Today in Salem: The Sheriff’s officer is shaking his fist and arguing with the widow Mary Parker’s sons. Two days have gone by since her hanging, and the Sheriff wants to seize everything. Everything. There’s money to be made, and who knows how much longer this will go on?

“This is mine!” the oldest son says, clenching his jaw and pointing past the house and fields. “First my father’s, and now mine!” His father had died years ago and willed his belongings to his children, effective when Mary died. “My mother had nothing!”

It makes no difference. The officer takes the cattle, plus all of the hay and the recently harvested corn. Later the sons complain directly to the Sheriff, but he demands £10 to stop the confiscation. It’s more than the sons have. The Sheriff finally agrees to £6, payable within the month, most of it to pay the bill for Mary’s time in jail.

Tomorrow in Salem: SEIZED: the property of the hanged fortuneteller Samuel Wardwell