The eventual guilty verdict relied heavily upon key testimony provided by specific individuals. These were people who had been apprehended and charged, and who finally relented in the face of intense questioning and probable sleep deprivation. Crucially, it was said that each confessant gave their story without any knowledge of what the others had said. That they all seemed to be consistent with one another was seen as conclusive proof that the events they described did indeed happen. 

None of the confessants were executed.