In Stamford Connecticut 1692 a crisis broke out, a seventeen-year-old maid servant began to have intense fits and terrors claiming she was bewitched. Katherine Branch, the young maid servant for Daniel and Abigail Wescot continued to have intense fits and episodes. Young Katherine during many of her fits would suddenly collapse, cry out she was being poked and pinched by invisible creatures and also cry in a helpless terror. As the fits continued to happen they increasingly became worse and drew the attention of neighbors and townsfolk. Neighbors of the Wescot’s came to visit their home to see Katherine’s fits for themselves, many of the neighbors were trivial to believe if the maid servant was truly bewitched or simply putting on a show to avoid her work. Many of the neighbors watched and preformed tests to asses if the maid servant’s fits were super natural, natural or fake. Neighbors were …show more content…
Godbeer reproduced the petition on behalf of Elizabeth Clawson, “…we do declare that since we have known our said neighbor Goodwife Clawson we have not known her to be of a contentious frame nor given to use threatening words nor to act maliciously towards her neighbors, but hath been civil and orderly towards others.” (Godbeer pg62) The petition was signed by seventy-six Stamford residents taking Clawson’s side and providing evidence in her favor. This further supports Godbeer’s argument because it shows the courts desire to see evidence and give the defendant a fair opportunity to defend themselves in trial. The court was now making is necessary to provide evidence before coming to a consensus in hopes to stop executing innocent people. Allowing the defendant to present evidence and the opportunity to defend themselves portrays how Stamford’s court desired to have a moral and fair court opposed to sentencing to execution because a lack of