In 1692, during the Salem witch trials, 81-year-old Giles Corey was accused of witchcraft—not because of spells or strange behavior, but because he challenged the legitimacy of the court.

After his wife Martha was accused, Corey openly criticized the trials and refused to play along. That defiance made him a target.

When brought to trial, Corey did something extraordinary:

He refused to enter a plea—knowing that doing so would allow the court to seize his land. Without a plea, they couldn’t try him... but they could try to force one.

Corey was sentenced to pressing: a horrific form of torture in which heavy stones were piled on his chest. It lasted two days. He never relented.

His final words?
“More weight.”

Corey’s silence protected his estate for his heirs—and made him one of the most haunting figures in Salem’s dark history.