Greed and the quest for power also appear again with the exchange between Corey, Putnam, and Danforth. Danforth faces a difficult situation because yet another accuser has been claimed to be acting upon a hidden agenda. Corey has a witness who overheard Putnam talking about obtaining land as a result of his daughter Ruth accusing George Jacobs of witchcraft. This vital information reveals that Ruth is pretending that spirits attack her, and also casts doubt upon the Putnams’ claim against Rebecca Nurse. Not only does this suggest that the Putnams fabricated their charge against Rebecca, but it supports the idea that they did it to obtain land. Putnam is opportunistic and willing to profit from the misfortune of others.
Irony emerges when Corey refuses to name his source. Corey's charge against Putnam provides enough information to end the witch trials, if Danforth would analyze the evidence. However, Danforth dismisses the charge against Putnam because of a lack of proof. Ironically, up until this point the court has been condemning people without proof, relying solely on the testimony of children.
