Cold Open

It’s May 14th, 1878, at the Essex County Courthouse in Salem, Massachusetts.

Justice Horace Gray takes his seat, and the rest of the packed courtroom follows his lead. Aside from the attorneys, witnesses, and court officials, dozens of spectators have crammed into the room. Justice Gray isn’t surprised. He’s a 50-year-old veteran of the bench, but this might be the strangest case he’s ever presided over.

Most days, his docket is predictable—unpaid debts, petty thefts, the occasional bar fight. But today’s defendant is something else entirely. A local faith healer has been accused of “malicious animal magnetism.” And as far as Gray can tell, that means causing harm to another person just by thinking evil thoughts.

With the court still not settled, Justice Gray picks up his gavel and bangs it repeatedly until the room comes to order.

He then calls on the plaintiff’s attorney to present the case.

A man with muttonchops and intense eyes gets to his feet. Justice Gray has never seen this man before, and he doesn’t look much like an attorney. And everyone in the courtroom watches as the man paces the floor in front of the judge’s bench. Then, in a thick German accent, he begins to outline the most astonishing series of events Justice Gray has ever heard.

Over the next few hours, the court will be gripped by the extraordinary testimony that one man can hurt another just with the power of his mind. And what makes it all even more sensational is where it’s happening—because, almost two centuries after the infamous Salem witch trials, America’s last witchcraft trial will begin in the same town on May 14th, 1878.

Introduction

From Noiser and Airship, I’m Lindsay Graham and this is History Daily.

History is made every day. On this podcast—every day—we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world.

Today is May 14th, 1878: The Second Salem Witch Trial.

Act One: When Daniel Met Mary

It’s 1875 at a train station in Lynn, Massachusetts, three years before America’s last witchcraft trial begins.

A locomotive hisses to a stop, and 33-year-old shoemaker Daniel Spofford steps onto the platform. Adjusting his hat, he follows the other passengers out onto the street. He then walks several blocks, and then stops outside a plain, unremarkable house. The woman who lives there is far from ordinary, however. Mary Baker is a faith healer—and she’s promised to teach Daniel the secrets of her art.

Daniel has always kept an open mind. During his time in the Union Army, he met fellow soldiers who claimed to have strange powers like speaking to the dead or foretelling casualties in battle. After the war, he read an article by a woman named Mary Baker, who claimed she could communicate with spirits. Daniel was so intrigued that he paid Mary a visit, and that marked the beginning of a close friendship.

Mary told Daniel how years of chronic illness had led her to her unusual calling. She’d tried everything from conventional medicine to homeopathy, even electrotherapy, but nothing worked. Then, she turned to mesmerism—the idea that the human mind can influence unseen forces through belief and sheer will. This set Mary on a new path, one that led her to embrace the healing power of religion.

She called her movement “Christian Science.” And as she told Daniel, the Bible described Jesus’s healing powers in a way that echoed mesmerism. And after a fall in 1866, that left her in agony, she claimed to have healed herself through prayer and positive thinking alone. Then, she started treating other people, becoming a faith healer who claimed she could draw on the divine power of God to cure the diseased.

Daniel wasn’t entirely convinced. He returned home and went back to work as a shoemaker’s assistant. But now, five years later, he’s ready to commit. He wants to learn from Mary and heal the sick through faith, prayer, and mental discipline. And for a fee of $100, Mary has agreed to take Daniel on as her student.

It takes Daniel a few months to complete his training. He then reinvents himself as “Dr. Spofford ” and opens his own faith healing practice, though he remains one of Mary’s most loyal followers. As well as promising her 10% of his earnings, he organizes her classes and rents meeting spaces. He also gathers donations to publish her book, Science and Health. And he even introduces Mary to the man who’ll become her third husband, Asa Eddy.

But Daniel soon comes to regret playing the matchmaker. As Mary increasingly turns to her new husband for help, Daniel feels sidelined, and tensions between the two grow. They argue over how to use the royalties from Mary’s book. Daniel wants to pay back those who helped pay for its publication. But Mary insists on keeping the profits and putting the money toward printing a second edition.

Eventually, the relationship fractures entirely. Mary claims that Daniel is withholding the 10% from his practice that he promised and sues for her share of his earnings. But the case collapses almost immediately—her lawyer misfiles the paperwork, and the judge throws it out. But that doesn’t stop Mary expelling Daniel from the Christian Science movement. And it’s not the end of her vendetta. She soon spots another opportunity to bring her former student down.

In 1878, Mary meets 50-year-old Lucretia Brown, an unmarried woman who lives near the town of Salem in Massachusetts. Lucretia has suffered from the effects of a spinal injury for most of her life. The only relief she’s ever had came from the faith healing provided by one of Mary’s students. And with that help, Lucretia could walk without pain for the first time in years.

But a few weeks ago, she suffered a relapse. Every step again is agony. So, Lucretia’s usual faith healer sent her to see Mary, thinking that if anyone could help, it was her.

But Mary initially draws a blank. Until, she suddenly declares that she knows the source of Lucretia’s pain—it’s Daniel Spofford. He is using “malicious animal magnetism”—a kind of mental force that harms rather than heals. And according to Mary, he’s doing it not just to hurt Lucretia but also to damage the reputation of the entire Christian Science movement.

Mary convinces Lucretia that there’s only one way to stop Daniel, and has nothing to do with prayer. Lucretia must take him to court. And soon, Salem will once again be gripped by accusations of witchcraft. But a lot has changed since such charges were last heard in this town. And this time, the law won’t be on the accusers’ side.

Act Two: Justice Denied

It’s May 14th, 1878, at the Essex County Courthouse in Salem, Massachusetts, four months after Daniel Spofford was expelled from the Christian Science movement.

Edward Arens rises from his seat and slowly approaches the judge’s bench. He pauses, glancing over his shoulder at the packed courtroom. Some of the spectators have come to support him. But many others are just here out of morbid curiosity, eager to witness what the newspapers have described as “Salem’s second witch trial.”

Edward draws a breath to settle his nerves. He’s no attorney or legal expert—he’s simply a devoted follower of Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Science movement. But that didn’t stop Mary from asking him to represent Lucretia Brown in her lawsuit against Daniel Spofford. So, Edward has spent days rehearsing this moment. Still, now that the time has come, his voice almost fails him.

The judge raises his eyebrows, waiting for Edward to begin. Edward gathers himself again, and then finally speaks. At first, his words come out haltingly, his German accent almost too strong for people to understand. The judge leans forward, straining to follow. But Edward’s nerves gradually settle, and he begins to speak more clearly.

He tells the court that the defendant, Daniel Spofford, is using the power of his mind to inflict terrible harm on Lucretia. Sympathetic murmurs ripple around the room as Edward paints a picture of a spinster in so much pain she can barely walk, let alone attend court. He describes how the so-called “Dr. Spofford” has twisted the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy and turned them to evil purposes. Some of Mary’s followers in the court call out the Daniel is a traitor. And as the atmosphere becomes heated, the judge must use his gavel again to restore order.

But before Edward can continue, the judge interrupts. He asks Edward to explain exactly what Mary’s teaching involves. When Edward describes how Mary uses prayer and the focused power of thought to cure patients, disbelieving laughter spreads through the courtroom. Even some of the court officials struggle to hide their skepticism.

But Edward is used to that kind of reaction. Many of Mary’s critics accuse her of leading a cult and that Christian Science is nothing more than a fraud.

But Edward is a true believer. He’s taken part in healing sessions himself. He even contributed to group prayers where Mary’s followers channeled positive thoughts to create a spiritual shield against Daniel Spofford. So Edward doesn’t let the mocking laughter he hears derail him.

And by the time he’s finished, Edward is confident that he’s made his case. The judge adjourns proceedings and asks the court to reconvene in three days. Turning to Edward, he says that Lucretia does not need to attend.

But when the hearing resumes, Daniel’s chair is also empty. Edward feels a flicker of satisfaction—Daniel’s absence surely won’t sit well with the judge. But the mood shifts when Daniel’s attorney rises and announces he’s submitting a demurrer.

Edward frowns. He’s not familiar with this legal term. But the judge nods. And over the next few minutes, the attorney explains. Even if the court accepts that malicious animal magnetism is real and declares Daniel guilty of it, there’s nothing that can be done to stop him. The American legal system has no power over what goes on in Daniel’s mind. For the attorney, there’s only one possible course of action—the case must be thrown out.

The room falls silent as the judge considers this latest development. Then, he announces his decision. He agrees with the motion. Edward jumps to his feet to object, but the judge takes no notice. And with another bang of his gavel, the case is dismissed.

The room erupts. Daniel’s legal team celebrates, shaking hands and grinning at one another. Many of the spectators grumble because they were here to enjoy the spectacle of a witchcraft trial. This sudden end is an anticlimax.

But the loudest reaction comes from the Christian Scientists here to support Edward. They shout with outrage. The judge has granted them the right to appeal—but the case won’t be heard again until November, and that’s six months away.

And Edward is determined to deal with the problem of Daniel Spofford sooner than that—and he wants a more permanent solution. So, he turns to Mary’s husband, Asa Eddy. And together, they form an audacious plan to kill Daniel.

But their murderous conspiracy won’t stay secret for long. Soon, Edward Arens will return to court. And this time, he won’t be arguing for the plaintiff. Instead, he’ll be the defendant.

Act Three: In Cold Blood

It’s October 22nd, 1878, in Cambridge port, Massachusetts, five months after the lawsuit against Daniel Spofford was dismissed.

Daniel sits at his kitchen table, scanning the day’s Boston Daily Globe newspaper. His eyes move quickly down the front page, until he spots what he’s looking for—a small notice at the very bottom with the headline “Missing.” According to the paper, Daniel hasn’t been seen in days, and his brother is searching the city for him.

But Daniel isn’t really missing—he’s in hiding. A week ago, a detective showed up on his doorstep with alarming news. A man had confessed to the police that he’d been hired to murder Daniel. But there wasn’t enough evidence to make an arrest—so detectives devised a plan to catch the conspirators red-handed. Daniel was secretly taken to a safe house and instructed to stay indoors. The would-be killer was then told to return to his employers and claim the job was done. And when they paid him, the police would swoop in to make the arrest.

The small notice in today’s newspaper should help the charade. But Daniel still feels bad about making his brother worry, and he’s anxious to be able to come out of hiding as soon as possible.

Still, it takes another few days before word comes that two men have been arrested for ordering Daniel’s murder. They are Edward Arens, the man who argued against Daniel in court, and Asa Eddy, Mary Baker Eddy’s husband.

Edward and Asa are put on trial, but once again, a case involving Daniel falls apart. The defense attacks the credibility of the hitman, and the prosecution collapses. Edward and Asa go free. But still, Mary isn’t willing to end her grudge against Daniel Spofford.

So when her husband Asa dies four years later, Mary will claim that he was the victim of a “mental assassination” by someone using malicious animal magnetism—and everyone will know who she means. Few people will be willing to believe her, though—least of all her former student, Daniel Spofford. By then, he’ll have left Massachusetts, eager to put the past behind him after he became the subject of Salem’s dramatic but short second witchcraft trial on May 14th, 1878.

Outro

Next on History Daily. May 15th, 1932. The Prime Minister of Japan is assassinated in an attempted coup d’état.

From Noiser and Airship, this is History Daily, hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham.

Audio editing by Muhammad Shahzaib.

Sound design by Mollie Baack.

Music by Thrumm.

This episode is written and researched by Samuel Hume.

Edited by Scott Reeves.

Managing producer Emily Burke.

Executive Producers are William Simpson for Airship, and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.