The COS store on 129 Spring St. in SoHo may appear to be just another trendy retail space to shoppers, but there is a hidden history behind the cylindrical brick structure in the men’s department. The structure is actually a more than 200-year-old well that was part of an infamous murder trial in 1800, making it the first murder trial in the United States with a recorded transcript. The well is said to be haunted by the ghost of Gulielma “Elma” Sands, the woman whose body was found in the well over two centuries ago.
Elma Sands, 22, disappeared after leaving her boarding house on the evening of Dec. 22, 1799. Her bruised body was found in the well about a week-and-a-half later, leading to the arrest and trial of Levi Weeks, who was accused of her murder. Weeks was acquitted after a short trial, and Sands’ murder remains unsolved.
The well was located outdoors in Lispenard’s Meadow at the time of the murder, but is now inside the COS store. Historical novelist Lauren Willig, who researched the trial for her upcoming book, highlighted the ghost stories surrounding Elma Sands’ death. The well was rediscovered in the 1980s when the owner excavated the basement, and COS moved in after the building was sold in 2015.
The store’s location has become a point of interest for historians, paranormal enthusiasts, and tour guides like Mark Venaglia, who see the well as a tangible connection to the past. Despite the store’s modern appearance, the well serves as a reminder of the city’s history and the unresolved mysteries that continue to fascinate people to this day.
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Photo credit gothamist.com