Today is Saturday, February 29th, 2020.

On this day in 1692, farmer Thomas Putnam accused three women of witchcraft,

some of the first witchcraft accusations in Salem, Massachusetts. Welcome to Today in True Crime, a parcast original.

Due to the graphic nature of today's crimes, listener discretion is advised.

Extreme caution is advised for listeners under 13.

Today we're covering the accusations against Salem residents Sarah Goode and Sarah Osborne and the enslaved woman

Tichuba. This event ignited the Salem witch trials.

Let's go back to Putnam's home in Salem, Massachusetts

on February 29, 1692. The air was frigid. Many were huddled inside their homes to keep warm, but Thomas Putnam wasn't worried about the weather. He believed a far greater evil was just outside his door.

Something sinister lurked on the edge of Salem, an entity that needed to be removed.

For months, neighbors had been telling Putnam stories of strange behavior from some of the

women in town.

It was said that the girls were barking like dogs,

contorting their bodies in abnormal ways,

and being touched by evil spirits.

He was skeptical at first, but the strange phenomenon hit close to home when his daughter, Anne Putnam, started

acting oddly. Putnam looked at Anne one last time before he left the house.

He gazed at her weary face and gently kissed her forehead.

He was doing the right thing for his family for Salem.

Putnam grabbed his coat and opened the door. His destination, the magistrate's office.

Thomas Putnam was joined by his brother, Edward Putnam, and his friends Thomas Preston and Joseph

Hutchinson. He was honored that his fellow Puritans were here to stand by a side.

...