e punished her (25). Her claims said that there were other witches as well, she had met them in Boston, and in the woods with the tall man, and they all rode on sticks (Wilson, 25). Tituba later confessed she had tried to kill children, while in the form of her specter (Wilson, 26). The other witches, and the devil had dragged her over to Dr. Grigg's residence, and told her to kill Elizabeth Hubbard with a knife (26). Afterwards, at Thomas Putnam's house the witches attempted to slit the throat of twelve year old Ann Putnam Jr. (26). Tituba was fortunate, all of the witches who confessed had there lives spared (Wilson, 27). The Magistrates felt that if they confessed they had repented their sins, and were no longer with the devil (27). They could also serve as witnesses against those who protested they were innocent (27). The accused witches who claimed innocence in spite of convincing evidence were hanged (27).The one thing that stands out throughout the trials is the status of the executed (Boyer, 23). Mainly, the executed were older women who had made a name for themselves in the village (23). Few of the young girls were executed, most of them were treated as innocent victims (23). Adults clearly had it worse during the dreadful period. If they were accused they were usually executed (24). In order to make an accused witch confess to his or her doings they were sometimes tortured until a confession, or death resulted (Van Der Linde, 54). The methods used to torture witches in Salem was mild compared to what European history holds. Pricking a witches mark was a common practice, along with torturing the accused witches family (54). Several children of various families were tortured in order to obtain evidence against there parents (54). However, the cruelest method used during The Salem With Trials was pressing. Corey Giles was the first to receive this treatment (54). Giles wife was accused of witchcraft, and when h...
