Today in Salem: The seeds of resistance are fully rooted and beginning to grow.
In May the former deputy John Willard quit after arresting what he considered to be innocent people. In June a judge quit for the same reason. Soon after that, a group of ministers sent a letter to the judges in protest of spectral evidence.
This month grassroots protests have begun to take hold, with 11 people testifying on the neighborly Elizabeth How‘s behalf, and 39 signing a petition to the governor for the beloved Rebecca Nurse.
Now the harsh John Proctor writes a letter on behalf of his fellow prisoners to several influential ministers. Yesterday’s torture of the teenage boys (as well as Proctor’s own son) shows that confessions are being forced and accepted, even when they’re inconsistent. He and his fellow prisoners are condemned before they’ve even had their trials.
Proctor begs the ministers to attend the trials and see for themselves what’s happening. He asks them to intercede and have the trials held at the larger court in Boston, or at least replace the judges with more unbiased ones. Just as important, he begs for their prayers.