Salem Witch Trials Daily

April 18, 1692: Four More Arrests, and a Name AddedFour more suspects were arrested on Monday, April 18, 1692—Giles Corey, Mary Warren, Abigail Hobbs, and Bridget Bishop—with Bishop named as a suspect for the first time in a warrant that shows her name inserted after the document was initially written. Earlier that day, John Putnam Jr. and Ezekiel Cheever complained that the four had bewitched Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Three days earlier, Putnam’s infant had died, and he later tied the death to the Towne family, including Rebecca Nurse, Mary Esty, and Sarah Cloyce. Magistrates ordered Essex County marshal George Herrick to make the arrests and summon multiple witnesses, and the suspects were taken to Ingersoll’s Ordinary, a central Salem Village site used to stage prisoners and examinations.00:00 Daily Introduction00:09 Four Arrests Named00:25 Warrant And Complaints00:56 Putnam Infant Death01:22 Marshal Summons Witnesses01:40 Ingersoll Ordinary Setting02:01 Why Ingersoll Matters02:24 Next Day Examinations

Abigail Hobbs and the Devil’s NicknamesWe take you straight into Salem Village on Sunday, April 17, 1692, where the specter of rebellious Topsfield teen Abigail Hobbs unsettles the afflicted with her bold claims about the devil and her contempt for her stepmother, Deliverance. Our account follows testimonies describing Abigail’s strange acts—sleeping alone in the woods, declaring she sold herself “body and soul,” and even “baptizing” Deliverance by throwing water in her face—alongside chilling warnings about “Old Nick,” “Old Cratten,” and the “Old Boy.” As accusations mount, Deliverance will later say that at the meetinghouse she saw birds, cats, and dogs urging her to “come away,” and both she and Abigail will confess to witchcraft as their colorful tales deepen.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:05 Abigail Hobbs Appears00:24 Boasts of the Devil00:39 Wild Acts and Woods01:16 Threats and Old Nick01:46 Deliverance Accused02:06 Confessions and Tease

New Specters: Bridget Bishop and Mary Warren Enter the Salem Witch TrialsTwo new specters ignite Salem Village in April 1692, pushing the accused list to 14 in just seven weeks, with 10 already in custody and no slowdown in sight. We track the sudden rise of Bridget Bishop and Mary Warren as names tied to the afflictions of Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Bridget—living in Salem Town and long shadowed by a 1679 witchcraft trial despite acquittal—faces lurid claims of spectral assaults on men at night and accusations reaching back years, while often being confused with Sarah Bishop of the village tavern. Mary Warren’s role whipsaws from formerly afflicted to accuser to suspect, with Elizabeth Hubbard alleging Mary urged her to sign the devil’s book and joined forces with Bridget to torment her, as legal action against Bridget accelerates fast and dramatically.00:00 Daily Update Begins00:15 Two New Suspects00:59 Bridget Bishop Profile01:48 Old Rumors and Confusion02:33 Mary Warren Accused02:46 Disassemble Claim Fallout03:12 Testimony and What’s Next03:34 Watch These Cases

A Putnam Family Tragedy and Deaths Misattributed to Witchcraft

We share the heartbreaking moment that hit Salem Village on April 13, when Hannah Putnam and John Putnam Jr. lost their infant after calling for a doctor, later describing the baby’s death in a June 29, 1692 joint deposition as “cruel and violent.” We also trace how, amid reports of more than 70 people afflicted during the Salem Witch Trials, natural deaths were wrongly blamed on witchcraft—pointing to cases like Elizabeth Ballard and Timothy Swan in Andover and Daniel Wilkins in Salem Village, who were said to be afflicted before they died. We dig into how earlier deaths were retroactively pinned on the accused, including claims that Martha Carrier committed multiple murders based on spectral accusations.00:00 Daily Introduction00:05 Putnam Family Tragedy00:36 Afflictions and Deaths01:05 Retroactive Murder Claims01:17 Spectral Accusations Wrap Up

We’re in Salem Village on Thursday, April 14, 1692, where spectral appearances are treated as proof of a diabolical pact. We dig into Mercy Lewis’s September 9 deposition accusing Giles Cory, describing his specter as unnaturally strong, tormenting her, pressuring her to sign the Devil’s book, and beating her nearly to the point of breaking her back—leading her to declare him a “dreadful wizard,” even while he sits in prison. We also draw from Abigail Williams’s May 31 testimony against Martha Cory, claiming Martha’s apparition hauled, pinched, and tempted her to sign the Devil’s book and that she saw her at the Devil’s sacrament. We question how Abigail keeps appearing at these alleged devil gatherings while remaining an “afflicted” witness and the pastor’s niece.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:04 Spectral Evidence Explained00:30 Mercy Lewis vs Giles Cory01:02 Abigail Williams vs Martha Cory01:28 Why Abigail Sees Sabbaths

Our day begins with Samuel Parris trying to write as Marshal George Herrick arrives to inquire about John Procter, only for the room to erupt in interruptions as John Indian, Abigail Williams, and Mary Walcott repeatedly cry out that Procter is present—seen in the marshal’s lap, on a dog’s back, and alongside Elizabeth Procter and Sarah Cloyce—while fits escalate so violently that several men struggle to restrain John Indian. Parris forces John Indian and Abigail out to keep working, but Mary’s calm knitting gives way to sudden claims of pinching and choking, and she names a widening circle of alleged tormentors, including Rebecca Nurse, Martha Cory, and Dorothy Good. As accusations flare, those named are transferred from Salem to the Boston jail, while Rowley’s Frances Wycomb points to Margaret Scott, setting a grim course toward September.00:00 Welcome and Date00:15 Parris Notes Procter01:15 Fits and Apparitions01:56 Walcott Accusations Escalate02:21 Prison Transfers to Boston02:38 Rowley Suspect Emerges02:52 Outcome and Execution

We’re back in Salem on Wednesday, April 13, 1692, pulling today’s report straight from sworn testimony and depositions. Abigail Williams’s records place Martha Cory, Elizabeth Procter, and Rebecca Nurse among the specters said to torment her—dragging, pinching, choking, and pressuring her to sign the Devil’s book, with lurid details like Procter nearly pulling her bowels out and Nurse urging her toward the fire, plus a claim of seeing Nurse at a witches’ sabbath beside a man in a high-crowned hat. Ann Putnam Jr. adds fresh accusations against Giles Cory and Abigail Hobbs for beating, biting, choking, and coercion to sign. The stakes turn personal as John Putnam Jr. recounts his two-month-old daughter’s violent fits, a doctor’s conclusion of an “evil hand,” and a prolonged, cruel death.00:00 Welcome and Date00:14 Sources and Records00:24 Abigail Williams Afflictions00:57 Spectral Attacks Described01:30 Ann Putnam Jr Targeted01:49 Putnam Infant Falls Ill02:46 Tragic Death Account

Grievously Tormented: April 11, 1692 and the Procters’ ExaminationWe dive into the raw testimony surrounding April 11, 1692, when accusations against Elizabeth and John Procter—and Sarah Cloyce—ignited a courtroom spectacle of “most grievous” torment. Witnesses and ministers report the afflicted collapsing into trances, choking, biting, pinching, and being pressured to sign the devil’s book, while observers swear the fits escalated the moment the Procters were examined. Depositions from the Putnams, Parris, and Ingersoll paint a scene where spectral assaults spread across the room, even shaping how onlookers interpreted a single gesture as supernatural proof. We also follow the drama beyond the hearing: a violent ride home with John Indian’s fits and a chilling claim of Elizabeth Procter’s specter traveling alongside Mary Walcott on the road back to the village.00:00 Secret Word Challenge00:22 April 11 Context00:39 Elizabeth Procter Accusations01:34 Afflicted Reactions in Court04:01 More Depositions Against Procter04:32 John Procter Targeted06:52 Joint Deposition Details08:09 Aftermath and Odd Incidents08:47 Wrap Up and M and Ms

We follow the Salem crisis as it surges from village drama into colony-level spectacle: John Indian reports being bitten and pinched by Sarah Good’s specter, Mercy Lewis wavers after naming Sarah Cloyce, and then the focus snaps to April 11 when the Governor’s Council packs the Salem Town meetinghouse for the examinations of Sarah Cloyce and Elizabeth Procter. With Danforth and leading assistants present and Samuel Parris recording, accusations escalate fast—devil’s books, choking, a “white man,” and a reported witches’ sacrament with roughly 40 participants. Fits erupt on cue as the afflicted clash with the accused, and the spotlight widens to John Procter as a “wizard,” setting a deadly chain in motion. The day ends with arrests and removal to Salem Town jail—just part of what’s still to come.00:00 Daily Intro and Date00:13 April 10 Incidents01:08 April 11 Hearing Begins02:08 John Indian Accusations03:07 Afflicted Girls Testify03:38 Witches Sabbath Revealed04:48 Cloyce Faints and Chaos05:10 Elizabeth Procter Examined06:59 John Procter Implicated07:28 Spectral Tactics Explained08:32 Testimony and Prayer Test09:16 Arrests and Wrap Up

In this episode, we move beyond the fictionalized drama of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible to uncover the real Elizabeth Procter. Born into a family already shadowed by witchcraft accusations, Elizabeth faced the full weight of the 1692 panic. We trace her journey from a high-profile examination in front of the colony's top officials to her harrowing months in prison.

• The "Inheritance" of Suspicion: How Elizabeth’s grandmother, Ann Burt, influenced the community’s perception of her long before the trials began.
  

• The High-Stakes Examination: Details of the April 11th hearing where Elizabeth stood her ground against the afflicted girls and the highest court in Massachusetts.
  

• A Life-Saving Pregnancy: The legal reason Elizabeth survived the gallows while her husband, John, did not.
  

• The Fight for Restitution: Elizabeth's post-trial battle to reclaim her legal personhood and property after being declared "dead in the eyes of the law".
  

• Fact vs. Fiction: We debunk common myths regarding the Procter family's ages and relationships that were popularized by 20th-century drama.
  

"I know nothing of it, no more than the child unborn."

Tune in to hear how one woman’s fierce determination allowed her to dismantle an unjust legal system and reclaim her life.

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