In act three, Giles Corey presents a deposition from an honest, respected anonymous neighbor claiming that he overheard Thomas Putnam instructing his daughter to accuse George Jacobs of witchcraft so that he can purchase his forfeited land. Thomas Putnam is aware of the law that states if a man confesses to witchcraft, his property will be foreclosed and sold to the highest bidder. Given that Thomas Putnam is the most wealthy man in the community, he is using the witch trials as a means to attain more property. In doing so, Thomas Putnam is having his daughter accuse innocent citizens, who are tried in court and will be hanged if they do not confess to witchcraft. Giles Corey is disgusted by this revelation and desperately wishes to expose the corruption and free his wife. Unfortunately, Giles Corey is charged with contempt of court and arrested after he refuses to disclose the name of the citizen who wrote the deposition accusing Thomas Putnam of "killing his neighbors for their land."

At this point, Giles Corey believes that Thomas Putnam is having his daughter cry witch against people on purpose.
Once a person is hanged for witchcraft, his land is taken away and is auctioned off to the highest bidder. It cannot be left to family of the hanged person. Thomas Putnam was one of the few men in Salem who had the means to buy the property. Giles feels Putnam is so greedy for land that he is willing to have his neighbors hanged for witchcraft to get it.

Later, Giles Corey found a way to get around this law. He refused to answer the indictment (accusation) of witchcraft against him. He would not answer yes or no to the accusation. Since he wouldn't answer, the court couldn't take his land away, and Giles was able to pass it down to his son. Instead of being hanged, Giles was "pressed to death" by having heavy rocks placed on his chest until he died. They were trying to get him to answer the indictment.