Fear and Loathing In Salem, Mass.

Thank God, we live in a nation that is ruled by law and not some iron fisted despot. When it comes to the rule of law in the good old US of A, you have a god given right, no matter what you have done, to have a jury of your peers and be presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, things have not always been this way in our nation. There was a time many many moons ago if someone pointed a finger at you and yelled the hated word, “Witch” Well god help you because you were totally and utterly screwed.

The bizarre events that transpired in early colonial America between Feburary 1692 through May of 1693, was perhaps and could be considered the greatest miscarriage of justice in the history of this nation. During that sixteen months of pure hell fourteen women and five men were sent to meet their maker on the dubious charge of being in league with the prince of darkness, Satan. And no matter how much they screamed, fought and quoted the bible if the finger was pointed at you you would taste swift justice.

There is much debate, even after almost four centuries after the fact, about the cause of this frenzy that gripped the citizens of Essex, Suffolk and Middlesex counties in colonial Massachusetts. Some researchers try as they might to truly understand and explain the events say that it all boils down to plain old mass hysteria. Perhaps that is the most plausible explanation for the witch craze, one has to understand that these colonists belonged to a very austere religion where the woman was seen as the property of her husband and not a mate for life so it really is no wonder that the women were the first suspects to have the finger pointed at them. Their religion stated that women are much weaker when it comes to sin and can be easily led astray by the temptations of the evil one. Perhaps other factors of the witch craze can be attributed to the fact that these colonists were surrounding on all sides by their enemies most specically the French to the north, the Spanish to the south and west and of course all the native American tribes that were buddy buddy with these hated nations. So basically instead of mass hysteria perhaps would should blame good old fashioned paranoia.

Others felt that the cause of the hysteria was purely economical in origin. Although the Puritans were devoutly religious and eschewed all manner of sin one can not deny the baser human instinct of greed. Many who were tried and convicted were land owners and perhaps the accusers were induced to point the finger and name names because somebody or a group of somebodies wanted what they had. And of course one should also consider that perhaps the accused were in fact practitioners of witchcraft and in league with the evil one, which is something I find highly unlikely.

In cold winter month of Feburary 1692, two young girls, nine year old Betty Parris and her Eleven year old cousin Abigail Williams, began to act in a bizarre manner that basically scared the hell out of the god fearing citizens Salem Town. The two girls would often break into cries of hysteria that would keep their family members awake at night. Common household objects became weapons in the hand’s of the girls as they threw them around the house. The two would contort their bodies into positions that would otherwise be impossible for the human body to attain. And perhaps most frightening of all the girls claimed to see terrifying visions of demonic entities pinching their flesh and pulling their hair. Their parents, who were respected members of society, were horrified at the prospect that their young daughters had come under the influence of some evil power, however they did the responsible thing and considerd the possibility that this strange behavior was caused by some illness and sent for the local doctor.

Most historians agree that the local physician, Doctor Griggs quickly came to the aid of the two families and attempted to examine the two girls to look for a logical explanation of their bizarre and troubling behavior. After medically examining the two girls he stated that the girls were, “Beyond epilepsy and the power of disease.” In other words the good doctor could find nothing physically wrong with Betty and Abigail so the only explanation for their peculiar behavior must be a condition of the spirit and it was believed that the two fresh faced young lasses were bewitched and under the influence of a power of wickedness.

The entire community was up in arms concerning this development and the only thing to do was look for the person or persons who were responsible for placing the girls under this evil spell especially after twelve year old, Ann Putnam started to display the same behavior. While in one of her demon inspired fits Ann screamed out that there were witches in the midst of Salem and they were responsible for putting a hex on the three girls. When questioned who the witches were the three girls stated that Sarah Good, Sarah Osbourne and Tituba a Carib indian slave owned by the Williams’ were responsible for this henious crime against the puritan colony.

Shortly after the accusation the three woman were dragged before their accusers and the town magistrate to answer for their alleged crime and those involved felt the three women fit the bill as suspects. Sarah Good, was a poor woman who lived on the streets begging for food and shelter from any caring soul who would come to her aid. Sarah Osbourne, although a wealthy women, was held in much scrutiny in the community because she married a slave and was rarely seen in church. And as for Tituba that can only be blamed on racism due to the fact that Tituba was not a white person therefore she was beyond the grace of God and was accused by the girls of telling them tales of witchcraft from her native country as well as teaching the girls how to place spells on the men they wanted to marry. The stage was now set for the greatest miscarriage of justice that would only be rivaled by the McCarthy trials of the 1950s where instead of witches folks were accused of being in league with communists.

For several days these three women were held captive in a barn and were forced to undergo interrogation by law enforcement officials. INterrogation in the world of the 17th century was not a good cop, bad cop affair where you were treated with dignity. Nope, these women were chained and wipped as these cops yelled at them and demanded that they confess and repent before God. It did not matter if they emphatically denied the charges they were accused and that was all the proof that was needed.

As the weeks and months rolled by new accusations of witchcraft were filed against citizens who were considered to be god fearing members of the austere christian community. The original three accusers were joined by other young girls who showed signs of being afflicted by bewitchment and screamed out names that shocked the small community. One of the woman, Martha Corey dared to speak out against the girls claiming that these girls were seeking attention and should be punished for their lies which was considered an egregious sin. This proved to be a fatal mistake on Martha’s part who was arrested and charged with witchcraft it was considered by many to speak out against witchcraft was to be guilty of witchcraft and Martha Corey was thrown in the county jail. Perhaps the strangest accusation to be leved against a citizen was the accusation brought against four year old, Dorothy Good. Little Dorothy was brought before the court and her answers to their questions not only brought a guilty verdict against her but her mother as well. It would appear that no one was safe against the iron clad accusation of witchcraft.

As accusations came rolling in warraents for arrest went flying out. Many citizens who were accused and wanted by the law were caught trying to slip out under cover of darkness and their attempts to flee were seen as as proof positive of their guilt. One of those that attempted to flee in the night was an elderly gentleman named Giles Corey. Giles, never saw his day in court instead Giles was subjected to a method of execution that was considered to be illegal back in the motherland, death by pressing. Giles’ captors tied the elderly man to the ground and placed heavy stones on him all the while yelling at the man to confess his guilt. Giles Corey, went to his death all the while maintaining his innocence and quoting scripture something a witch was unable to do.

In June of 1692, with the Salem Witch trials in full effect a special grand jury known as the Court of Oyer and Terminer was convened to get to the bottom of the events in Salem and those accused. William Stoughton was named the Chief Magistrate, Thomas Newton was designated the Crown’s Attorney General and Stephen Sewell was the Royal Clerk. If any man could get to the bottom of the accusations of witchcraft it was these three men who were determined to be above reproach and righteous enough in the eyes of god to stand in judgement over their fellow man. Bridget Bishop, was the first defendant to be dragged sobbing and crying before the rightouesness of this special grand jury. As the poor woman stood before the court pleading for mercy and swearing her innocence in the eyes of almighty God her accusers burst out in finely orchestrated hysterics accusing the woman of bewitching them. This was enough to bring a conviction against the Bishop woman, she was sentenced to death by hanging.

Shortly after the hanging of Bridget Bishop the Court of Oyer and Terminer began to question whether or not those accused and executed were really in league with the devil. They noticed that those accused and sent to the gallows did something that no witch, no matter how powerful was incapable of doing, praying the Lord’s Prayer. One man who went to the gallows, George Burroughs, was heard by many not only reciting the Lord’s prayer but yelling that his only Lord was Jesus Christ.
According to folklore a witch found the name of Jesus hateful and was unable to utter the name of the son of God, however it did not matter George and others like him were still accused and needed to face justice.

Finally in May of 1693, the terror of the trials came to an end, not because the land was cleansed of witches but because an accusation was made that was completely impossible. Several accusers made the error of accusing the wife of the governor of Massachusetts of the vile crime of witchcraft. Angered by the accusation the governor swiftly sent a special team of investigators to Salem and the surrounding communities to look into these trials and make an attempt to determine whether or not those who were still imprisoned were guilty of collusion with the evil one.

Shortly after the task force began making their enquiries those who still rotted in prison were released on the grounds of insuffecient evidence. When the smoke cleared and common sense began to make a slow comeback nineteen citizens were dead either at the hands of the hangman or crushed to death.

When the other colonies, which were mostly comprised of Quakers, heard of the atrocities at Salem, Thomas Maule a respected leader wrote a book entitled, “Truth Held Forth and Maintained.” In his book Thomas accused the communities in the three counties of “Ignorance and Idle superstition.” Thomas further wrote, “It would be better that one hundred witches lived than one person who is not a witch be put to death.” For such a controversial and inflammatory remark, Thomas Maule was arrested and tossed in prison on the serious charge of sedition. One year later Thomas Maule, the last victim of the trials was released and exonerated after the charge was considered to be unfounded.

In 1712, almost two decades after the trials the surviving family members of those executed and those who were imprisoned were finally offered an apology if you can call it that. The General Court passed a bill proclaiming that all those who were accused of witchcraft and either imprisoned or met their fate at the gallows were innocent of all charges. In my opinion this can hardly be considered an apology, editorial bias be damned.

Today things in Salem Town are radically different. The village that was once the site of an espiode that can only be described as absolute madness is now a hotspot and a popular tourist destination for those who desire a taste for the strange and unusual. A memorial with the names of the accused stands in the town square and nineteen benches each with a name of the executed sits surrounding that memorial. This memorial stands as a silent reminder that never again should these atrocities be visited upon another citizen of Salem.

During my time as a paranormal researcher I have had the great pleasure of being acquinted with many Witches. Wiccans, as they prefer to be called, are a peaceful people whose religion demands that they respect the earth and their fellow man. Hardly can any one of these folks be accused of being in league with the devil, in fact they don’t even believe in the devil who they consider to be a made up boogieman by the Christian religion. These good people consider those days of old as being “The Burning Times” although no person was burnt at the stake it is more a metaphor that we must all be aware of the great crime of hate and must never allow our passions to burn out of control.

Rick E. Hale
t_seeker@hotmail.com