Here’s how Salem chose & convicted the first ever “witch” they hanged in 1692

The Bridget Bishop Execution of 1692

Bridget Bishop’s two taverns on Washington Street in Salem Town were everything Puritans despised. Men gathered there to drink rum and hard cider, play the forbidden game of shuffleboard, and gamble late into the night.

The 60-year-old widow also loved wearing bright red bodices with colorful lace borders, which convinced her neighbors she was working with the devil.

When four young girls from Salem Village began having mysterious fits in 1692, they accused Bishop of sending her spirit to torment them. She was arrested on April 19, tried on June 2, and hanged on June 10 as the first Salem witch trial victim.

Here’s what led to her death and where to learn more in today’s Salem.

The Tavern Owner Who Dressed “Evil”

Bridget wore a red bodice with colorful loops when most Puritan women wore plain, dark clothes. She ran a tavern with Edward Bishop, her third husband. The tavern served hard cider and let people play shovel board, a game Puritans banned.

Salem folks gossiped about Bridget arguing with her husbands in public. They spread stories about guests staying late at her tavern. The court used these facts as proof she worked with the devil.

First Trial Before the Court of Oyer and Terminer

The Court of Oyer and Terminer first met on June 2, 1692. The name means “to hear and decide.” Chief Justice William Stoughton led the court with Bridget as the first case.

The judges accepted “spectral evidence” as proof. This meant people could claim they saw Bridget’s ghost or spirit harm them, even when she was somewhere else. Her trial lasted eight days, ending with her June 10 execution.

The Damning Testimony Against Her

More people spoke against Bridget than any other Salem witch trial victim. Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard claimed Bridget’s spirit attacked them. They fell to the floor in fits when she looked at them in court.

Samuel Shattuck said Bridget bewitched his son. He said she brought small lace pieces to dye, which he thought she used to make witch dolls. Richard Coman claimed her ghost in a red bodice choked him in his sleep.

The Witch’s Mark Found on Her Body

Court officials ordered doctors to check Bridget’s body on June 2, 1692. The team led by surgeon J. Barton claimed they found an odd growth on her body. They called it a “witch’s mark.”

Salem folks believed this mark proved she made a deal with Satan. They thought witches fed small demon helpers with blood from these marks. This physical proof made the case against Bridget even stronger.

Judge Nathaniel Saltonstall’s Resignation

Judge Nathaniel Saltonstall quit after Bridget’s trial. He likely disagreed with giving her the death penalty based on ghost stories. No record tells us exactly why he left.

Saltonstall was the only judge to leave the court during the witch trials. His leaving hinted that some officials had doubts about the trials. The other judges ignored this warning sign and kept sending people to the gallows.

The Death Warrant Signed on June 8

The court found Bridget guilty and sentenced her to death on June 8, 1692. The death warrant focused on how she hurt her accusers. It said little about real proof beyond the witch’s mark.

Court officials thought her red bodice showed she worked with the devil. Red meant sin to Puritans. The warrant told Sheriff George Corwin to hang her “by the neck until dead.”

Her Final Proclamation of Innocence

Bridget claimed she was innocent from her first day in court until her last breath. Her final words were: “I am no witch. I am innocent.” She never changed her story despite pressure to confess.

She showed no shame at her hanging because she denied doing anything wrong. Many accused witches confessed before death, hoping God would forgive them. The crowd saw her denial as more proof of guilt.

The Journey to Gallows Hill

On the morning of June 10, 1692, guards took Bridget to Gallows Hill. Sheriff George Corwin led her from jail to the hanging site. As High Sheriff of Essex County, he handled all witch trial executions.

A crowd came to watch the first Salem witch hanging. Public executions served as warnings in colonial times. Guards moved Bridget in a cart so everyone could see the “witch” before she died.

The Hanging Method Used by Sheriff Corwin

Sheriff Corwin hanged Bridget from a large oak tree branch on Gallows Hill. The hill was a bare ridge outside town where everyone could see what happened.

Bridget died alone that day, the first and only person killed on June 10. Later hangings killed multiple people at once. The method used a ladder leaned against the tree. After prayers, workers pushed the ladder away, leaving Bridget to die slowly at the rope’s end.

The Immediate Aftermath of Her Execution

After Bridget died, witch accusations slowed down. More than a month passed before the next hangings on July 19. This pause showed the town had second thoughts after seeing a real execution.

Governor William Phips had doubts and asked Boston ministers what to do. They told him to keep the trials going. Less than a year after Bridget died, her husband Edward married Elizabeth Cash. Quick remarriage was common then.

Visiting Gallows Hill, Salem, Massachusetts

You’ll find Gallows Hill Park at 7 Pope Street in Salem, Massachusetts. The park offers a quiet green space with walking paths where you can reflect on the tragic history of the witch trials.

For the full experience, join the “Salem Night Tour” which brings you to Gallows Hill after dark. Combine your visit with the Salem Witch Trials Memorial downtown for a complete understanding of the 1692 events.

Read More from WhenInYourState.com:

• 11 Interesting Locations in Salem, Massachusetts That Go Beyond Witch History
• This Massachusetts Judge’s Home Is the Last Standing Building From America’s Deadliest Witch Hunt
• This 17th Century Salem Mansion Inspired Hawthorne’s Famous Novel About Dark Family Secrets