The Manhattan Well Murder Trial

Argued by some of the most important people of the day, the Manhattan Well Murder Trial, America's first high-profile trial, was also the first for which we have a transcript. The accused was Levi Weeks and his defense team included notable Americans like Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. It is history that deserves to be remembered.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As images of actual events are sometimes not available, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
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Script by JCG
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[@sarjim4381]

"Trial had dragged on two whole days..." I wonder what Hamilton would think of our trials today?

[@DarthRedshirt]

It's my personally opinion that the Founding Fathers would burn our "system" to the ground and start from scratch, but then that's just me.

[@jamesfracasse8178]

Rebuild the system of justice from the ground up.

[@CAMacKenzie]

@Ben Siener Ya, that was the first thing that struck me.

[@quickchris10]

And the jury took 5 minutes to acquit.

[@mrwilks847]

Thank you History Guy for your wonderful, clear history shorts. Thank you for providing such educational and fascinating material.

[@alliecattlopez537]

This was a great video. Loved it. All my favorite things. Murder, court proceedings, hauntings, & earlier century period. Thank you. Great work.

[@peterjohansson6167]

Thank you for another week of intresting stories and lessons,have a great weekend!

[@efox2001]

You find the wildest stories! I always look forward to what I'm going to learn from you! Thank you for your efforts!

[@edglunz9917]

Once again The History Guy keeps us on the edge of our seats telling the story of our past. My 10 year old Granddaughter is hook on A. Hamilton, reading 3 and 4 inch thick books on his life. At her age I was into Illustrated Classics Comics. I am so glad The History Guy and Ms. are enlightening us.

[@edglunz9917]

@@judeirwin2222 which is why some are Thick As A Brick

[@williamkelley7654]

You do indeed have a special gift of story telling that really brings history alive!

[@darlenewright5850]

My how we've changed in the court room. Thank you, a very RARE bit if judicial history.

[@saml7610]

I watch every single one of your videos and it's one of the best parts of my day. I love coming home in the evening and getting lost in history for a while. It distracts me from my day, and it puts my own existence/importance into perspective. We're all small people in a big world full of complicated things, and the best we can do when it comes to understanding the now is learning about the past. I hated history in school, but I can't get enough of it now. I wonder if as we grow up, we naturally start to understand the importance of the past more? I know that as I've gotten older, I've seen history repeated within my own lifetime. We don't learn very well, but the work you're doing helps all of us keep our lives in perspective. Thank you.

[@marshmallowmilitia8056]

Interesting story and amazing to hear of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton working together before their famous duel.

[@jakehansen3418]

If I'm not mistaken they worked together many times before that duel they even fought in the war together.

[@williamshetler3668]

I truly appreciate your choices in topics. Thank you for sharing

[@IntrepidFraidyCat]

I loved this one. Thank you! 👍

[@ElSmusso]

Great work man! 🥂

[@calebleland8390]

I only knew a little bit about this case. Very informative video, as always. I appreciate the work you do, good sir.

[@quickchris10]

Weirdly, the presiding judge became a missing person about 20 years later; no one knows what happened to him. Weeks went on to a successful career in architecture in Louisiana. (I just read an article on case after hearing this. I wanted to know more. The historian that wrote the article said the one-horse sleigh maybe was a red herring; there would have been no necessity for Weeks and Elma to take a sleigh less than one mile; but maybe the pretense/lure was to go for a ride, and they ended up at the well? But Levi and Elma were only gone a half hour; Levi returned w/o her; looking disheveled. I am sure he did it. He just had good connections. And the judge worded the jury directions in such a way that they had to acquit, basically.) Also, I looked up the Manhattan well; there was a bistro built over it that became haunted and went out of business. Now it's a clothing store.

[@rabignall]

Great video. Keep up the great work you do. And thank you for making history come alive!

[@misskimpegues]

I agree your content always is able to hold my attention I love to watch your videos .. Thank you for sharing this video I hope you have a nice day

[@LegerRon]

your videos have become one of my favorite things in the morning. You go great with coffee.

[@mohican6227]

This was a great one. Thank you

[@johnkelley9877]

Thanks for sharing this interesting story.

[@PaulRoberts61877]

I've been recommending your content to as many people as will listen I really think you in the plural sense are doing something very good with your Channel

[@thefoolishhiker3103]

Funny how things pop up in my KZbin feed. I just got finished reading Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton where this story was covered as well. Love your channel!

[@grandcatsmama3421]

Thanks for another great video. Have you thought about making a video about the 5 Sullivan brothers who were killed in WWII? That would be a good video.

[@bigblue6917]

A true story for you which chimes with this video and the previous one on chickens. In England in, I believe, in the 18th century a man was having a problem with one of his servants stealing from him, so he came up with a scheme to find the culprit. First he placed a large black cockrol in the middle of a darkened room. He then told his servants that they must each take it in turns to go into the room where they must stroke the cockrol before leaving by another door. By doing this the cockrol would be able to tell who was guilt. So each one of the servants went into the room and sure enough the culprit was found with the help of the cockrol. You see the cockrol, which as I said was black, was covered in soot. So when you touched it you got soot on your hands. The guilty person fearing he would be caught had not touched the bird so had clean hands. Ironic about the clean hands. Usually this refers to someone who is innocent.

[@ssbohio]

So it's not safe to stroke one's cockerel at work?

[@Purlee100]

I seem to recall that this was Samuel Johnson

[@Nocturnal_Rites]

@@ssbohio One should always be cautious about playing with one's cockerel. One never knows where the pecker might be. :)

[@quickchris10]

@@judeirwin2222 It's cockerel.

[@kgs42]

fascinating .... thanks HG!

[@jameschristopher3825]

Great video as usual! Can you please recount the story of Leopold and Loeb? 🤞🏿🤞🏿

[@Delibrium]

thank you history guy, i love you!!!

[@carlamiles9231]

Love this information channel. Would love to hear some stories of those who moved west from the east during 1840s

[@SiegfriedDeniz]

again a great story!!! thanks!!

[@jameswyatt5859]

A LOT more of this please. Thanks. :-)

[@jamesritacco1693]

I feel a little bit smarter every time I watch. Keep up the great work!

[@RoyalAnarchist]

I always know that your content will be interesting

[@preshisify]

🤗☕

[@freedapeeple4049]

Yes, he has the knack of making you want to watch things you had no idea you were interested in...

[@chiefpontiac1800]

For crimes involving wells, I would hired the law firm of Cess, Pool, and Drayne. They really get to the bottom!

[@MrTrikidiki]

😂😂😂 🙈🙊🙉

[@johnmiller6403]

This reminds me of a 3 Stooges episode. There was a law firm named, "Dewey, Cheetum and Howe."

[@rancidbeef582]

Heh. I always liked the name of the advertising firm in Mission Earth by L. Ron Hubbard (yeah the Scientology founder) -- it was "Fatten, Farten, Burstein & Ooze."

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Assisted by investigators Ewe Falle, and Weigh Downs.

[@bizzzzzzle]

Dad joke

[@alainarchambault2331]

Two whole days and that was considered longer than expected. The prosecution being asleep at the switch. Finally, who would commit suicide in a well?

[@taggartlawfirm]

Alain Archambault I wonder what a modern trial team would have made of this case. Assuming modern forensics didn’t settle it outright.

[@alainarchambault2331]

@@taggartlawfirm lol Delays, postponements, retrials, appeals, Voir dires, etc. Lawyers really get their money's worth out of you nowadays.

[@r.blakehole932]

I was on a jury for a drunk driving case. It took two whole days. One of the days was taken by the defense attorney droning on for hours about completely idiotic stuff. The whole jury thought he was just trying to put us to sleep. There were two counts in the case and we acquitted on one count because there was insufficient evidence and convicted on the other because the evidence was overwhelming. And, I have always thought that trial with relevant evidence and the jury decision could have all been accomplished in an afternoon. With modern forensic capabilities trials for murder will take longer. But, gargantuan amounts of time are wasted by our judicial system and the trials are paused for the most ridiculous reasons.

[@kinetickill1763]

Hello History Guy, I have enjoyed each of your videos, thank you very much. At the end of each episode you ask us if we wish to learn about any history to leave it in the comments, well I have procrastinated enough, so here it goes. Please explain the history behind the so called “ Soccer war” between Honduras and El Salvador in 1969. I know there is a lot of interesting stuff to learn, like I heard that was the last war where propeller piston wwii era planes were used. And I think there was way more to it that a soccer game to start a war. Thank you in advance!

[@jimnorthland2903]

A true historian....you resisted the temptation to draw a conclusion.

[@farspeakerdm90]

This should be a movie..

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

What a horrible ordeal she must have went through. I wouldn't have been able to do this video. You're a great history reporter.

[@Cochise6666]

I learn and retain more watching your snippets than I do in class.

[@kenthawley5990]

Interesting that Hamilton and Burr worked together on this case. I guess they weren't going to miss their shot. :) History I did not know and thoroughly fascinating. As always. Thanks for making history engaging, Lance.

[@danjohnston9037]

you had to make that pun, didn't you ? :)

[@kenthawley5990]

@@danjohnston9037 Someone had to. :)

[@joshgeiger9090]

Society for lawyers was very small in New York - Hamilton and Burr actually worked together or against each other in court quite often.

[@constipatedinsincity4424]

I just returned about an hour and a half go from watching Avengers End Game! My goodness I cried laughed and cried some more! ! Oh I've seen ghost near that well. It's a very oppressive feeling when you go there. You feel deep sadness and despair. Once again Playboy great video!

[@maxschaeffner9005]

Great video! Hamilton skill at defense reminds me of John Adams defense of the British soldiers tried for the Boston Massacre

[@capnbobretired]

With that many doctors and the the sleigh tracks in the snow, you would have thought the medicos would have tended to the sick and left the well alone.

[@capnbobretired]

@@judeirwin2222 I should wear my glasses when I post. Sorry.

[@raydunakin]

LOL!

[@cammobus]

Interesting ... Thanks

[@kathryngamble5726]

Legend has it that, at the announcement of the verdict, Catharine Ring jumped to her feet, pointed straight at Alexander Hamilton, and shouted, "If thee dies a natural death, I shall think there is no justice in heaven!" Hmmmm. . .

[@rabbi120348]

Cadwallader Colden -- From 1955-59 I went to PS 214, the Cadwallader Colden school, in Flushing, Queens. Besides the fact that nobody could pronounce the name, nobody had any idea who he was. Now I know.

[@dwh5512]

This man needs to be remembered. Marmaduke Thomas St. John "Pat" Pattle (1914-1941) was the highest-scoring Western Allied ace in World War II.

[@dwh5512]

@randall2020 Bong flew in the S Pacific not the ETO. Please re-read my comment.

[@JamesD92763]

Why did I hate history class so much when I was young? well, I know none of my teachers ever made history come alive nor seem as relevant as THG and Mrs THG does.

[@rancidbeef582]

Yeah, my high school history teacher made us memorize the names of the cabinet members of the first five presidents. No context, or reasoning, or even details about the men. Just their names. She was a horrible teacher. But it made for an easily graded test, which she didn't even do herself. She farmed that task out to her student "helpers", i.e. brown-nosing pets.

[@lynnhathaway3755]

My history teacher just made us memorize time lines. Class was very boring.

[@lordgarion514]

Other than some teachers being more boring than others, most of the problems with teaching history isn't anyone's fault. It really does need to be more or less standardized on what is taught on the large scale so everyone is on the same page in casual conversation later on. And schools really can't dig too deep into the details of everything, or of much for that matter. There's a LOT of big things that have happened to get through in just a few years. And let's face it, we're nosy animals, we'll always love the details more than the overall story.

[@maxpayne2574]

Maybe because your High school history teacher had to do 5 classes a day 5 days a week not 10 min once a week

[@JamesD92763]

@@maxpayne2574 This is true, Teachers don't get the respect and pay they deserve

[@PeterOkeefe54]

well now I must go to soho and see the well...thanx HG

[@dugroz]

I wonder if that store will get an influx of visitors? "History Guy Sent me Here."

[@LarkinJackson]

I grew up in Natchez and heard this story told to me by someone familiar with the Auburn Home.

[@rhyshutchinson1697]

Could you please do some episodes on the cocklshell hero's and also the Saint-Nazaire raid, thank you and keep up the great work

[@domeniconatoli4728]

I enjoy all of your work. Could you please look into "Italian boy" body snatchers ?

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Gruesome...

[@banba317]

Riveting! Another great story!

[@MitzvosGolem1]

Excellent show. Do one on triangle shirtwaist factory fire. My great uncle was Senator Wagner NY passed fire escape and child labor laws after fire tragic event. Sad young woman killed... rumors slander about all involved. How can anyone get a fair trial?

[@dinascharnhorst6590]

Yes! Triangle Shirtwaist Fire...and/or the Iroquois Theatre Fire, please!

[@Nocturnal_Rites]

Agreed on Triangle Shirtwaist. American Experience (on PBS) did a great documentary on it, too.

[@Zephyrmec]

Another suggestion: the murder of Gracie Brown by Chester Gillette another murder between classes of that era, of course this crime was the basis for the first crime / mystery novel that was more than a short detective story; An American Tragedy, a classic by Theodore Dreiser. I still have a hunting camp near Big Moose Lake, where her body was found.

[@lynettemiller7912]

So THIS is the murder trial they were talking about in "Hamilton!"

[@censusgary]

It’s odd to hear of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr being on the same defense “dream team,” in light of the fact that Burr killed Hamilton in a duel just four years later.

[@Bill23799]

Thanks History Guy for the interesting video. Could you please tell us what the " Radiation Symbol " on the shelf behind you is from. I am sure it must have some historical significance.

[@MarcillaSmith]

Even when I think the video's subject won't interest me, I still click because it's THG. Always satisfied. One question: have you ever considered less headspace? Regardless, thank you for these great stories

[@v.e.7236]

Curious about your suggestion of "less headspace." What did/do you mean? Tighter camera angles? Serious head-scratcher.

[@MarcillaSmith]

@@v.e.7236 Sorry, yes, not "headspace" in the thinking sense, but "headspace" as a video production term - the space between the top of the subject's head and the top of the image

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Very interesting

[@billypruett545]

Have you considered an episode on the McMinn County War which occurred in Athens, TN in 1946?

[@LePrince1890]

May I suggest you do the Bathsheba Spooner Case of 1778 in Massachusetts, which was the biggest murder case of the 13 colonies in the American Revolution.

[@WackyIraqi777]

Isn't that the first conjuring movie?

[@taggartlawfirm]

Was it recorded? Is there a record?

[@david_1214]

I read this book last year, "Duel with the Devil". It's definitely a good read.

[@alfamaize]

This trial is part of the musical "Hamilton". Out of chronological order (as it a lot of individual parts), but there, with Burr and Hamilton trying the first murder trial.

[@alfamaize]

@Grant Lewis Just pointing out that in a good chunk of current pop culture, there is a significant awareness of this trial. This puts it into it's proper perspective vs. its' presentation in the musical.

[@bigblue6917]

Thanks for that. With so little evidence showing the accused could have commit the murder you have to wonder why it went to court.

[@CDNShuffle]

always love a good morning story 🤸‍♂️🤾‍♀️🤽‍♀️🏋️‍♂️🏄‍♂️🏇🤹‍♂️⛹️‍♂️

[@susanjones2701]

good video

[@kevinsluder3711]

Natchez, the a is like the a in cat. Great as always. Can you do a video on why they used 'f' so much in place of 's' in old printed documents?

[@thomasflake1404]

The “f” you refer to is known as the “long s”. The character is actually not an “f”. Close inspection shows that the “crossbar” in the middle is only on the left side. There’s a good description of this in Wikipedia under “long s”. Americans will recognize this character from spelling of “Congress” in the heading of the US Bill of Rights.

[@clowchan]

Recently visited the well. It's in the basement of a high end clothing store called COS. They fixed part of it that was damaged

[@williewilliams6571]

Very interesting. Would you do something about Winnie Ruth Judd? I doubt if she is well known outside of Arizona.

[@CaptainHector123]

Be great to see you do a peice on Siege of Jadotville

[@cryptiecreep]

That poor woman. She hadn't been given any dignity in or after death.

[@bigblue6917]

My thoughts as well.

[@subduedreader5627]

Regardless of whether she committed suicide or was murdered.

[@censusgary]

As so often happens, some people rushed to blame the victim.

[@victorcastle1840]

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram." I guess what I learned from this, is that things of not changed, since then. You can get all the justice, that you can afford ?

[@craigcoffman69]

I heard that story before, but not like that. Thanks again. Hey History Guy, haven't seen anything about sappers yet? Sea-bee's, Army Corp, Red Horse 🇺🇸

[@edwinsalau150]

It just cost me $44 to put a half a tank of diesel in my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta tonight. I really appreciate it the advertisement. Let’s go Brandon! You knocked it out of the park!

[@robertcarver4067]

I recommend a video on the Mexican-American War of the Battle of San Pasqual... Californian irregulars vs US Dragoons... the battle site park is close to my home.

[@DonaldWMeyers-dwm]

Thank you for showing me how to pronounce my great-aunt's first name. We always called her "Aunt Goolie."

[@model-man7802]

How about the Coconut Grove fire and the Triangle shirt Factory fire too?

[@tomasnovinc2218]

I like to imagine that the court transcript went something like this. Hamilton- “Gentlemen of the jury, I'm curious, bear with me Are you aware that we're making hist'ry? This is the first murder trial of our brand-new nation The liberty behind deliberation (Non-stop!) I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt With my assistant counsel.” Burr- “Co-counsel Hamilton, sit down Our client Levi Weeks is innocent Call your first witness That's all you had to say” Hamilton- “Okay One more thing-“

[@vice6996]

i would be uneasy about being judged by a jury of my "peers". the times i've gone to jury duty i always kept overhearing the other potential jurors complaining, "we should sneak out on our bathroom break", "i should be farming right now instead of being here", etc. one lady who was chosen and being questioned in the box by the judge was trying so hard to get out of it she stood up to leave and the judge got pissed a demanded she sit down unless officially dismissed. the judge wasn't buying her excuses on why she couldn't be a juror. just totally deflates my optimism of a fair trial.

[@rosemarycornwell1528]

On March 28, 1978, the CBS Radio Mystery Theater aired an episode dramatizing this story. It starred Patricia Elliott and Court Benson.

[@Peasmouldia]

Was this the O.J. of its day? Maybe Weeks should have done a "If I did it" book! Outdone yourself with this one H.G. Superb.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

It does have that O.J. feel with the dream team and all.

[@j.f-ou812]

I live in New Orleans and would like to know about the largest Lynching in U.S. History that happened here . It doesn't get much attention and deserves to be remembered. Thanks history guy .

[@stevedietrich8936]

11 Italian-Americans were hung in 1891. It was not, however, the largest mass lynching in US history as 38 Native Americans were executed by hanging in Mankato, MN in December, 1862 during the Dakota uprising.

[@marymoriarity2555]

I read about this before supposedly The we’ll still exists covered by a building. The strange sounds one hears in tve building are from the victim calling for help.

[@philipsidney7941]

Do you have a video about the Great Molasses Flood . It happened somewhere in the northeast states and involved an avoidable tragedy. The molasses tanks had been leaking for some time and when they burst people were drowned in the sticky waves.

[@davidlium9338]

Boston and in 1919 (I think).

[@davidharris6581]

I wonder if one of the reasons he chose Natchez was because unlike New York, where English Common Law was Practiced at that Time The Napoleonic Code was the law of the land on the lower Mississippi?

[@stevek8829]

I don't think so. The trial was 1800, the Louisiana purchase was 1803 and Napoleonic code established in 1804. You should have looked that up yourself.

[@craigjb]

Heck yea! I'm early today!!

[@sarahcoleman3125]

Im pretty sure this the trial LMM referenced in Hamilton. "Gentlemen of the jury, we have before you today, the first murder trail of our newly formed country..." Something like that.

[@cjdfv]

2:08 Thanks for clarifying 'muff'

[@dinascharnhorst6590]

I remember having a muff as a child...I also don't particularly recall it keeping my hands all that warm, either...

[@stickoutofthemud]

Sorry, but I have to challenge any statement to the effect that "some" "believe" whatever. Who are these "some" who SAY (to report their "belief" is /non/-investigative journalism) the well is haunted? Great video, as usual.

[@drzarkov39]

I never understood why courts put some much weight to eyewitness testimony, when eyewitnesses recall different details, disagree with each other, and are proven over and over again to be unreliable. Studies have shown that we don't remember what is true, but rather we actually remember what we remembered to be true. I remember for a fact, being 100% positive, how I met my wife, but she swears that she is just as positive that we met under totally different circumstances.

[@taggartlawfirm]

David Nowicki court’s don’t, juries do. The evidence is admissible, if relevant and it meets the other rules of procedure. Juries get to consider evidence anyway they choose, to believe all, some, or none.

[@drzarkov39]

@@taggartlawfirm The United States is one of the few countries in the world that takes the verdict out of the hands of the jurists (judges), and puts it in the hands of a jury (12 people not smart enough to get out of jury duty).

[@lazystalker1]

That poor girl. Such a sad and undignified death and desecration of her.

[@danjoseph7881]

I May have missed something , but in the beginning you said that on January 2nd of 1900 the body was found and then at the end of the story you said the accused died in 1819 ...... did you mean 1918 ? I haven’t read all the comments but I was just wondering if I overlooked something . Great job on the story , as usual.

[@Crumphorn]

A sad tale.

[@skydiverclassc2031]

Perhaps you could do a story on the murder of Laura Foster in 1867 by Tom Dula. The events later became enshrined in the folk ballad "Tom Dooley".

[@PigeonHoledByYT]

You say 'dentist' with such disdain. We're people too darn it!

[@davelind3177]

i'd like to request piece on sultan nuku who took tidore from the dutch and their vassal ternate in the lesser sunda islands.

[@thomasmorehouse6607]

My suggestion for a future episode is the Grand Theresa of France, many people will find it interesting a scandal that almost brought down the government with an American twist.

[@lilredredcooper902]

Have you done one on belle breezing

[@idontwantachannel7542]

It reminds me not a little of Lizzie Borden's trail in Fall River, Massachusetts later in the century. It looks like the prosecution in both cases threw the case.

[@bigcheeezzz7135]

Hey History Guy!, I would like to ask if you've ever heard of a Judge Kimball in Brown County Ohio circa 1800's possibly ending early 1900's?. The ancient one room courthouse was later added on to, and turned into a farm house. About all I know is I heard there was a hanging tree in the side yard of the courthouse. I'm very curious as to his story