Stuff You Missed in History Class3 Jul 2023

The Mad Gasser of Mattoon

In 1944, a small town in Illinois was gripped with fear that someone was spraying a toxic gas into their homes as they slept. And while there have been several explanations, there isn’t any one that’s recognized or accepted as the truth.

Research:

“‘Anesthetic Prowler’ Covers City.” Journal Gazette. Sept. 5, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/93681179/?terms=%22Urban%20Raef%22%20&match=1
“‘Anesthetic Prowler’ on Loose.” Journal Gazette. Sept. 2, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/93681104/?terms=%22%27Anesthetic%20Prowler%27%20%22%20%20Loose.%22&match=1
“At Night in Mattoon.” Time. Sept. 18, 1944. https://web.archive.org/web/20080306220348/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,796678,00.html
“Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning.” Centers for Disease Control. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/carbon_tetrachloride/docs/Carbon_Tetra_Patient_Ed_Sheet-508.pdf
Chaplin, James Patrick. “Rumor, Fear, and the Madness of Crowds.” Ballantine Books. New York. 1959. Accessed onling: https://archive.org/details/rumorfearmadness00chap/page/10/mode/2up
Fopay, Dave. “’Mad Gasser’ Author Points Finger at ‘Brilliant’ Chemistry Student.” Journal Gazette. June 30, 2003. https://www.newspapers.com/image/84792181/?terms=%22Farley%20Llewellyn%22%20&match=1
“History of Coles County.” Coles County, Illinois Homepage. https://www.co.coles.il.us/genInfo.html#:~:text=Mattoon%20was%20founded%20as%20a,Stephen%20Doles%20and%20Ebenezer%20Noyes.
“’Hysterical Mistake,’ Police Say of Mattoon’s Gas-Spraying.” Sun-Telegram (Richmond, Indiana). Sept. 13, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/253218677/?terms=%22Atlas%20Imperial%20Diesel%22%20Engine&match=1
“Intensify Hunt For Paralysis Gas Prowler” Mattoon Orders Police on 24 Hour Watch.” Chicago Tribune. Sept. 7, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/370374182/?terms=%22anesthetic%20prowler%22%20&match=1
“Is ‘Madman od Mattoon,’ Who Gasses Victims, Real or Result of Comic Book Imagination?” Press and Sun Bulletin. Sept. 8, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/260955754/?terms=Beulah%20Cordes&match=1
Johnson, Brooke. “Author Claims to have solved ‘Mad Gasser.’” Journal Gazette. March 22, 2003. https://www.newspapers.com/image/84639401/
“Mad Anesthetist Keeps Town Awake.” Independent. Sept 8, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/718770228/?terms=Beulah%20Cordes&match=1
“Madman of Mattoon: 2 More are Victims of Phantom Prowler.” The Times Herald. Sept. 9, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/209765891/?terms=%22%27Anesthetic%20Prowler%27%20%22%20%20Loose.%22&match=1
Maruna, Scott. “ The Mad Gasser of Mattoon: Dispelling the Hysteria.” Swamp Gas Book Company. 2003.
Hereford, Robert A. “Mattoon Argues Over Denial That Prowler Exists.” St. Louis Star and Times. Sept. 13, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/205455415/?terms=%22Atlas%20Imperial%20Diesel%22%20Engine&match=1
“Police Get Two False Alarms During Night.” Journal Gazette. Sept 13, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/93681538/?terms=%22Police%20get%20two%20false%20alarms%20during%20night%22&match=1
“Prowler Sprays Fumes Which Cause Paralysis.” Times-Tribune. Sept. 7, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/534404923/?terms=%22anesthetic%20prowler%22%20&match=1
“Some Say ‘Madman of Mattoon’ Is Hoax.” The Dispatch. Sept 8, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/340095570/?terms=Beulah%20Cordes&match=1
Waters, Dustin. “The mystery of the ‘Mad Gasser of Mattoon’ who terrorized an Illinois town.” Washington Post. Oct. 30, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/10/30/mad-gasser-mattoon-illinois-mystery/
“Wave of Hysteria Hits Mattoon; Police Watch Amateur Chemist.” The Palladium-Item. Sept. 12, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/253218459/?terms=%22Aline%20Kearney%22%20&match=1
“We face the future knowing we have won … Staunch Friends.” Journal Gazette. Sept 26, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/93682148/?terms=atlas%20diesel&match=1

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(2736)

Thomas Henry Huxley

Huxley is an example of having a good attitude about publicly acknowledging errors and learning from them. He earned the nickname “Darwin’s bulldog” for his very vocal support of Darwin’s work, and he...

29 Jul 41min

The Flying Gang

For part of its history, Nassau was a notorious hotbed of pirate activity. And it was home to a maritime criminal network known as the Flying Gang. Research: "Bahamas, the." The Columbia Electronic E...

27 Jul 32min

SYMHC Classics: Scarlet fever

This 2023 episode covers scarlet fever, which is treatable with antibiotics. But in the middle of the 19th century, it was the leading cause of death in children in parts of the world, and today, ther...

25 Jul 32min

Behind the Scenes Minis: Problematized

Tracy shares her irritation with word use in a recent government report. There is also discussion of strangers visiting manor houses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Jul 17min

Unearthed! In July 2026, Part 2

The wrap up of things unearthed in the second quarter of 2026 includes the potpourri category, lots of books and letters, shipwrecks, and neanderthals. Research: Addley, Esther. “Solstice-aligned 5,...

22 Jul 45min

Unearthed! In July 2026, Part 1

Part one of the mid-year coverage of things literally and figuratively unearthed in the last quarter includes updates, more updates, animals, edibles and potables, and accidental finds. Research: Add...

20 Jul 41min

SYMHC Classics: Raincoats

This 2023 episode covers how humans have worked on ways to make garments water resistant almost since they started to wear them. But figuring out how to manufacture a raincoat using rubber was a big b...

18 Jul 39min

Behind the Scenes Minis: Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

Holly and Tracy discuss how frustrating Charles Goodyear could be. Then Holly talks a lot about shoes and how much she loves them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17 Jul 30min