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A retired carpenter known only as Lozier proved with a monumental hoax in 1824 that people can be almost unfathomably gullible. Lozier convinced folks in Manhattan that the island was in danger of snapping in half like a bread stick and sinking because of overbuilding on the lower end. If the situation were left unremedied, he warned, the results would be catastrophic. Incredibly, Lozier convinced the city’s honchos that the island had to be sawed in half and the lower end, known as the Battery, dragged out past Ellis Island, turned around, and reattached at the heavy end.

In a time of amazing industrial and scientific advances, few apparently doubted the feasibility of such an audacious undertaking. Hundreds of laborers were commissioned, some taking underwater breathing tests in preparation for steering the detached portion of Manhattan. Carpenters and blacksmiths adjourned to their shops to create the necessary tools, which included one-hundred-foot saws and gigantic anchors to prevent the separated island from slipping out to sea. To feed the workers, Lozier ordered five hundred cattle, five hundred hogs, and three thousand chickens assembled at the construction site, while barracks were hastily built to house the laborers. It was reportedly a scene of bedlam, with hundred of animals clucking and rooting over the din of construction.

After several weeks of preparation, the big day arrived when Manhattan would be dismembered and reattached, under the direction of Lozier. Hundreds came out to watch the spectacle, with musicians and a parade for entertainment. Several hours passed, however, with no sign of Lozier. A note from him was found, explaining that a sudden illness had forced him to leave town. Left to ponder their foolishness, the crowd turned irate and formed a posse to hunt down the deceptive carpenter. Lozier, though, was long gone. He apparently gained nothing form the venture, except a marvelous sense of accomplishment.

Note:

According to the Wikipedia article, this story first appeared in Thomas F. De Voe’s The Market Book in 1862. However, though the source of the story can be traced to an alleged associate of Lozier’s, the story remains unverified. One argument against it’s happening is that it was never reported in any major newspapers at the time, although it was also noted that newspapers of that era usually didn’t write about hoaxes like this. Regardless, the evidence supporting this anecdote is a little flimsy, so take it with a grain of salt. But still… I want to believe.

Source:

Farquhar, Michael. “Gotcha!” A Treasury of Deception: Liars, Misleaders, Hoodwinkers, and the Extraordinary True Stories of History's Greatest Hoaxes, Fakes and Frauds. Penguin, 2005. 245-46. Print.

Further Reading:

Sawing-off of Manhattan Island
>A retired carpenter known only as Lozier proved with a monumental hoax in 1824 that people can be almost unfathomably gullible. Lozier convinced folks in Manhattan that the island was in danger of snapping in half like a bread stick and sinking because of overbuilding on the lower end. If the situation were left unremedied, he warned, the results would be catastrophic. Incredibly, Lozier convinced the city’s honchos that the island had to be sawed in half and the lower end, known as the Battery, dragged out past Ellis Island, turned around, and reattached at the heavy end. >In a time of amazing industrial and scientific advances, few apparently doubted the feasibility of such an audacious undertaking. Hundreds of laborers were commissioned, some taking underwater breathing tests in preparation for steering the detached portion of Manhattan. Carpenters and blacksmiths adjourned to their shops to create the necessary tools, which included one-hundred-foot saws and gigantic anchors to prevent the separated island from slipping out to sea. To feed the workers, Lozier ordered five hundred cattle, five hundred hogs, and three thousand chickens assembled at the construction site, while barracks were hastily built to house the laborers. It was reportedly a scene of bedlam, with hundred of animals clucking and rooting over the din of construction. >After several weeks of preparation, the big day arrived when Manhattan would be dismembered and reattached, under the direction of Lozier. Hundreds came out to watch the spectacle, with musicians and a parade for entertainment. Several hours passed, however, with no sign of Lozier. A note from him was found, explaining that a sudden illness had forced him to leave town. Left to ponder their foolishness, the crowd turned irate and formed a posse to hunt down the deceptive carpenter. Lozier, though, was long gone. He apparently gained nothing form the venture, except a marvelous sense of accomplishment. ____________________________ **Note:** According to the Wikipedia article, this story first appeared in Thomas F. De Voe’s *The Market Book* in 1862. However, though the source of the story can be traced to an alleged associate of Lozier’s, the story remains unverified. One argument against it’s happening is that it was never reported in any major newspapers at the time, although it was also noted that newspapers of that era usually didn’t write about hoaxes like this. Regardless, the evidence supporting this anecdote is a little flimsy, so take it with a grain of salt. But still… I want to believe. ____________________________ **Source:** Farquhar, Michael. “Gotcha!” *A Treasury of Deception: Liars, Misleaders, Hoodwinkers, and the Extraordinary True Stories of History's Greatest Hoaxes, Fakes and Frauds*. Penguin, 2005. 245-46. Print. ____________________________ **Further Reading:** [Sawing-off of Manhattan Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawing-off_of_Manhattan_Island)

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