The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03

and found Elma dressed ready 10 60 out: going
downstairs sho found Levi standing in tho entry.
She went into tho sitting room and a moment
later heard somebody come downstairs. The
front door opened and closed. Mrs. Ring
ran out as soon sho heard IL shut, she said
opened IL and looked out. There were a good
many people in the street, and she could not dis
tinguish Elma OF Levi among them.
AT 10 o'clock Levi came in Mrs, Ring
still UP. Levi asked II Elma had gone 70 bed
Mrs. Ring said that she had gone out and had
not come in. Levi said he surprised she
should stay out alone 50 late at night Mrs.
Ring said that Elma had not gone out alone.
Levi asked whom she had gone out with.
Indeed. Levi" said Mrs. Ring. TO tell thee the
truth, believe she went out with thee"
III she had gone out with me" replied Levi
sshe would have come in with me"
Mrs. Ring sat up much Of the rest OF the night.
but neither she any body else ever saw Elma
Sands alive again. She commented at the trial
on Lewis behavior that night as being unnatural
and moody and accused him Of crying out that
II Elma did not reappear to clear him he was
o ruined man.
few days later the Of Andrew BlAnck
found muh in the Manhattan Com pany's well
The muf recogn missed by Mrs. Ring az one
that Elma had borrowed from neghbor Just
before her disappearance. The we'll, however.
was not searched until Jan. q Then the body
OF Elma Sands was found at the bottom Of IL.
Her hat was of. Her shoes and stockings had
been torn from her feet and her clothing above
her waist was torn. There were bruises and
discolorations about her neck
New York was thrown into an uproar by
the discovery of the body. The well
was in the "Iispenard meadow" There
were no buildings near II. The neares,
highway was Broadway. The building that
now bears tho number 30 Greene street. stands
very near the spot where the well was The
young woman had become well known for her
beauty. though she had been 40 short a time
In the city. Chancellor Ferris Of the New York
University. writing to n historian, in March.
1851 said:
ALLOW me to call your attention to two build
ings that had quite notoriety in their day. They
are the double pitch wooden building at the south.
west corner Of Greenwich and old Provost (now
franklin streets and the two-Etory wooden build.
ing on the southeast corner opposite. The
second was the home Of the unfortunate and beau
tiful Elmore Sands whose mysterious death Gre
atod an amazing excitement through tho city
An old aunt Of mine who knew her well and who
saw her on the night Of the fatal sleigh ride LEV
and Elma were popularity believed TO have lef
the Ring house in sleigh when she was Jus
ready TO step into the sleigh, always spoke Of he
as the most lovely creature she ever saw and espe
cially fascinating at that moment"
Moreover Levi Weeks was well connected
His brother built and owned the old City Hotc
al Broadway and Thames street He had a wild
reputation, which was destined TO be shaken. TO
piety and sobriety Of conduct His brother
following in the community was Of suficien
strength to make IL most unpleasant for any on
who limited that he was the murderer Of the girl
The popular excitement was however so grea
that the newspapers felt compelled to mention
the circumstance. They did so in this brief nc
tice. which was identical in each publication.
Thursday afternoon the body Of a younl
woman by the name Of Guilclma Elmore Sand
was found dead in the well recently dug by tn
Manhattan Company a little to the east Of MI
Tyier'a The circumstances are somewhat su,
prising, She went from her unclcs house il
Greenwich stree, last Sunday evening with he
lover with the intention Of going to be married
from which time, until yesterday afternoon. sh
had not been heard Of. Strange suspicious hav
boon entertained that she has been wilfully mu,
dered"
A c0roner's Jury made this strange suspicion
official on Jan. 9 by reporting that the youn
woman came to her death at the hands OF a perso
or persons unknown. The public general
suspected Levi Weeks of having murdered Elm,
person evidently friendly In him caused con
mnnication to he printed IN the newspapers In
,imhtng that II was altogether possible that Elm
had committed suicide and calling attento
TO the proof at the inquest that the young woma
was not pregnant and arguing that therefor