At the time of the first allegations of witchcraft Willard was serving as a constable in the village of Salem and his duties included bringing the accused before the court.

[6] Initially after arriving at Salem Village, John Willard worked as a hired hand on the Putnam farm.

Ann Putnam, Sr. had recently given birth to a baby girl and Willard was usually asked to watch the infant.

Wilkins would later testify that Willard, after Ann Jr. began to accuse him, "came my house greatly troubled" and wanted him and other villagers to pray for him.

Wilkins would tell his grandson-in-law that, unfortunately, he was on his way out of town for business, but if Willard would come home before night then he would pray with him.

[10] On Tuesday May 3, 1692, Willard asked his uncle-in-law Henry Wilkins (one of Bray's sons) to accompany him to Boston for election week.

Typically, many family members would meet there for dinner, and on one of those nights Willard and Henry Wilkins would arrive.

Bray continued to suffer painful attacks throughout the day "I cannot express the misery I was in, for my water was suddenly stopped, and i had no benefit of nature, but was like a man on a rack".

Mercy Lewis, a prolific accuser during the Witch Trials who was also there, affirmed that she saw "the apparition of John Willard" afflicting Daniel.

Quickly afterwards, another infamous accuser, Ann Putnam Jr., claimed she had also seen the same apparition attacking Daniel.

A short time afterwards, Putnam Jr. caught John Willard attending to his meadows in Lancaster, and brought him back to Salem Village.

On May 18, 1692, the magistrates began to castigate him for fleeing by saying "That you were fled from Authority....is an acknowledgment of guilt....but yet notwithstanding we require you to confess the truth in this matter."

[citation needed] The magistrates confronted him with testimonies not only from the current afflictions that were happening in the village, but also the dreadful murders he had been charged with, reading to him statements from Mercy Lewis, Ann Putnam Jr., and Susannah Sheldon.

Benjamin Wilkins Sr, testified that Willard "abused his wife much & broke sticks about her in beating of her."

"[citation needed] After hearing this, Willard asked that his wife be called so that she can refute the charges, however, the justices denied his request.

"[citation needed] At the close of his examination, the justices asked Willard to recite the Lord's prayer, which he could not do.