November 15, 2023 • 29 mins
The Court has heard from seventy five witnesses. Aaron Burr makes a closing statement for the defense; Colden makes a final plea to the judge, then cracks from exhaustion. Levi’s brother Ezra is further implicated in the crime. In flashbacks, Elma prepares to say her vows; the lawyers prepare for trial. The verdict is announced.
Erased: The Murder of Elma Sands is available wherever you get your podcasts. To hear all six episodes right now, ad-free, subscribe to Lava for Good+ on Apple Podcasts.
Erased: The Murder of Elma Sands is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi, it's Alison Plum. Welcome back to Erased. In our
last episode, the defense had to change their strategy once
their theory that Elma took her own life was completely unraveled.
They accused Richard Croucher, the jealous creep of the house,
of killing Elma and framing Levi. Here we are at
our final chapter. It's been a journey through this chaotic
two day trial. I'm so glad you're here. If you
(00:27):
were in the courtroom for this, you were flooded with theories.
Colden presented his case that Levi Weeks lured Elma Sands
out of the boarding house to the Manhattan Well under
the pretense of marriage, and with help from his brother Ezra,
killed her and threw her into the water, and the
defense presented their series of rebuttals. They attacked Colden's credibility.
They iced him out of essential due process using their
(00:49):
power and connections, and they alleged that Elma was a
suicidal opiate addict whose death had nothing to do with
their client. They uncovered that Elma was surrounded by dangerous men.
They suggested that she endured repeated abuse by her uncle,
Elias Ring, and that Richard Croucher ignited a firestorm of
negative public opinion towards their client. The audacity and power
(01:09):
of these claims took a toll on everything, the jury's patience,
the endurance of Colden's story from the day before, and
the prosecutor himself honestly. In this last episode, we find
out can Colden stand up to all of this? Will
there be justice for Elma? We're back in the courtroom
(01:31):
toward the end of day two, April first, eighteen hundred,
as Hamilton and Burr prepared their finishing blow.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Levi Weeks has sat here in peace and silence for
two days. He's listened to unqualified idiots eviscerate his character
with vicious and unfounded accusations. He has exemplified restraint and dignity.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Levi Weeks is a builder. He builds.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Levi Weeks is an architect, not a murderer, and his
character speaks for itself.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Mister Hamilton, is this your closing statement?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I'm going to deliver our closing statement, m m gentlemen
of the jury.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
As the Great Matthew Hale said in his masterpiece, Please
of the Crown, It's better five guilty persons should escape
unpunished than one innocent person should die.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Have mercy on this innocent man.
Speaker 6 (02:31):
Oh, Johnner, sorry to interrupt. I have more witnesses.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
We've listened to hundreds of witnesses.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
We've listened to seventy five witnesses.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
We're tired.
Speaker 7 (02:42):
We're so tired.
Speaker 6 (02:44):
Well I'm tired too, but I'm still presenting my case.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Mister Colton, do you have new evidence?
Speaker 3 (02:49):
How could he have new evidence? Now?
Speaker 8 (02:51):
Have a new lens to which I'd like to examine
the evidence we've heard this fall. If I could request
another German just till the morning?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
What I like theirselves?
Speaker 9 (03:02):
Counselors approach the bench, mister Coldon, for the well being
of our jurors, we simply cannot adjourn again.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Do you really have new evidence that we haven't heard?
Speaker 6 (03:13):
I have character witnesses, serve a bunch of them.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
We don't need more character witnesses, cold, and the jury
knows who everyone is.
Speaker 8 (03:19):
I have four witnesses for Elias Ring, who's been ceaselessly
lambasted all day, plus character witnesses to prove Alma had
a great life and wouldn't end it herself.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
This is over cold.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
The defense has closed our case.
Speaker 6 (03:30):
But I don't have the energy to close mine tonight.
I think if we can all just sleep on it
for just a few.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Hours, not adjourning colding.
Speaker 6 (03:37):
Okay, fine, then then give me an hour for character.
Speaker 9 (03:39):
Witnesses fifteen minutes. Then you're closing argument starting right now.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
So they refuse to do another adjournment. Cold then started faltering, or,
as one stenographer put it, crumbling under fatigue. Imagine trying
to do your job and then having to stay awake
for two days, and everything you try to do is
against the rules, rules that once told you about that
are being made up right in front of you. I'd
be in bad shape too.
Speaker 6 (04:05):
The prosecution calls Henry Clement.
Speaker 8 (04:07):
A sorry, can you walk a little faster please?
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Mister Clement?
Speaker 6 (04:14):
Futs asleep?
Speaker 7 (04:15):
Ooh yights.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
Okay, mister Clement. What were you doing on the night
Elma Sands was murdered?
Speaker 7 (04:25):
Well, my wife and I had barley in steak and
then the Macombs rang our doorbell at nine pm. My
wife said, nine pm, so wait for visitors. Must be
an emergency.
Speaker 6 (04:36):
And was it an emergency?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
No?
Speaker 7 (04:39):
No, it was just Beth and John McComb looking for
a night cap. They just finished dinner at Ezra Weeks's house.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
And Ezra walked into Frederick Grindlander's corner.
Speaker 8 (04:47):
Beth and John McComb went to your house, and Ezra
went to help his brother commit a murder at the
Manhattan Well.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Speculation storytelling at this.
Speaker 8 (04:54):
Point, Ezra Weeks was unaccounted for between eight twenty five
and nine to fifteen that night, So it's obvious.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Elma SAMs was out and unaccounted for all the time.
Speaker 7 (05:02):
Hold on, that's not true.
Speaker 6 (05:04):
What was that, missus wing?
Speaker 10 (05:06):
Elma was never out past perfew.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
I always knew where she was.
Speaker 9 (05:10):
Sit down, missus ring talk, mister Colden.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Stop the room, mister Colden, you still have a witness
up here.
Speaker 6 (05:18):
Mister Clement. Do you socialize with the McCombs often?
Speaker 7 (05:21):
Yeah, well fairly often. There are acquaintances of mine.
Speaker 6 (05:23):
When did you next seat them?
Speaker 7 (05:25):
We ran into each other three days after the murder
at the Christmas buffet at San Franci's Tavern on Pearl
Street off by John McComb was wearing a top hat
and a green velvet jacket.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
The storied Francis Tavern on Pearl Street, where this witness's
testimony takes us next was a major hub of New
York's high society. Imagine like an old English style house
in Lower Manhattan, but inside the rich and powerful get
drunk and make important decisions. The Continental Congress had their
first ever meeting at Francis Tavern. The New York Chamber
of Commerce was founded there. It was Washington's favorite bar.
(06:01):
It was kind of a scene.
Speaker 7 (06:02):
Ah, looking good, John, I like your jackets.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
This party was on Christmas Day and Alma had disappeared
on the twenty second.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Where's the wife?
Speaker 7 (06:10):
She's getting us more brisket. John, Listen, I've been hoping
to run into you. Come on, Clement, No work talk
on Jesus' birthday.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
No, it's not about.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Work, Hey, Darling was surprise.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Ah, missus McCombe.
Speaker 7 (06:24):
I was just telling John about something sort of gruesome.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
If you want to go, sit down.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
No, my wife's tough, tougher than you, dear.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
What's so gruesome?
Speaker 6 (06:34):
Clement?
Speaker 7 (06:35):
My advice to you is this, don't tell anyone you
had dinner at Ezra.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Weeks's house the other night. Why not?
Speaker 7 (06:43):
I met Ezra's shop all the time we worked together.
I think you should avoid associating with the Weeks brothers.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
For now, Clement, come on, what's this about.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Okay?
Speaker 7 (06:56):
You heard about the girl who disappeared right?
Speaker 6 (06:59):
Oh, yes, from the Ring's house.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Truly shocking.
Speaker 7 (07:03):
It happens young girls run away, then they come home.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
It's not good Christmas talk.
Speaker 7 (07:07):
I don't know, John, I have a bad feeling about this,
and people are saying Levi Weeks hold on.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
This is a court of law, not a court of feelings.
Speaker 7 (07:18):
Girls like Elma Sands don't just vanish I knew if
something that happened to her. The Weeks brothers were probably involved.
See I was right.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
I'm always right.
Speaker 7 (07:28):
Ezra Weeks kicked down for the country's best and brightest
legal team to defend his brother because they.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Know he's guilty. Speculation.
Speaker 8 (07:35):
Plus, Levi's legal team has had months to prep their case.
They started working on this in January.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Hey, can we get it on the ram shamp and
some chips? What a double Sam?
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And here we are back at Francis Tavern a month later,
shortly after Burr and Hamilton were brought onto this case.
With its reputation and clientele, the tavern was a great
place to work and to be seen working.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
You know what our biggest problem is everyone in New
York saw Elma's dead body.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Stop saying your name.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
It wasn't just any dead body here, and it was
a battered twenty two year old girl in a box
outside a Quaker boarding house.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
That scars people.
Speaker 11 (08:20):
I'll bet you right now, at this time next year,
nobody remembers the name Elma Sands.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
What will you beten?
Speaker 4 (08:28):
You're broke.
Speaker 11 (08:30):
You're broke too. Come on, can we be a little
bit more fun about this. We're taking our brand new
baby for her first test ride.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Don't refer to anything as our baby, especially the US Constitution.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
This country's future is on our shoulders.
Speaker 11 (08:49):
Let's stop worrying about Elma Sands and build a case
for our guy for America.
Speaker 7 (08:56):
Here you go, Jentlyn.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Good to see you two out social.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Hamilton and I are not hanging out, sam.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
We're working on a murder case, Sammy, the first one
ever going to trial.
Speaker 6 (09:09):
Who is murdered.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
It doesn't matter. There's gonna be a judge jury of
full audience.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Was it the girl that pull out of the well
or they're on the list of arts?
Speaker 9 (09:18):
Oh God bless her, Julielma.
Speaker 11 (09:22):
It doesn't matter what her name was. If anyone asked
you about the dead girl. Don't participate in gossip. Leave
it in the hands of the US justice system.
Speaker 7 (09:33):
I never gossip, mister good.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
If anyone's wondering about Alma or whatever her name was,
they can come see for themselves at the trial.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
It's on March thirty first to ten am, Federal Hall.
If I'm going to write that Downsams, the.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
Trial is open to the public, of course.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
An audience is vital for justice. Cheers to being on
the right side of justice.
Speaker 6 (09:57):
For justice Justice.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton were excited to test out
the new system in its first official murder trial, and
maybe in all that excitement they forgot that a person
was murdered, and if that person was erased from history
as collateral damage for the construction of the great New
US System. It probably didn't seem like a big deal
to them. They wanted to win, They wanted to see
(10:24):
the system work for them, and it was their job
to win. When it came time for their opponent Colden
to close his case, this happened.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Are you okay there, Coldon?
Speaker 6 (10:37):
Yes, gentlemen of the jury.
Speaker 8 (10:42):
Today this case has the power to change the levi
week's murdered Elma in the well, and I am.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
What's happening, mister Colden.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
I don't have the energy to deliver my closing arguments.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
What you don't want to say anything at all? No?
Speaker 8 (11:13):
No, I want to say a lot more, but I'm
just I'm just too tired right now.
Speaker 9 (11:18):
No.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
Please, I'm so sorry everyone, I'm just I'm sinking.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Stand up, I'll say it, your honor.
Speaker 7 (11:25):
Can I make the closing statement?
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Sit down? Missus ring?
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Could she give the closing statement since the prosecutor was
crumbling under exhaustion and pressure, or could someone else speak
for Elma anyone?
Speaker 6 (11:39):
I've been awake for forty four hours. I'm just so tired.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
I'm not tired.
Speaker 7 (11:45):
Let me do it, please, your Honor. I can do it, please.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
And a few days earlier, Catherine had faith that he
could do it. How hard could it be to prove
that a murderer that happened happened? As a Quaker, Catherine
believed that the truth was more important than anything else.
The truth would triumph here. There was no way that
Elma could be brutally murdered and then completely erased without justice.
(12:10):
There was no way Coldon had four or five days
to prepare for this trial, in which he tried to
piece together the story. He started with Catherine Ring, his
star witness, his very first testifier. Would you like some
more to you, mister.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Colden, Please?
Speaker 7 (12:26):
Yes, I have a question for you.
Speaker 10 (12:29):
I hope it's not insulting by all means. Have you
ever prosecuted a murder trial before?
Speaker 8 (12:39):
Well, there's never been a murder trial before, right, But I've.
Speaker 6 (12:44):
Got four whole days to repair case.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
So yeah, there are just so many details.
Speaker 10 (12:49):
Are you good at keeping notes?
Speaker 6 (12:51):
I got this, Catherine, I'm great under pressure.
Speaker 8 (12:54):
Okay, you're the first witness I'm calling, though, so you're
the one to set up the story.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Make sure to look at the jury. Don't act nervous.
Speaker 10 (13:03):
I'm not nervous, mister Coldon. You seem nervous.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
No, No, I'm good. You look bad. Coldon, I'm not well,
your honor. I'm too tired to make any more statements.
Speaker 9 (13:19):
I have to go home, so the prosecution is too
tired to deliver closing remarks.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
What Coldon?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
You can still do it, Katherin.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I'm crumbling you, and I wish I could tell you
that the courtroom doors burst open. And a magical fairy
assistant prosecutor arrived with a coffee and a dossier of
new evidence for Colden. But that is just not how
it went. After peddling against the system for two long days,
Coldon had nothing left but hope that he had done
(13:48):
enough and that the jurors would do the right thing.
And of course Catherine was desperate and furious with him.
Everyone probably was, but what could they do.
Speaker 9 (13:57):
It was over orders in the chambers. Jurors, please rise,
These proceedings are now closed. Clerk, yes, your honor, escort
the jury out to begin deliberations. Jurors, I trust you'll
(14:17):
deliberate a fair and just verdict.
Speaker 7 (14:20):
Gentlemen, please gather your belongings and follow me right this way.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
Through the double doors.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Everybody watched the jury file out of the courtroom to deliberate.
Twelve men walk out in a group, each member of
the jury, a friend of the judge, a colleague of
the defense attorneys, a regular at Francis Tavern, or as
soon to be politician, for whom this was just one moment,
a deliberation, one decision, and then they could finally go home.
Speaker 9 (14:50):
Everybody else while we wait for the jurors decision. If
you need to rest, take a brief slumber in your seats.
But nobody leaves this room until the jurors return. Nobody
speaks to the press, Nobody he ask me questions. Nobody
does anything until the jurors come back.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
December twenty first, seventeen ninety nine, the day before the
murder in the boarding house.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Give me your blessing.
Speaker 6 (15:16):
What just tell me you want me to marry Levi
and everything is going to be great.
Speaker 10 (15:24):
I don't support the marriage, Alma, I can't lie to you.
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Then just support me, please, I'm serious.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Okay, say it?
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Do I have to?
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Yes?
Speaker 12 (15:42):
Please?
Speaker 10 (15:46):
Okay, Alma, I want you to marry Levi tomorrow. Everything's
gonna be great.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Parks, they're a problem.
Speaker 6 (16:04):
The jury has reached a unanimous verdict, your honor.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Is that a joke?
Speaker 6 (16:10):
I don't really joke, sir.
Speaker 7 (16:12):
But it's only been three minutes and they're ready to
come back in, sir.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Okay, bring them in all rise.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
And though we can never know what happened that night,
my best guess is this. They got to the list.
Benard Meadows, who is this the place? Got out of
Ezra's sleigh started walking and God, it's so quiet.
Speaker 12 (16:52):
I got.
Speaker 6 (16:56):
Sorry.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Should I? Should I start saying my vows now?
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I'm going to get out of here. Wait, aren't you
staying to officiate?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Where are you going stay with me? A?
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Well, obviously I'm staying with you.
Speaker 12 (17:15):
I'm just trying to understand the whole eloping logistics.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Too many questions. I just want to get it right.
Should I start saying my vowels now? I mean, it's
more of a list of reasons why I love you, but.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
I need you to make this easier for me?
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Make what easier?
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Vibe?
Speaker 12 (17:36):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
What are you doing? That hurts up?
Speaker 6 (17:44):
Now?
Speaker 7 (17:46):
Don't let me go.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
Juror number one, how do you find a defendant.
Speaker 7 (18:23):
Not guilty, your honor? What did he say during number two?
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Not guilty? During number three?
Speaker 6 (18:32):
Not guilty?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Then you have to see something?
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Yeah, did you hear that?
Speaker 13 (18:38):
Move on?
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Juror number four, they're saying, not guilty, we did it?
Speaker 7 (18:42):
Stop it, Juror number five.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
I didn't do it. I didn't do it.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
We did it.
Speaker 6 (18:47):
I can't mean to number six, not guilty.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
You won.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
I can't hear you.
Speaker 8 (18:53):
Well, it's won, dur number seven, you won, not guilty,
your honor.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Number eight.
Speaker 7 (19:00):
Oh, that's guilty.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
This is this is not justice.
Speaker 6 (19:07):
Your number nine.
Speaker 7 (19:08):
Nothing happens to Levi?
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Oh guilty?
Speaker 7 (19:11):
Sure, number ten, not guilty, your honor, grab my hand,
caster sure number eleven.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Catherine here, as hard as you can't, it's guilty.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
Now your hand, Katherine, you're number twelve.
Speaker 6 (19:24):
Not.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Thank you for your service.
Speaker 9 (19:31):
Gentlemen, the State of New York hereby finds lee By
Weeks not guilty of the murder of Elma Sands, your honor, Yes,
mister Murray.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Is my client. Free to go order order.
Speaker 9 (19:52):
I don't think there's anything else we have to do,
so yes, Levi Weeks and everyone else we are dismissed.
Speaker 8 (20:01):
Good night, All right, folks, this way there are multiple
Let's not tremble.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Just can't.
Speaker 10 (20:12):
That is.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
Those who you gave to us.
Speaker 10 (20:15):
You did not do something and gave them to us
and throw them by.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Their return to sol.
Speaker 10 (20:19):
The sun has taught us that life is eternal and
love cannot die.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
We have to leave this true. You get up.
Speaker 10 (20:26):
I'm up.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
You're on your knees.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Hey, Catherine, how are you? My friends?
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Congratulations on my not guilty verdict, and you can stop
shunning me.
Speaker 7 (20:38):
Now stay away from us.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
But you guys were wrong about me. I know it's
hard for you to admit that I'm not guilty.
Speaker 14 (20:45):
Of course you're guilty, Levi.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
You owe me one. Remember, Just go leave?
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Come on, Catt, how about some drinks? Just a second
was waiting outside? First on you, buddy.
Speaker 10 (21:02):
We never want to see you again, so you may
as well go drink with your lawyers.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
Don't be dramatic, Catherine.
Speaker 10 (21:08):
I mean it.
Speaker 14 (21:10):
I don't want to know you, or think of you,
or hear your name. I don't want to know where
you are or what you're doing. Disappear, Levi and never
come back.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
To New York.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Good evening, missus Rain or good morning.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I think I see the sun rising on a brand
new day out there.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
You know what?
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Yeah, the pub sounds great, mister Hamilton.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
Come on, ladies want to come celebrate Lee by his
victory with us.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Ella would have wanted you to.
Speaker 10 (21:35):
Party, mister Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
And don't be so sad, Catherine.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
It doesn't suit you when.
Speaker 10 (21:41):
You lay suffering a sudden, violent, brutal death.
Speaker 6 (21:47):
I hope you'll.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Think of me, Okay, I don't think, and I.
Speaker 10 (21:51):
Pray you'll be sorry. Mister Hamilton, I do believe you'll
be sorry for the things you've done.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Let's go home now, Catherine.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
And so Levi Weeks walked out of the courtroom Ernberr
and Alexander Hamilton by his side. He started his story
over that night as Elma's disappeared into history. And it's
tempting to tell you here why I'm so obsessed with
this story and what I think it tells us about
our justice system now. But at its core, it's about
(22:22):
a twenty two year old girl who was murdered and
then erased because her story was inconvenient for men in power.
And I keep hearing that story even today. Why are
we still like this? Stenography in the courtroom was a
brand new idea at the time of this trial. Partial
(22:42):
notes and transcripts had been taken at trials before, but
the Alma Sans murder trial is the first time where
multiple full length accounts were published. But who were the
guys taking these notes and were they capable of neutrality?
Is anyone The prominent manuscript of the trial was written
by a friend of Alexander Hamilton and sent to him
(23:04):
and Ezra Weeks for proofreads and approvals. Before it went
out for print. One stenographer was paid off by Ezra
Weeks five hundred dollars to leave certain details of the
story out before releasing it to the public. So we're
left with just a partial history written by and for
the winners. Here's what we know. Trying to escape his
(23:29):
bad reputation in New York, Levi Weeks lived in several
places Massachusetts, Ohio, Kentucky before settling in Natchez, Mississippi. He
started looking for work as an architect. His first client
was an old friend of Aaron Burr's, and then he
started getting big commissions. He built a college, a government building,
and he even got a holiday named after him for
(23:50):
his architectural contributions to the city in Natchez. April twenty
first is Levi Week's Day. Kadwalader Colden would eventually become
a well respected lawyer. He later became Mayor of New
York and then was elected to Congress. If only he
prosecuted this case a little later in his career, maybe
we'd be telling a different story right now. Judge John
(24:13):
Lansing disappeared also in Soho. To this day, his disappearance
is a cold case. A magazine article in the mid
nineteenth century would blame the bitter, conniving ghost of Elma
Sans for Judge John's disappearance. Elias Ring lost the boarding
house that year due to increased financial stress. He worked
(24:34):
odd jobs and then fell into debt, ultimately getting kicked
out of the Friends his Quaker organization for drinking too much.
In the meantime, Elias and Catherine had ten children, and
then Elias died from the yellow fever. Catherine Ring lived
another fifty six years. She moved back up to New
Cornwall with hope. She turned the house where she grew
(24:55):
up into a boarding house where she took care of
dozens of boarders at once. That house is dif standing
where most of the key players in this story have
museums and monuments and like landmarks committed to the preservation
of their names and stories and legacies. Alma Sands was
buried unmarked in a mass grave on the Lower East Side.
(25:18):
It's nearly impossible to find details about Elma's life. Even
the official spelling of her name is lost. The well
where Alma was murdered still stands now unlandmarked, in the
basement of a clothing store in soho. Alma moved to
the city when she was eighteen from a farm upstate.
She was raised by a single mom, and she loved
(25:40):
the piano. Almost all other personal details about Elma outside
the context of her murder trial have been erased, but
Alma's cousin, Catherine, her best friend and her biggest advocate
in the world, would remember her like this.
Speaker 12 (26:01):
Catherine, Catherine, come make a snow angel.
Speaker 10 (26:09):
Is that what you're doing?
Speaker 7 (26:10):
Yes, come try it.
Speaker 10 (26:13):
I'm not gonna lay in the snow.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
It's freezing.
Speaker 12 (26:16):
Oh please, there's an echo.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Alma.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
You'll make a scene.
Speaker 12 (26:24):
Oh but it feels so so powerful.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Catherine, come here.
Speaker 11 (26:29):
Catherine.
Speaker 12 (26:31):
Please, okay, just for a moment, yes, yes, okay, lay
down right here. Okay, now, scream something.
Speaker 10 (26:48):
I can't stand to yell.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
Scream something anything.
Speaker 12 (26:52):
It feels good, Catherine, Helloa, Loder. You can do it.
Speaker 13 (27:05):
God Dad, Alma, I'm freezing.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
And I love you.
Speaker 10 (27:22):
I love you the most in the world.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
In the world.
Speaker 10 (27:29):
Okay, Okay, it's so cold. I got you, Alma. Let's
walk on this side over here. Yeah, so we can
(27:51):
stay in the sun.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Erased. The Murder of Elma Sands is a production of
Lunch Plans and Lava for Good Podcasts in association with
Signal Company Number One. The show is narrated, written and
produced by me Alison Flamm. It stars Alison Williams as
Catherine Ring, Tony Goldwyn as Alexander Hamilton, Barry Sheck as
(28:41):
Aaron Byrr, and Jason Flamm as Judge John Lansing.
Speaker 6 (28:45):
Our executive producers are.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Alison Williams, Jason Flamm, and Kevin Wartis. This show is
produced by Goldhalk Productions. The show is sound designed and
mixed by Steve Bond. The music is composed and performed
by Sasha Putnak. The producer for Goldhalk is Andy Goddard,
with production management from Emma Hearn. The executive producer for
Goldhalk is John Scott Dryden. You can listen to every
(29:09):
episode of Erased the Murder of Alma Sands right now
ad free by subscribing to Lava for Good plus on
Apple Podcasts. You can also follow the show on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook,
and Twitter at Lava for Good and For more information
on this story plus a complete list of our incredible cast,
visit Lava Forgod dot com. Slash Erased
Hi, it's Alison Plum. Welcome back to Erased. In our
last episode, the defense had to change their strategy once
their theory that Elma took her own life was completely unraveled.
They accused Richard Croucher, the jealous creep of the house,
of killing Elma and framing Levi. Here we are at
our final chapter. It's been a journey through this chaotic
two day trial. I'm so glad you're here. If you
(00:27):
were in the courtroom for this, you were flooded with theories.
Colden presented his case that Levi Weeks lured Elma Sands
out of the boarding house to the Manhattan Well under
the pretense of marriage, and with help from his brother Ezra,
killed her and threw her into the water, and the
defense presented their series of rebuttals. They attacked Colden's credibility.
They iced him out of essential due process using their
(00:49):
power and connections, and they alleged that Elma was a
suicidal opiate addict whose death had nothing to do with
their client. They uncovered that Elma was surrounded by dangerous men.
They suggested that she endured repeated abuse by her uncle,
Elias Ring, and that Richard Croucher ignited a firestorm of
negative public opinion towards their client. The audacity and power
(01:09):
of these claims took a toll on everything, the jury's patience,
the endurance of Colden's story from the day before, and
the prosecutor himself honestly. In this last episode, we find
out can Colden stand up to all of this? Will
there be justice for Elma? We're back in the courtroom
(01:31):
toward the end of day two, April first, eighteen hundred,
as Hamilton and Burr prepared their finishing blow.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Levi Weeks has sat here in peace and silence for
two days. He's listened to unqualified idiots eviscerate his character
with vicious and unfounded accusations. He has exemplified restraint and dignity.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Levi Weeks is a builder. He builds.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Levi Weeks is an architect, not a murderer, and his
character speaks for itself.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Mister Hamilton, is this your closing statement?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I'm going to deliver our closing statement, m m gentlemen
of the jury.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
As the Great Matthew Hale said in his masterpiece, Please
of the Crown, It's better five guilty persons should escape
unpunished than one innocent person should die.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Have mercy on this innocent man.
Speaker 6 (02:31):
Oh, Johnner, sorry to interrupt. I have more witnesses.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
We've listened to hundreds of witnesses.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
We've listened to seventy five witnesses.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
We're tired.
Speaker 7 (02:42):
We're so tired.
Speaker 6 (02:44):
Well I'm tired too, but I'm still presenting my case.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Mister Colton, do you have new evidence?
Speaker 3 (02:49):
How could he have new evidence? Now?
Speaker 8 (02:51):
Have a new lens to which I'd like to examine
the evidence we've heard this fall. If I could request
another German just till the morning?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
What I like theirselves?
Speaker 9 (03:02):
Counselors approach the bench, mister Coldon, for the well being
of our jurors, we simply cannot adjourn again.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Do you really have new evidence that we haven't heard?
Speaker 6 (03:13):
I have character witnesses, serve a bunch of them.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
We don't need more character witnesses, cold, and the jury
knows who everyone is.
Speaker 8 (03:19):
I have four witnesses for Elias Ring, who's been ceaselessly
lambasted all day, plus character witnesses to prove Alma had
a great life and wouldn't end it herself.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
This is over cold.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
The defense has closed our case.
Speaker 6 (03:30):
But I don't have the energy to close mine tonight.
I think if we can all just sleep on it
for just a few.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Hours, not adjourning colding.
Speaker 6 (03:37):
Okay, fine, then then give me an hour for character.
Speaker 9 (03:39):
Witnesses fifteen minutes. Then you're closing argument starting right now.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
So they refuse to do another adjournment. Cold then started faltering, or,
as one stenographer put it, crumbling under fatigue. Imagine trying
to do your job and then having to stay awake
for two days, and everything you try to do is
against the rules, rules that once told you about that
are being made up right in front of you. I'd
be in bad shape too.
Speaker 6 (04:05):
The prosecution calls Henry Clement.
Speaker 8 (04:07):
A sorry, can you walk a little faster please?
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Mister Clement?
Speaker 6 (04:14):
Futs asleep?
Speaker 7 (04:15):
Ooh yights.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
Okay, mister Clement. What were you doing on the night
Elma Sands was murdered?
Speaker 7 (04:25):
Well, my wife and I had barley in steak and
then the Macombs rang our doorbell at nine pm. My
wife said, nine pm, so wait for visitors. Must be
an emergency.
Speaker 6 (04:36):
And was it an emergency?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
No?
Speaker 7 (04:39):
No, it was just Beth and John McComb looking for
a night cap. They just finished dinner at Ezra Weeks's house.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
And Ezra walked into Frederick Grindlander's corner.
Speaker 8 (04:47):
Beth and John McComb went to your house, and Ezra
went to help his brother commit a murder at the
Manhattan Well.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Speculation storytelling at this.
Speaker 8 (04:54):
Point, Ezra Weeks was unaccounted for between eight twenty five
and nine to fifteen that night, So it's obvious.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Elma SAMs was out and unaccounted for all the time.
Speaker 7 (05:02):
Hold on, that's not true.
Speaker 6 (05:04):
What was that, missus wing?
Speaker 10 (05:06):
Elma was never out past perfew.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
I always knew where she was.
Speaker 9 (05:10):
Sit down, missus ring talk, mister Colden.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Stop the room, mister Colden, you still have a witness
up here.
Speaker 6 (05:18):
Mister Clement. Do you socialize with the McCombs often?
Speaker 7 (05:21):
Yeah, well fairly often. There are acquaintances of mine.
Speaker 6 (05:23):
When did you next seat them?
Speaker 7 (05:25):
We ran into each other three days after the murder
at the Christmas buffet at San Franci's Tavern on Pearl
Street off by John McComb was wearing a top hat
and a green velvet jacket.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
The storied Francis Tavern on Pearl Street, where this witness's
testimony takes us next was a major hub of New
York's high society. Imagine like an old English style house
in Lower Manhattan, but inside the rich and powerful get
drunk and make important decisions. The Continental Congress had their
first ever meeting at Francis Tavern. The New York Chamber
of Commerce was founded there. It was Washington's favorite bar.
(06:01):
It was kind of a scene.
Speaker 7 (06:02):
Ah, looking good, John, I like your jackets.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
This party was on Christmas Day and Alma had disappeared
on the twenty second.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Where's the wife?
Speaker 7 (06:10):
She's getting us more brisket. John, Listen, I've been hoping
to run into you. Come on, Clement, No work talk
on Jesus' birthday.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
No, it's not about.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Work, Hey, Darling was surprise.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Ah, missus McCombe.
Speaker 7 (06:24):
I was just telling John about something sort of gruesome.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
If you want to go, sit down.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
No, my wife's tough, tougher than you, dear.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
What's so gruesome?
Speaker 6 (06:34):
Clement?
Speaker 7 (06:35):
My advice to you is this, don't tell anyone you
had dinner at Ezra.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Weeks's house the other night. Why not?
Speaker 7 (06:43):
I met Ezra's shop all the time we worked together.
I think you should avoid associating with the Weeks brothers.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
For now, Clement, come on, what's this about.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Okay?
Speaker 7 (06:56):
You heard about the girl who disappeared right?
Speaker 6 (06:59):
Oh, yes, from the Ring's house.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Truly shocking.
Speaker 7 (07:03):
It happens young girls run away, then they come home.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
It's not good Christmas talk.
Speaker 7 (07:07):
I don't know, John, I have a bad feeling about this,
and people are saying Levi Weeks hold on.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
This is a court of law, not a court of feelings.
Speaker 7 (07:18):
Girls like Elma Sands don't just vanish I knew if
something that happened to her. The Weeks brothers were probably involved.
See I was right.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
I'm always right.
Speaker 7 (07:28):
Ezra Weeks kicked down for the country's best and brightest
legal team to defend his brother because they.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Know he's guilty. Speculation.
Speaker 8 (07:35):
Plus, Levi's legal team has had months to prep their case.
They started working on this in January.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Hey, can we get it on the ram shamp and
some chips? What a double Sam?
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And here we are back at Francis Tavern a month later,
shortly after Burr and Hamilton were brought onto this case.
With its reputation and clientele, the tavern was a great
place to work and to be seen working.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
You know what our biggest problem is everyone in New
York saw Elma's dead body.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Stop saying your name.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
It wasn't just any dead body here, and it was
a battered twenty two year old girl in a box
outside a Quaker boarding house.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
That scars people.
Speaker 11 (08:20):
I'll bet you right now, at this time next year,
nobody remembers the name Elma Sands.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
What will you beten?
Speaker 4 (08:28):
You're broke.
Speaker 11 (08:30):
You're broke too. Come on, can we be a little
bit more fun about this. We're taking our brand new
baby for her first test ride.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Don't refer to anything as our baby, especially the US Constitution.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
This country's future is on our shoulders.
Speaker 11 (08:49):
Let's stop worrying about Elma Sands and build a case
for our guy for America.
Speaker 7 (08:56):
Here you go, Jentlyn.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Good to see you two out social.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Hamilton and I are not hanging out, sam.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
We're working on a murder case, Sammy, the first one
ever going to trial.
Speaker 6 (09:09):
Who is murdered.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
It doesn't matter. There's gonna be a judge jury of
full audience.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Was it the girl that pull out of the well
or they're on the list of arts?
Speaker 9 (09:18):
Oh God bless her, Julielma.
Speaker 11 (09:22):
It doesn't matter what her name was. If anyone asked
you about the dead girl. Don't participate in gossip. Leave
it in the hands of the US justice system.
Speaker 7 (09:33):
I never gossip, mister good.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
If anyone's wondering about Alma or whatever her name was,
they can come see for themselves at the trial.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
It's on March thirty first to ten am, Federal Hall.
If I'm going to write that Downsams, the.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
Trial is open to the public, of course.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
An audience is vital for justice. Cheers to being on
the right side of justice.
Speaker 6 (09:57):
For justice Justice.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton were excited to test out
the new system in its first official murder trial, and
maybe in all that excitement they forgot that a person
was murdered, and if that person was erased from history
as collateral damage for the construction of the great New
US System. It probably didn't seem like a big deal
to them. They wanted to win, They wanted to see
(10:24):
the system work for them, and it was their job
to win. When it came time for their opponent Colden
to close his case, this happened.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Are you okay there, Coldon?
Speaker 6 (10:37):
Yes, gentlemen of the jury.
Speaker 8 (10:42):
Today this case has the power to change the levi
week's murdered Elma in the well, and I am.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
What's happening, mister Colden.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
I don't have the energy to deliver my closing arguments.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
What you don't want to say anything at all? No?
Speaker 8 (11:13):
No, I want to say a lot more, but I'm
just I'm just too tired right now.
Speaker 9 (11:18):
No.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
Please, I'm so sorry everyone, I'm just I'm sinking.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Stand up, I'll say it, your honor.
Speaker 7 (11:25):
Can I make the closing statement?
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Sit down? Missus ring?
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Could she give the closing statement since the prosecutor was
crumbling under exhaustion and pressure, or could someone else speak
for Elma anyone?
Speaker 6 (11:39):
I've been awake for forty four hours. I'm just so tired.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
I'm not tired.
Speaker 7 (11:45):
Let me do it, please, your Honor. I can do it, please.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
And a few days earlier, Catherine had faith that he
could do it. How hard could it be to prove
that a murderer that happened happened? As a Quaker, Catherine
believed that the truth was more important than anything else.
The truth would triumph here. There was no way that
Elma could be brutally murdered and then completely erased without justice.
(12:10):
There was no way Coldon had four or five days
to prepare for this trial, in which he tried to
piece together the story. He started with Catherine Ring, his
star witness, his very first testifier. Would you like some
more to you, mister.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Colden, Please?
Speaker 7 (12:26):
Yes, I have a question for you.
Speaker 10 (12:29):
I hope it's not insulting by all means. Have you
ever prosecuted a murder trial before?
Speaker 8 (12:39):
Well, there's never been a murder trial before, right, But I've.
Speaker 6 (12:44):
Got four whole days to repair case.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
So yeah, there are just so many details.
Speaker 10 (12:49):
Are you good at keeping notes?
Speaker 6 (12:51):
I got this, Catherine, I'm great under pressure.
Speaker 8 (12:54):
Okay, you're the first witness I'm calling, though, so you're
the one to set up the story.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Make sure to look at the jury. Don't act nervous.
Speaker 10 (13:03):
I'm not nervous, mister Coldon. You seem nervous.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
No, No, I'm good. You look bad. Coldon, I'm not well,
your honor. I'm too tired to make any more statements.
Speaker 9 (13:19):
I have to go home, so the prosecution is too
tired to deliver closing remarks.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
What Coldon?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
You can still do it, Katherin.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I'm crumbling you, and I wish I could tell you
that the courtroom doors burst open. And a magical fairy
assistant prosecutor arrived with a coffee and a dossier of
new evidence for Colden. But that is just not how
it went. After peddling against the system for two long days,
Coldon had nothing left but hope that he had done
(13:48):
enough and that the jurors would do the right thing.
And of course Catherine was desperate and furious with him.
Everyone probably was, but what could they do.
Speaker 9 (13:57):
It was over orders in the chambers. Jurors, please rise,
These proceedings are now closed. Clerk, yes, your honor, escort
the jury out to begin deliberations. Jurors, I trust you'll
(14:17):
deliberate a fair and just verdict.
Speaker 7 (14:20):
Gentlemen, please gather your belongings and follow me right this way.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
Through the double doors.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Everybody watched the jury file out of the courtroom to deliberate.
Twelve men walk out in a group, each member of
the jury, a friend of the judge, a colleague of
the defense attorneys, a regular at Francis Tavern, or as
soon to be politician, for whom this was just one moment,
a deliberation, one decision, and then they could finally go home.
Speaker 9 (14:50):
Everybody else while we wait for the jurors decision. If
you need to rest, take a brief slumber in your seats.
But nobody leaves this room until the jurors return. Nobody
speaks to the press, Nobody he ask me questions. Nobody
does anything until the jurors come back.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
December twenty first, seventeen ninety nine, the day before the
murder in the boarding house.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Give me your blessing.
Speaker 6 (15:16):
What just tell me you want me to marry Levi
and everything is going to be great.
Speaker 10 (15:24):
I don't support the marriage, Alma, I can't lie to you.
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Then just support me, please, I'm serious.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Okay, say it?
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Do I have to?
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Yes?
Speaker 12 (15:42):
Please?
Speaker 10 (15:46):
Okay, Alma, I want you to marry Levi tomorrow. Everything's
gonna be great.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Parks, they're a problem.
Speaker 6 (16:04):
The jury has reached a unanimous verdict, your honor.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Is that a joke?
Speaker 6 (16:10):
I don't really joke, sir.
Speaker 7 (16:12):
But it's only been three minutes and they're ready to
come back in, sir.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Okay, bring them in all rise.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
And though we can never know what happened that night,
my best guess is this. They got to the list.
Benard Meadows, who is this the place? Got out of
Ezra's sleigh started walking and God, it's so quiet.
Speaker 12 (16:52):
I got.
Speaker 6 (16:56):
Sorry.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Should I? Should I start saying my vows now?
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I'm going to get out of here. Wait, aren't you
staying to officiate?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Where are you going stay with me? A?
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Well, obviously I'm staying with you.
Speaker 12 (17:15):
I'm just trying to understand the whole eloping logistics.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Too many questions. I just want to get it right.
Should I start saying my vowels now? I mean, it's
more of a list of reasons why I love you, but.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
I need you to make this easier for me?
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Make what easier?
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Vibe?
Speaker 12 (17:36):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
What are you doing? That hurts up?
Speaker 6 (17:44):
Now?
Speaker 7 (17:46):
Don't let me go.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
Juror number one, how do you find a defendant.
Speaker 7 (18:23):
Not guilty, your honor? What did he say during number two?
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Not guilty? During number three?
Speaker 6 (18:32):
Not guilty?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Then you have to see something?
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Yeah, did you hear that?
Speaker 13 (18:38):
Move on?
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Juror number four, they're saying, not guilty, we did it?
Speaker 7 (18:42):
Stop it, Juror number five.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
I didn't do it. I didn't do it.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
We did it.
Speaker 6 (18:47):
I can't mean to number six, not guilty.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
You won.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
I can't hear you.
Speaker 8 (18:53):
Well, it's won, dur number seven, you won, not guilty,
your honor.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Number eight.
Speaker 7 (19:00):
Oh, that's guilty.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
This is this is not justice.
Speaker 6 (19:07):
Your number nine.
Speaker 7 (19:08):
Nothing happens to Levi?
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Oh guilty?
Speaker 7 (19:11):
Sure, number ten, not guilty, your honor, grab my hand,
caster sure number eleven.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Catherine here, as hard as you can't, it's guilty.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
Now your hand, Katherine, you're number twelve.
Speaker 6 (19:24):
Not.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Thank you for your service.
Speaker 9 (19:31):
Gentlemen, the State of New York hereby finds lee By
Weeks not guilty of the murder of Elma Sands, your honor, Yes,
mister Murray.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Is my client. Free to go order order.
Speaker 9 (19:52):
I don't think there's anything else we have to do,
so yes, Levi Weeks and everyone else we are dismissed.
Speaker 8 (20:01):
Good night, All right, folks, this way there are multiple
Let's not tremble.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Just can't.
Speaker 10 (20:12):
That is.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
Those who you gave to us.
Speaker 10 (20:15):
You did not do something and gave them to us
and throw them by.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Their return to sol.
Speaker 10 (20:19):
The sun has taught us that life is eternal and
love cannot die.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
We have to leave this true. You get up.
Speaker 10 (20:26):
I'm up.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
You're on your knees.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Hey, Catherine, how are you? My friends?
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Congratulations on my not guilty verdict, and you can stop
shunning me.
Speaker 7 (20:38):
Now stay away from us.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
But you guys were wrong about me. I know it's
hard for you to admit that I'm not guilty.
Speaker 14 (20:45):
Of course you're guilty, Levi.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
You owe me one. Remember, Just go leave?
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Come on, Catt, how about some drinks? Just a second
was waiting outside? First on you, buddy.
Speaker 10 (21:02):
We never want to see you again, so you may
as well go drink with your lawyers.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
Don't be dramatic, Catherine.
Speaker 10 (21:08):
I mean it.
Speaker 14 (21:10):
I don't want to know you, or think of you,
or hear your name. I don't want to know where
you are or what you're doing. Disappear, Levi and never
come back.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
To New York.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Good evening, missus Rain or good morning.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I think I see the sun rising on a brand
new day out there.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
You know what?
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Yeah, the pub sounds great, mister Hamilton.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
Come on, ladies want to come celebrate Lee by his
victory with us.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Ella would have wanted you to.
Speaker 10 (21:35):
Party, mister Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
And don't be so sad, Catherine.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
It doesn't suit you when.
Speaker 10 (21:41):
You lay suffering a sudden, violent, brutal death.
Speaker 6 (21:47):
I hope you'll.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Think of me, Okay, I don't think, and I.
Speaker 10 (21:51):
Pray you'll be sorry. Mister Hamilton, I do believe you'll
be sorry for the things you've done.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Let's go home now, Catherine.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
And so Levi Weeks walked out of the courtroom Ernberr
and Alexander Hamilton by his side. He started his story
over that night as Elma's disappeared into history. And it's
tempting to tell you here why I'm so obsessed with
this story and what I think it tells us about
our justice system now. But at its core, it's about
(22:22):
a twenty two year old girl who was murdered and
then erased because her story was inconvenient for men in power.
And I keep hearing that story even today. Why are
we still like this? Stenography in the courtroom was a
brand new idea at the time of this trial. Partial
(22:42):
notes and transcripts had been taken at trials before, but
the Alma Sans murder trial is the first time where
multiple full length accounts were published. But who were the
guys taking these notes and were they capable of neutrality?
Is anyone The prominent manuscript of the trial was written
by a friend of Alexander Hamilton and sent to him
(23:04):
and Ezra Weeks for proofreads and approvals. Before it went
out for print. One stenographer was paid off by Ezra
Weeks five hundred dollars to leave certain details of the
story out before releasing it to the public. So we're
left with just a partial history written by and for
the winners. Here's what we know. Trying to escape his
(23:29):
bad reputation in New York, Levi Weeks lived in several
places Massachusetts, Ohio, Kentucky before settling in Natchez, Mississippi. He
started looking for work as an architect. His first client
was an old friend of Aaron Burr's, and then he
started getting big commissions. He built a college, a government building,
and he even got a holiday named after him for
(23:50):
his architectural contributions to the city in Natchez. April twenty
first is Levi Week's Day. Kadwalader Colden would eventually become
a well respected lawyer. He later became Mayor of New
York and then was elected to Congress. If only he
prosecuted this case a little later in his career, maybe
we'd be telling a different story right now. Judge John
(24:13):
Lansing disappeared also in Soho. To this day, his disappearance
is a cold case. A magazine article in the mid
nineteenth century would blame the bitter, conniving ghost of Elma
Sans for Judge John's disappearance. Elias Ring lost the boarding
house that year due to increased financial stress. He worked
(24:34):
odd jobs and then fell into debt, ultimately getting kicked
out of the Friends his Quaker organization for drinking too much.
In the meantime, Elias and Catherine had ten children, and
then Elias died from the yellow fever. Catherine Ring lived
another fifty six years. She moved back up to New
Cornwall with hope. She turned the house where she grew
(24:55):
up into a boarding house where she took care of
dozens of boarders at once. That house is dif standing
where most of the key players in this story have
museums and monuments and like landmarks committed to the preservation
of their names and stories and legacies. Alma Sands was
buried unmarked in a mass grave on the Lower East Side.
(25:18):
It's nearly impossible to find details about Elma's life. Even
the official spelling of her name is lost. The well
where Alma was murdered still stands now unlandmarked, in the
basement of a clothing store in soho. Alma moved to
the city when she was eighteen from a farm upstate.
She was raised by a single mom, and she loved
(25:40):
the piano. Almost all other personal details about Elma outside
the context of her murder trial have been erased, but
Alma's cousin, Catherine, her best friend and her biggest advocate
in the world, would remember her like this.
Speaker 12 (26:01):
Catherine, Catherine, come make a snow angel.
Speaker 10 (26:09):
Is that what you're doing?
Speaker 7 (26:10):
Yes, come try it.
Speaker 10 (26:13):
I'm not gonna lay in the snow.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
It's freezing.
Speaker 12 (26:16):
Oh please, there's an echo.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Alma.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
You'll make a scene.
Speaker 12 (26:24):
Oh but it feels so so powerful.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Catherine, come here.
Speaker 11 (26:29):
Catherine.
Speaker 12 (26:31):
Please, okay, just for a moment, yes, yes, okay, lay
down right here. Okay, now, scream something.
Speaker 10 (26:48):
I can't stand to yell.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
Scream something anything.
Speaker 12 (26:52):
It feels good, Catherine, Helloa, Loder. You can do it.
Speaker 13 (27:05):
God Dad, Alma, I'm freezing.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
And I love you.
Speaker 10 (27:22):
I love you the most in the world.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
In the world.
Speaker 10 (27:29):
Okay, Okay, it's so cold. I got you, Alma. Let's
walk on this side over here. Yeah, so we can
(27:51):
stay in the sun.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Erased. The Murder of Elma Sands is a production of
Lunch Plans and Lava for Good Podcasts in association with
Signal Company Number One. The show is narrated, written and
produced by me Alison Flamm. It stars Alison Williams as
Catherine Ring, Tony Goldwyn as Alexander Hamilton, Barry Sheck as
(28:41):
Aaron Byrr, and Jason Flamm as Judge John Lansing.
Speaker 6 (28:45):
Our executive producers are.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Alison Williams, Jason Flamm, and Kevin Wartis. This show is
produced by Goldhalk Productions. The show is sound designed and
mixed by Steve Bond. The music is composed and performed
by Sasha Putnak. The producer for Goldhalk is Andy Goddard,
with production management from Emma Hearn. The executive producer for
Goldhalk is John Scott Dryden. You can listen to every
(29:09):
episode of Erased the Murder of Alma Sands right now
ad free by subscribing to Lava for Good plus on
Apple Podcasts. You can also follow the show on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook,
and Twitter at Lava for Good and For more information
on this story plus a complete list of our incredible cast,
visit Lava Forgod dot com. Slash Erased
Host
Allison Flom
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!