Mr. Cheever, have warrants drawn for all of these – arrest for examination.
– Arthur Miller
The Crucible, Act 3. The system of justice in Salem is weighed heavily against the accused, as seen by this decision of Judge Danforth. An attempt is made to present a petition signed by 91 landholding farmers and members of the church declaring that three accused women are not witches. Instead of accepting it as evidence, Danforth orders Cheever to have the entire 91 arrested for questioning. Justice is a scarce commodity in Salem.