Bridget Bishop was the first, among many, to be hanged on charges of witchcraft. She was first accused of witchcraft after the death of her second husband, but those charges had beed dropped. Some believed that Bishop's trouble with obeying authority or her association with bad people were the reasons she was an easy target for accusations. 

 

A man named William Stacy claimed that, several years before Bishop's accusation, she had frightened him. He also said that she was the cause of his daughters death. Bishop denied all claims put against her and her husband, Edward Bishop, testified that she was a witch.

 

Another charge brought forward against Bishop was from two men who claimed they found voodoo dolls pinned to the walls of her cellar while they were working. Soon after, Bishop was arrested with several others and brought before the Court or Oyer and Terminer. She was convicted and sentenced to death on charges of witchcraft. She was hanged on June 10 on Gallows Hill.

                                    (info from: womenshistory.about.com)