Giles Corey (also spelled Cory or Coree, c. 1611 – September 19, 1692) was a farmer and member of the church in early colonial America who died under judicial torture during the Salem witch trials. Corey refused to enter a plea, and was crushed to death by stone weights in an attempt to force him to do so. In April 1692, he was accused of witchcraft by Ann Putnam, Jr., Mercy Lewis and Abigail Williams. Ann Putnam, Jr. claimed that on April 13, the specter of Giles Corey visited her and asked her to write in the Devil's book. Later, Putnam also claimed that a ghost appeared before her to announce that it had been murdered by Corey. Other girls were to describe Corey as "a dreadful wizard" and recount stories of assaults by his specter. Corey's reported last words were "More rocks" or "More weight".
Read more about Giles Corey: Pre-trial History, Arrest, Examination and Refusal To Plead, Pressed To Death, Legacy
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—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)