Manhattan Well Murder

On January 2, 1800, the body of Gulielma Sands was found inside a well located at 129 Spring Street in New York City. There were "strong suspicions of [Sands] having been willfully murdered" by her secret lover Levi Weeks.

In what became the first recorded murder trial in history, Weeks was defended in court by wealthy friends Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. The case was largely circumstantial and Weeks was acquitted after five minutes of jury deliberation. The decision was widely criticized in local newspapers and Weeks was forced to flee New York City for the small town of Natchez, Mississippi, where he became a successful architect. 

The well is preserved in the basement of a clothing store and is a popular destination for paranormal enthusiasts. The Travel Channel named the location among the "10 Most Haunted Places in America" while employees regularly report disembodied screams coming from the well. 

​​Address: 129 Spring Street. New York, NY.
Source: Report of Trial of Levy Weeks. Coleman, (1800).