In Act Three, Giles Corey hands his deposition to Danforth, and in it he "states that [Putnam] coldly prompted [his] daughter to cry witchery upon George Jacobs [...]." So, Corey believes that Putnam gave his daughter, Ruth, instructions to accuse Jacobs. Further, Corey points out that if Jacobs is convicted of witchcraft (and, therefore, hanged), his vast property goes up for auction so that anyone may buy it and "none but Putnam [has] the coin...
In Act Three, Giles Corey hands his deposition to Danforth, and in it he "states that [Putnam] coldly prompted [his] daughter to cry witchery upon George Jacobs [...]." So, Corey believes that Putnam gave his daughter, Ruth, instructions to accuse Jacobs. Further, Corey points out that if Jacobs is convicted of witchcraft (and, therefore, hanged), his vast property goes up for auction so that anyone may buy it and "none but Putnam [has] the coin to buy so great a piece" of land.
Moreover, Corey claims that "an honest man" told him that, on the day Ruth accused Jacobs, he'd overheard Mr. Putnam day that "she'd given him a fair gift of land." The only way such a statement makes sense is if he was planning to buy Jacobs' land when it goes up for auction, something that is only possible if he is accused, an action that his daughter -- conveniently enough -- has taken.
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