Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-12-19

One of the wealthiest and most en-
terprising merchants of Salem was
Phillip English. In fact, he was said
to be the richest man in the colonies
in 1892 and had at that time the finest
mansion in Salem, which stood for $50
years. To the mansion at II o'clock
one Saturday night came the high
sheriff and deputy and attendants, de-
manding admittance and the person OF
Mrs. English, whom they "cried out
The officers came into the bed cham
Der, and, opening the curtains, read
the mittimus, and ordered Mrs. Eng
lish to arise. She refused and they
put guard around the house.
The next day she went with the Off
GERS and was confined for six weeks
in the front room of public house,
the Cat and Wheel, under guard.
Three times day her husband was
permitted to see her and at the end of
the six weeks he, too. was arrested.
They were sent to Boston and with
the aid of powerful friends were SNUG
gled to New York where they were
kept in hiding until the storm" blew
over.
But to come back to the beginning
Of the craze in the home Of Rev. Sam
uel Paris of the First church. He
was the center of the excitement for
some time. He had been a merchant
in the West Indies before he took up
the ministry, and when he came to
Salem he brought with him two SER
wants from the Barbados, young
woman named Tituba and her hus-
band-half Indian and half negro.
r., A Servants Voodoo Rites.
She was familiar with some Of the
Voodoo rites practiced by the negroes
on the West India islands and she en-
tertained Pastor Paris children with
some of the practices at times. Other
children in the neighborhood Joined
the Paris children in the kitchen
where Tituba entertained them with
her grooming, her fortune telling, etc.
1t wasn't long before the strange
powers of Tituba were whispered
about and her works and influence
over the children were regarded as
devilish. The children began to act
strangely-or people thought they did
and after time Mr.. Paris called a
meeting of ministers of the neighbor-
ing parishes to investigate and pray.
This stirred up some Of the eccen-
trio and weaker minded people in the
community and then all sorts Of stor-
les were broadcast and Salem Village
was a ferment of gossip-gossip that
became more and more exaggerated
and included besides Tituba and her
husband, John Indian, several women
in the village, including Sarah Good,
Sarah Osbun and Bridget Bishop.
Leading citizens lodged complaints
and the accused were examined in the
First Meetinghouse-which gives the
house it's fame in this respect. The
children named Tituba, Sarah Good
ana odTdu OSDuu do tllS4I S44S+ wa
mentors"
Sarah Good was about 20 years old,
the wife of laborer, melancholy,
distracted woman. She was the first
to stand trial and was placed in the
Ipswich Jail ten miles way, from
whence she was brought on horseback
every morning and returned every
evening over rough roads the first
week of March, 1892.
A Minister Victim.
D., The trial ended several months
later in the death by hanging of Brid-
get Bishop, Sarah Good, Sarah Wildes,
Rebecca Morse and two others.
Friday, August 10. Rev. George Bur-
roughs, who had been minister Of the
First church, and George Jacobs, so
years old, of the village, were among
five hanged September % eight more
were hanged. Two women died in
prison, one Of whom was 1O6 years old,
and had been accused by her own
daughter.
= Giles Corey was pressed to death be-
cause he would not plead to his indict-
ment. The law permitted torture until
the victim either pleaded or died.
1t was not until October that the re-
action set in, and then only because
nearly every family, high and low, had
been made to feel the effects of the
craze and the ruthless authority of the
law.
! Strangely enough, Tituba escaped