Which accuser publicly apologized in 1706 for her role in the trials?

The accuser who publicly apologized in 1706 for her role in the Salem trials was Ann Putnam Jr.

Putnam was one of the most active young accusers during the 1692 crisis. She began reporting afflictions at about age twelve and testified or supported accusations against numerous people, including Rebecca Nurse and members of Nurse’s family. Her involvement was connected to the religious and family conflicts that divided Salem Village.

On August 25, 1706, Putnam stood before the Salem Village congregation as the minister read a confession she had prepared with his assistance. She acknowledged that she had helped accuse innocent people and described herself as having been deceived during the crisis. She specifically expressed remorse over the suffering caused to Rebecca Nurse and others.

Her apology did not erase the harm caused by the trials, and historians differ over how fully it accepted personal responsibility. Still, Ann Putnam Jr. is generally identified as the only one of the principal afflicted girls to make a public apology. She died in 1716, unmarried and still relatively young.