monday, May 2, 1692—one of the busiest days of the Salem witch-hunt—when arrests, examinations, depositions, and jail transfers collide. Reverend George Burroughs is seized in Wells, Maine as the net tightens, while Dorcas Hoar and Susannah Martin face John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin at Ingersoll’s Tavern amid chaos from the afflicted, sensational claims of spectral attacks, and taunting courtroom exchanges. Our close look at Martin’s sharp rebuttals raises the explosive question of whether the devil could wear an innocent person’s shape, a debate later taken up by Increase Mather and tied to the Witch of Endor. The day ends with Hoar, Martin, Lydia Dustin, and Sarah Morell ordered to Boston jail as the hunt accelerates.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:11 Arrests and Examinations Begin00:48 Dorcas Hoar Under Fire01:41 Dorcas Defies the Court02:39 Susannah Martin Examined03:43 Spectral Evidence Debate05:18 Courtroom Tests and Taunts06:34 Depositions and Copycat Claims07:59 Commitment to Boston Jail08:10 Burroughs Warrant Confirmed08:33 Wrap Up and Subscribe

Walpurgis Night, May Day, and a Spectral Attack: Salem’s May 1, 1692We open on May 1, 1692, as Elizabeth Hubbard claims an attack by the specter of Rebecca Jacobs, wife of George Jacobs Jr., with warrants soon to follow for George Jacobs Sr. and Margaret Jacobs and later complaints and arrests that send George Jacobs Jr. fleeing. From there, we trace how Walpurgis Night—rooted in Saint Walpurga’s May 1 canonization and older Northern European May Eve traditions—became linked with fears of witch power and sabbaths, including lore of gatherings on the Brocken. We connect those layered beliefs to New England’s own culture wars over May Day through Thomas Morton’s defiant Merry Mount maypole and William Bradford’s theological condemnation of revelers as “fairies or furies,” then follow the thread to John Endicott, his Salem Village land, and the still-fruiting Endicott pear tree near where Rebecca Nurse was arrested.00:00 May 1 1692 Update00:46 Walpurgis Night Today01:16 Origins and Traditions02:02 Witches and the Brocken02:57 Salem Echoes and May Day03:08 Merry Mount Maypole Clash05:09 Endicott and Salem Landmarks05:45 Podcast Teaser and Wrap

April 30, 1692: Six New Warrants and a Minister Hunted to MaineWe’re on Friday, April 30, 1692—day seven of Susannah Shelden’s afflictions—as the panic surges with fresh warrants for six new suspects: George Burroughs, Lydia Dustin, Susannah Martin, Dorcas Hoar, Sarah Morell, and wealthy merchant Philip English. Accusers Jonathan Walcott and Thomas Putnam tie these names to torments suffered by Mary Walcott, Mercy Lewis, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr., Elizabeth Hubbard, and Susannah Shelden, while Susannah reports Martha Cory choking her. The paperwork tells its own story: Major Elisha Hutchinson’s rare, non-magistrate warrant reaches into Maine to seize former minister Burroughs; other warrants send constables across county lines for 79-year-old widow Lydia Dustin and bring Susannah Martin in from Amesbury as Philip English slips away. The day ends with another chilling claim—Sarah Good’s specter attacking Sarah Bibber’s four-year-old child.00:00 Welcome and Date00:19 Six New Warrants01:10 Burroughs Arrest Order01:47 Lydia Dustin Case03:14 English Morell Hoar05:17 Susannah Martin Warrant06:07 Sarah Good Specter06:34 Closing and Subscribe

Susannah Sheldon’s Sixth Day of Torment and Repairs at Boston JailWe take you straight into Friday, April 29, 1692, as Susannah Sheldon endures a sixth consecutive day of torment and reports a terrifying night visitation by the specters of Bridget Bishop, Mary English, Giles Cory, and Martha Cory. We follow her account as Martha presses the devil’s book, claims to be in Boston Prison, and describes a grotesque scene involving the “black man” and a creature like a hairless black pig, before Bridget and the “black man” boast that Bridget killed four women, naming two Fosters’ wives and John Trask’s wife. We also track the real-world fallout in Boston Jail, where Jailer John Arnold buys boards, locks, and nails to mend the jail and keeper’s house at a cost of seven pounds, five shillings, and nine pence.00:00 Show Introduction00:14 Susannah Sheldon Tormented00:28 Martha Corys Dark Vision00:56 Bridget Bishops Confession01:20 Boston Jail Repairs01:44 Thanks And Subscribe

April 28, 1692: Susannah Shelden’s Torment and John Willard AccusedWe’re back in Salem on Thursday, April 28, 1692, where Susannah Shelden’s account turns physical and threatening: Giles Cory and Mary English urge her not to eat, and Susannah says Cory strikes her, nearly chokes her, and holds her hands shut while mocking her. Philip English then appears demanding she sign his book, biting her when she refuses. At the same time, Ann Putnam Jr. reports a brutal assault by John Willard’s specter, including threats to kill her unless she writes in his book, and claims his apparition confessed to murdering her infant sister Sarah—followed by Sarah Putnam’s own ghost crying for vengeance. We also hear Lydia Wilkins, in a winding sheet, accusing Willard of involvement in her death.00:00 Daily Intro and Date00:15 Susannah Shelden Accusations00:56 Ann Putnam vs John Willard01:25 Putnam Baby Death Mention01:36 Lydia Wilkins Appears01:46 Subscribe and More PodcastsStatement of Susannah Shelden v. Philip English, Sarah Buckley, Mary Whittredge, Bridget Bishop, Giles Cory, Mary English, and Martha Cory: https://pem.quartexcollections.com/Documents/Detail/statement-of-susannah-shelden-v.-philip-english-sarah-buckley-mary-whittredge-bridget-bishop-giles-cory-mary-english-and-martha-cory/4696Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt: https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9781107689619