The Witch Trials in Salem
Significantly all three women had low status. If the girls had accused
respected members of the community they might not have been believed. Tituba was looked down
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upon because she was only a slave. Sarah Good was poor and sometimes begged for food. Sarah
Osborne had not been to church for a year. That earned her disapproval from many of her neighbours.
On 29 February 1692 the three were arrested. On 1 March Judge John Hathorne and Judge
Jonathan Corwin examined them. Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne denied the charges but Tituba
confessed. Perhaps she felt that if she denied the charge she would not be believed, after all she was
only a slave. She may also have hoped that if she confessed she would be spared. If so she was correct.
Tituba was imprisoned for a while but she was not executed. Once the witch hysteria was over Tituba
withdrew her confession.
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