Nine New Accused and Thomas Putnam’s “Wheel Within a Wheel” Letter (April 21, 1692)We race through April 21, 1692 as accusations explode with nine new witchcraft suspects—William and Deliverance Hobbs, Nehemiah Abbott Jr., Mary Esty, Sarah Wildes, Edward Bishop Jr., Sarah Bishop, Mary Black, and Mary English—pushing the total accused to 23 and prompting Hathorne and Corwin to issue arrest warrants for examination at Ingersoll’s Ordinary. We also follow the chaotic jail questioning of Mary Warren as her story shifts about the Proctors, the “book,” coercion, fits, spectral pressure, and an alleged greenish ointment tied to the Bassett family. Elsewhere, Samuel Appleton summons witnesses in the Rachel Clinton matter. The day’s strangest turn is Thomas Putnam’s dramatic, scripture-laced letter to Corwin and Hathorne—widely read as aimed at George Burroughs—invoking “a wheel within a wheel” and “ears shall tingle.”00:00 Nine New Accused00:39 Meet the Suspects03:19 Arrest Warrants Issued03:55 Mary Warren Recants06:25 Spectral Evidence Debate07:14 Poppets and Ointment08:03 Other Court Business08:26 Putnam’s Bizarre Letter09:05 Biblical Clues and Burroughs

Jailhouse Confessions and Two Georges in the DarkWe take you straight into Salem jail on April 20, 1692, where Abigail Hobbs doubles down after her confession and names apparitions, a “witches’ sabbath,” and the Devil’s image-magic used to afflict the girls. Then the pressure shifts to Mary Warren as she describes signing the book, explosive claims about the Proctors, and the tense, live-wire moment when Giles Cory is brought in and her fits erupt as he turns to face her. The night turns even darker as two new specters surface: former minister George Burroughs in Ann Putnam Jr.’s terrifying encounter, and elderly farmer George Jacobs Sr. in Mercy Lewis’s midnight testimony. Our best hook: the claustrophobic, fast-moving jailhouse intrigue where accusations multiply and the next wave of suspects is already closing in.00:00 Confessions Continue00:20 Abigail Hobbs Details01:21 Devil’s Images and Sabbath01:57 Mary Warren Questioned03:08 Giles Corey Jailhouse Drama04:31 Specter of George Burroughs06:14 George Jacobs Appears06:58 Tomorrow’s New Suspects

April 19, 1692: Confessions, Specters, and the Salem Village ExaminationsWe head straight into the packed courtroom at Ingersoll’s Ordinary as magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin arrive from Salem Town to interrogate Giles Cory, Bridget Bishop, Mary Warren, and Abigail Hobbs—while Ezekiel Cheever and Samuel Parris take notes and the afflicted erupt. Two of the accused confess and two refuse, and then the witness statements begin: reports of spectral visits, pinching, choking, and relentless pressure to sign the devil’s book—followed by the striking moment when the afflicted claim relief as soon as a confession starts. Depositions from Benjamin Gould, Priscilla Chub, Elizabeth Hubbard, Margaret Knight, Mercy Lewis, Lydia and Elizabeth Nichols, and Mary Walcott drive the day’s narrative and reveal how quickly accusations spread from one name to the next. For the full examinations, our weekly podcast goes deeper into what unfolded on April 19, 1692.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:10 April 19 Court Examinations01:12 Witness Depositions Begin01:28 Gould Accuses Cory and Procter02:00 Hobbs Confession Stories03:40 Confession Stops Afflictions04:16 Nichols Sisters Testify05:08 Mary Walcott Sees Specter05:54 Hubbard vs Warren and Bishop06:51 Podcast Plug and Wrap

April 18, 1692: Four More Arrests, and a Name AddedFour more suspects were arrested on Monday, April 18, 1692—Giles Corey, Mary Warren, Abigail Hobbs, and Bridget Bishop—with Bishop named as a suspect for the first time in a warrant that shows her name inserted after the document was initially written. Earlier that day, John Putnam Jr. and Ezekiel Cheever complained that the four had bewitched Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Three days earlier, Putnam’s infant had died, and he later tied the death to the Towne family, including Rebecca Nurse, Mary Esty, and Sarah Cloyce. Magistrates ordered Essex County marshal George Herrick to make the arrests and summon multiple witnesses, and the suspects were taken to Ingersoll’s Ordinary, a central Salem Village site used to stage prisoners and examinations.00:00 Daily Introduction00:09 Four Arrests Named00:25 Warrant And Complaints00:56 Putnam Infant Death01:22 Marshal Summons Witnesses01:40 Ingersoll Ordinary Setting02:01 Why Ingersoll Matters02:24 Next Day Examinations

Abigail Hobbs and the Devil’s NicknamesWe take you straight into Salem Village on Sunday, April 17, 1692, where the specter of rebellious Topsfield teen Abigail Hobbs unsettles the afflicted with her bold claims about the devil and her contempt for her stepmother, Deliverance. Our account follows testimonies describing Abigail’s strange acts—sleeping alone in the woods, declaring she sold herself “body and soul,” and even “baptizing” Deliverance by throwing water in her face—alongside chilling warnings about “Old Nick,” “Old Cratten,” and the “Old Boy.” As accusations mount, Deliverance will later say that at the meetinghouse she saw birds, cats, and dogs urging her to “come away,” and both she and Abigail will confess to witchcraft as their colorful tales deepen.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:05 Abigail Hobbs Appears00:24 Boasts of the Devil00:39 Wild Acts and Woods01:16 Threats and Old Nick01:46 Deliverance Accused02:06 Confessions and Tease

New Specters: Bridget Bishop and Mary Warren Enter the Salem Witch TrialsTwo new specters ignite Salem Village in April 1692, pushing the accused list to 14 in just seven weeks, with 10 already in custody and no slowdown in sight. We track the sudden rise of Bridget Bishop and Mary Warren as names tied to the afflictions of Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Bridget—living in Salem Town and long shadowed by a 1679 witchcraft trial despite acquittal—faces lurid claims of spectral assaults on men at night and accusations reaching back years, while often being confused with Sarah Bishop of the village tavern. Mary Warren’s role whipsaws from formerly afflicted to accuser to suspect, with Elizabeth Hubbard alleging Mary urged her to sign the devil’s book and joined forces with Bridget to torment her, as legal action against Bridget accelerates fast and dramatically.00:00 Daily Update Begins00:15 Two New Suspects00:59 Bridget Bishop Profile01:48 Old Rumors and Confusion02:33 Mary Warren Accused02:46 Disassemble Claim Fallout03:12 Testimony and What’s Next03:34 Watch These Cases

We’re in Salem Village on Thursday, April 14, 1692, where spectral appearances are treated as proof of a diabolical pact. We dig into Mercy Lewis’s September 9 deposition accusing Giles Cory, describing his specter as unnaturally strong, tormenting her, pressuring her to sign the Devil’s book, and beating her nearly to the point of breaking her back—leading her to declare him a “dreadful wizard,” even while he sits in prison. We also draw from Abigail Williams’s May 31 testimony against Martha Cory, claiming Martha’s apparition hauled, pinched, and tempted her to sign the Devil’s book and that she saw her at the Devil’s sacrament. We question how Abigail keeps appearing at these alleged devil gatherings while remaining an “afflicted” witness and the pastor’s niece.00:00 Welcome and Hosts00:04 Spectral Evidence Explained00:30 Mercy Lewis vs Giles Cory01:02 Abigail Williams vs Martha Cory01:28 Why Abigail Sees Sabbaths