Pretty clear,concise summing up of the Salem witch trials. I am a decendent if Rebecca Nurse, one of three sisters caught up in the hysteria. Rebecca was hung, the second sister died in prison, if my memory serves, and the third was released at the end only to die a few months later from the effects of her imprisonment. Pretty ugly time in New England.
A couple of my ancestors and their neighbors signed a document attesting to the innocence of Rebecca Nurse. The Nurse family placed a memorial stone in the family cemetery at the Nurse residence listing the names of the people who came to her defense.
The sister that lived was Sarah. There is a movie about her story "Three Sovereigns for Sarah" starring Vanessa Redgrave. Find the movie and learn her story, it seems she was hid until this hysteria foolishness was all over. The English Crown gave Sarah three sovereigns, one for each sister and for herself.
Then of course all the Trial information and text of all testimonies are online. Have you visited the Nurse homestead in Danvers yet? Beautiful old home and in very good shape. I had the priviledge of seeing it several years ago.
I suppose you also know that all the films about the Trials are filmed on the Rebecca Nurse homesite. The newest "The Crucible", is a good source to view the place, although that version tells some more lies.