To the untrained eye 129 Spring Street, New York City, looks like your average building, one that's held dozens of businesses over the years and somehow seems to still remain busy; however, locals know a much darker story dating back over 200 years. The murder of Guelielma Sands, now known as the infamous Manhattan Well Murder, would be the first ever recorded trial in American history. The location of her murder: A well that has been buried beneath a completely average looking building for two centuries. The Gulielma Sands Murder In late 1799, Guliemla 'Elma' Sands lived in a boarding house located at 208 Greenwich Street, New York City. In December of 1799, the young woman enjoyed a secret love affair with another tenant on Greenwich …show more content…
At the time, the well sat in Lispenard's Meadow, a popular destination for local sweethearts in the winter. In the 1820s, upper-middle-class houses were built over the property, sealing the well in the basement of one of these buildings and making 129 Spring Street the legal address of the well today. After that, the location transformed regularly over the years. In the late 1820s, it was a shop which sold remedies for tobacco addiction, then a German beer hall before it was finally vacated and left abandoned for years. It wasn't until the early 2000s that the well hidden under 129 Spring would be featured in the headlines again. When The Manhattan Bistro decided they needed more storage for their restaurant, they chose to excavate the cellar, unearthing the well that had been hidden for nearly 200 years. According to the owners, the well had an eerie presence, looking as though it hadn't aged a day since it was covered up all those years ago. Today, if you travel to 129 Spring to see the haunted well, you'll find COS, an H&M sister company, where the well still remains unnervingly perfect in their basement. Ghostly Sightings and Catherine's