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Rudolph Fentz
A man appeared in Times Square wearing 19th century clothes. A car hit him instantly. In his pockets: Civil War currency, a letter dated 1876, business cards for someone who disappeared in 1876. The story circulated as true—but it came from a 1951 short story.
1950
New York City, New York, USA
0 Rudolph Fentz became urban legend through fiction.
The Story
The claim:
- Man appeared in Times Square
- 1950
- Victorian clothing
- Hit by taxi immediately
- Strange possessions
The Items
What he carried:
- Copper tokens
- $70 in old bills
- Letter dated 1876
- Business cards: Rudolph Fentz
- Nothing dated after 1876
The Investigation
Story continues:
- Police found records
- Rudolph Fentz Sr.
- Disappeared 1876
- Age 29
- Never solved
The Truth
Actually fiction:
- “I’m Scared” by Jack Finney
- Published 1951
- Science Fiction story
- Circulated as true
- Perfect urban legend
The Spread
How it grew:
- Retold as fact
- Berlin newspapers
- UFO researchers
- Internet spread
- Still believed
The Lesson
Why it matters:
- Fiction becomes fact
- Perfect story structure
- Unverifiable details
- Appeals to wonder
- Shows legend creation