Try visiting Salem's
jail for some thrilling times. The jail itself isn't of note, but the
field behind it, where Howard Cemetery
was recently placed, is where a grisly event took place. Giles Cory, the man
crushed with stones because he refused to plead guilty and thus lose his
property for his future heirs, met his fate here. It is rumored that he singled
out George Corwin, the sheriff of Salem
village in 1692, not only because he was the mastermind behind Giles' death but
because Sheriff Corwin received the land Giles Cory had worked so hard to
maintain. He is said to have cursed Corwin and even the very village where he
had lived for many years.
Fast forward many centuries to more recent days. Whenever something occurs
that seriously affects Salem's
citizens, such as natural disasters, it is attributed to Giles Cory and his
curse. Also, records say that every sheriff that has inhabited the jail since
Corwin was sheriff has been diagnosed with the same ailment, resulting in
either passing away on the job or becoming too ill to work at the station. You
decide. Is it coincidence? One has to wonder if the people of Salem
are still too eager to pin disasters on a malevolent force, just as they were
in the black days of 1692.
Old Burial Point is to some a historical attraction by way of its claim to
fame. It is one of America's
oldest cemeteries. To thrill-seekers, the place is much more. This is where,
long after the suspected "witches" were hanged by the Puritan
hierarchy, a monument was placed to pay homage to the victims who many believe
were wrongly accused. Walking in this misty ancient cemetery at night brings
chills, and there are not just because of the chilly Northern evenings. Few
cemeteries of such infamous repute are accessible in the whole of the United
States.