The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-06
lSpeciol SUPERINTENDENT


SALEM. Mass, Sept. 1t is impossible
to come into this quaint old town without
looking for the witch houses and inquiring
for the scene Of that dreadful tragedy Of
two centuries ago. One thinks also of
Hawthorne and 1.-The House of the Seven
Cables" but first OF I'LL the witches.
AS stepped Off tho train here this morn
ing and proceeded to inquire of the aged
and most sedate hickman who had me in
tow where the witch tragedy took place
and something about it, was informed
that had como to Salem on notable an
niversary. Just 200 years ago tho last of
the witch executions took place. Yos, sir
was looking that up today, having a lit
tic dispute with my wife about tho dates,
and 1t was Sept. %, 1902, that tho last of
those executions took place out on Gal
lows hill"
"ls not this anniversary to bo celebrated
or observed In some mnnner3''
Not any. You see, the people Of Salon
arc not bit proud Of that witchcraft bust
ness. They haven't outgrown the old ira
dltion that tho hanging of those poor peo-
pie was disgrace to tho city and to the
Inhabitants, and such it was, sure enough.
When you como to think that hundreds
and hundreds Of the people who 1.-Two horo
and hereabouts now aro the DESCENDANTS of
tho very men who put the SO called witches
to death you may imagine that 1t is Il sore
kind OF subject, mister. 6alemitcs don't
talk much about that witch business II
they can help it."
My ancient Jehu proving to be q we'll In
formed mana characteristic OF New Eng
land cab drivers Is their advanced aae and
general store of information-I questioned
him further.
Have efforts been made to preserve tho
historic buildings and other scenes con-
nocted with tho witchcraft tragedy"
asked.
Not mt all. In fact, guess tho people
OF Salem have sort of encouraged tho pull
ing down Of tho old buildings. They'd
Ike to havo the whole witch business for
gotten II they could.
I'VE hack drivers caro- more for it than
anybody else, because it is money In our
pockets all the time. You have no idea
how many people In passing through
Salem stop Off between trains and nsk to
be driven about to tho places of interest.
They all want to SEQ where tho witches
wero hung, and then they want to sec
where Hawthorne lived. remember Mr..
Hawthorne rs well us do my own father"
My communicative driver first took mo
to the old court house. 1t is IN old build
ing-completed fifty years ago-but In an
Client Salem half century is such small
measure of time that the natives persist in
calling it THE new court house" Here
are displayed two authentic souvenirs Of
one OF the most terrible TRAGEDIES ever
known in America
One is q small bottle, protected by the
county seal, containing few rusty pins
which were produced in court two centu-
ries ago and identified as the very pins
with which tho wicked witches prlcked
and tortured their Juvenile victims. These,
tho most famous pins in history, nro curl
GUS looking contrivanccs-twicen rs long as
our modern pins, heads formed OF twisted
wire. and not so sharp TINT they need have
inflicted much pain upon the deluded vic
tins. These grewsome relics helped to
place tho rope about the necks of nineteen
Innocent men and women. They were
originally pinned into tho papers contain.
ing tho famous-rathcr the infamous
trials, but us they disappeared ono by one
the remainder Were placed In the iottlu
and carefully sealed.
Ono Of the death warrants is to bo seen
here-the ono which sent innocent Bridget
Bishop 10 tho Hallows. \ musty old doc,-
ment 1t Is. with an odor Of the horrible
cEnging TO 1t through all these years The
return of the sheriff on this wurrant inter
ested mo very much. In solemn language
pious old Sheriff Corwin certified that no
Ind caused tho said Bridget Bishop ito DO
hung by the neck till she WIS dead and
buried" AS if realizing when too late
that the words "and buricd' wcro carry.
ing matters "a little too far, he drew his
pen threw them
All the original testimony taken In tho
witchcraft trials is preserved here. and
suggest to my readers who nny want to
learn what tho testimony was upon which
the nineteen innocent men and women
were hanged, that they k.nd to tho Salem
Press for little book V fitt0n by Caroline
Upham, and which costs dollar It ia
one OF tho most interesting books I have
ever read. In 1t may be found full nc.
count OF the witchcraft delusion, the trial.,
and executions, abridged from Chnrlos Up
hams History OF Salem Witchcraft,"
which was published twenty-five years
ago. and Is now out Of print, MS l found to
my cost when Boston bookseller charged
me thirty dollars for the two volumes
Not fur from the court house my driver
halted before n bronze tablet, which con-
tanned the following inscription-a mini,.
ture history Of the witchcraft tragedy:
.................."....
'h IN fKo oSRGasdf s Of 5flf h SET Street.
BUILDING l Ing Devoted, from 1877 Qntil lis,
10 Municipal and Judicial Uses.
wcro Tried and Condemned &C nd eDa1s for Witch
Most of tho S Nineteen Persons
VINO Suffered Death on the Galows
Giles Corey was Here Put to trial
oh tho Same Ch8rge, and Refusing TO
Was Taken AIKEN AW 2Ss and Pressed 70 Death.
OF Whom Eighteon We're Acquitted and
Three CGpn nd yWi, but Later Set Free,