The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-03-04
sALEM'S ANNIVERSARY.

Salem, Massachusetts, was recognized
by meeting held at that place on
Monday evening. The beginning OF
this delusion was the issuance Of a
warrant by John Hawthorne and John
Ccrwin on February 20th, 1902, for
the arrest of Sarah Goode on complaint
of witchcraft.
"Salem witchcraft" it has always
been called, and doubtless always will
be, but it was nothing but the continu-
alton Of those extraordinary delusions,
the manifestations, undoubtedly, of
what is known now as hypnotism, that
had occurred in old England and in
Germany. The famous prosecutions
of Wurzburg, Bamberg, and elsewhere
in Germany occurred in the first and
middle parts Of that same century, and
were fresh in mind at the time of the
Salem trials.
An Indian woman, Tituba, and two
white women, Sarah Osborn and Sarah
Goode, were charged with bewitching
children.
Sarah Good was a poor, ignorant
woman, whose husband had forsaken
her and left her to the mercy Of evil
tongues. The very next morning,
March Ist, the Justices summoned
Mrs. Good before them for examina-
ton at the village tavern kept by Ma
thaniel Ingersoll. But so great was
the public interest in the case that a
great throng assembled and there was
not room for them in the tavern. The
Justices accordingly went over to the
church and the examination was con
Quoted there.
Justice Hawthorne was foremost in
questioning the accused. He asked
her why she SO afflicted the children.
She denied that she did it. He asked
her, then, through whose agency she
did it, and she replied that she did not
do it at all, either directly or indirect
ly. Then the children were brought
before her. They all declared that it
was she who bewitched them. And
then, at the instant, they were all strick-
en- with convulsions and other nervous
disorders.
Forthwith the three women accused
were committed to Jail at Boston to
await trial efore a higher court. A
few days later Sarah Goods daughter
Dorcas, only five years old, was also
arrested; Martha Corey was the fifth
victim, and on Merch 2rst, the sixth
and most famous, Rebecca Nourse,
was taken into custody. me-
About the time of the execution of
Charles l. there had migrated from
England to Massachusetts, a very de-
vout family of the name of Towne.
There were three daughters-Rebecca,
Mary and Sarah. Rebecca married
Thomas Nourse, the landlord Of an
inn, and at the time of the "witcheries"
she was between 10 and 50 years old.
Mrs. Nourse was somewhat deaf from
age; her health was good, except for
certain infirmities of long standing,
which Mr.. Paris converted into "dev-
lis marks" She was the honored head
Of the society of the village, and had
brought up her family in uprightness.
Her sister Mary was then s. years
Of age, and the wife Of Goodman Easty,
the owner of large farm. She had
seven children, and was living in ease
and comfort. She had been twice mar
ried. Her husband was Peter Cloyse,
who was a prominent citizen of the
place.
A minister named Paris bore i'll.
feeling toward Landlord Nourse, so it
is not surprising that the afflicted
children trained in the parsonage
parlor, should, after their first sue.
cesses, name Goody Nourse as one Of
the allies lately acquired by Satan.
They declared they had seen her bit
ing the black servants, choking. pinch
ing, pricking women and children, and
If she were examined they were sure
devils marks" would be found upon
her.
She was examined by a jury OF her
own sex and reported to bear the
sex and reported to bear the marks
they were looking for. She was then
brought to the meeting house to ans
wer the charges brought against her to
the Magistrates. The aged woman
could explain nothing, could only as
sert her innocence. Weary and dis
heartened, worn out with the noise
and the Mysteries of the afflicted" her
head dropped on one shoulder. I'm
mediately all the ''afflicted" had twist
ed necks, and many hands seized Mrs.
Nourse's head to set it upright "lest
other necks should be broken by the
evil Offices" Finally the venerable
matron was carried to jail and put in
irons. Other arrests followed, of men
as well as of women. George Jacobs
and his son George, and the latter's
wife, Rebecca, and daughter Mar
garet; Giles Corey, John Proctor and
his whole family, consisting of his wife