On August 26, 1933, New York silk merchant A.L. Kahn was fishing off the coast of Deal, New Jersey when something enormous became ensnared on his anchor line. For hours, he and his mates struggled with the great beast, eventually getting help from the U.S. Coast Guard and using several dozen bullets to finally subdue this unbelievable "devil fish."
When they finally got it aboard, they saw the enormous manta ray they'd just landed. At more than 20 feet wide and weighing in at over 5,000 pounds, this was one of the most staggering sea creatures ever captured.
Soon, Kahn had the ray taxidermied( a way to preserve an animal for public display) and strung up on a crane, charging ever-growing crowds 10 cents a piece to see this astounding marine beast that remains shocking to this day.