12 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



were condemned to death, and every man, woman, and child 

 brought under a reign of terror. Many fled outright, and one of 

 the foremost citizens of Salem went constantly armed, and kept 

 one of his horses saddled in the stable to flee if brought under 

 accusation. 



The hysterical ingenuity of the possessed women grew with 

 their success. They insisted that they saw devils prompting the 

 accused to defend themselves in court. Did one of the accused 

 clasp her hands in despair, the possessed clasped theirs ; did the 

 accused, in appealing to Heaven, make any gesture, the possessed 

 simultaneously imitated it ; did the accused in weariness drop her 

 head, the possessed dropped theirs, and declared that the witch 

 was trying to break their necks. The court-room resounded with 

 groans, shrieks, prayers, and curses ; judges, jury, and people were 

 aghast, and even the accused were sometimes thus led to believe 

 in their own guilt. 



Very striking in all these cases was the mixture of trickery 

 with frenzy. In most of the madness there was method. Sundry 

 witches charged by the possessed had been engaged in controversy 

 with the Salem church people. Others of the accused had quar- 

 reled with Mr. Parris. Still others had been engaged in old law- 

 suits against persons more or less connected with the girls. One 

 of the most fearful charges — which cost the life of a noble and 

 lovely lady — arose undoubtedly from her better style of dress and 

 living. Old slumbering neighborhood or personal quarrels bore in 

 this way a strange fruitage of revenge ; for the cardinal doctrine 

 of a fanatic's creed is that his enemies are the enemies of God. 



Any person daring to hint the slightest distrust of the pro- 

 ceedings was in danger of being immediately brought under accu- 

 sation of a league with Satan. Husbands and children were thus 

 brought to the gallows for daring to disbelieve these charges 

 against their wives and their mothers. Some of the clergy were 

 accused for endeavoring to save members of their churches.* 



One poor woman was charged with " giving a look toward the 

 great meeting-house of Salem, and immediately a demon entered 

 the house and tore down a part of it." This cause for the falling 

 of a bit of poorly nailed wainscoting seemed perfectly satisfactory 

 to Dr. Cotton Mather, as well as to the judge and jury, and she 

 was hanged, protesting her innocence. Still another lady, belong- 

 ing to one of the most respected families of the region, was 

 charged with the crime of witchcraft. The children were fear- 

 fully afflicted whenever she appeared near them. It seemed never 



* This is admirably brought out by Upham, and the lawyer-like thoroughness with 

 which he has examined all these hidden springs of the charges is one of the main things 

 which render his book one of the most valuable contributions to the history and philosophy 

 of demoniacal possession ever written. 



