 In 1692, which fever struck Salem and the Puritan state executed 18 women and one man for entirely imagined crimes? True believer Puritans saw Satan and his minions behind every tree and in the eyes of every person not elect. Once the first baseless accusations flew, the flood was unstoppable. One thing only ended the feverish trials. Accusers gradually turned on the affluent and influential after using up the easier targets of marginalized and poor women.