It just sounds so cool and mysterious, even though it was probably just a case of mass histeria. Welcome to the quasi official page of the mattoon mad gasser. In 1692, four young girls named abigail williams, betty parris, ann putnam, jr. Other theories of the mad gasser of mattoon range from the somewhat understandable, in the case of there actually being a gasser on the loose, to the downright absurd, including multidimensional apelike beings attacking residents with spray guns. Located in the central part of the p rairie state, mattoon is bordered by a sea of corn on the north and timberlands to the south. B this article has been rated as bclass on the projects. Anyway, im actually filming a horror movie with my group and the mad gasser is part of it, heres a still from the scene. This nefarious figure came to be dubbed the mad gasser of mattoon, but.
As far as the project goes, we usually concentrate on one monster a month, and post columns and art related to it, but we thought the holidays would be a good opportunity to focus on some of the more specifically small or oneoff sightings. In early september 1944, a strange series of events occurred in the small central illinois town of mattoon. On the ground covered by a piece of plywood is the in search of the mad gasser of mattoon letterbox. Possible explanations for the mad gasser of mattoon. This would remain the general description of the mad gasser of mattoon for the rest of the timeline of the attacks. Founded less than 100 years previous to the attacks, mattoon has a rich railroad history and has seen many famous civil war icons passing through on their way to shape modern america. Jan 22, 2017 the riddle mattoon high school year book 1927.
Aug 05, 2011 did the mad gasser of mattoon really exist. Rumor, fear, and the madness of crowds by j p chaplin. How to deal with lemon wedge bacteria and other horrors. For nearly two weeks the attacks continued, remaining more or less the same throughout. The first person to tell me the legend was a friend of mines grandmother. In this weeks episode of the futility closet podcast well pursue the mad gasser of mattoon, who vanished as quickly as he had struck, leaving residents to wonder whether he had ever existed. Did mattoon have a mad scientist or a mad population. Dec 14, 2005 other newspapers quickly picked up the story, and soon the entire country was reading about mattoons rumored mad gasser. This article falls under the scope of wikiproject paranormal, which aims to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to the paranormal and related topics on wikipedia. She does all of the illustration and design for the singular fortean society. In search of the mad gasser of mattoon chuck straub. Other newspapers quickly picked up the story, and soon the entire country was reading about mattoons rumored mad gasser. The mad gasser of mattoon in 1944, a strange night prowler is believed to have made poison gas attacks in illinois. On august 31 st, 1944 in a small house on grant avenue in the town of mattoon, illinois would become the first stage in the mad gassers attacks upon the town.
In 1944, mattoon, illinois succumbed to the best known and most commonly cited case of mass hysteria in the twentieth century. The story of the phantom anesthetist or, more popularly, the mad gasser of mattoon. With the exception of the 1938 martian panic triggered by the orson welles radio dramatization of war of the worlds, mattoon, illinois, probably holds the distinction of hosting the most widely discussed twentiethcentury mass delusion in the united statesat least among those who specialize in studying such. A tense and fearful public was primed during wartime to believe with little evidence. If you would like to participate, you can edit the attached article, help with current tasks, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and discussions. Possible explanations for the mad gasser of mattoon exemplore. These medical professionals discovered that most modernday victims had started off with sore throats, caused by a rare form of streptococcus.
For two weeks a mad gasser or phantom anesthetist who sprayed a gas into the bedroom windows of innocent women terrorized the small. The helpful staff at trinity dodge are proud to serve the community of mattoon and would like to have the chance to earn your business. The mad gasser of mattoon ultimately generated three main theories. The real stories behind bizarre events in history grunge. By the end of august the town of mattoon, illinois was baking in the heat and people kept their windows open at night to let in the cool night air. The mad gasser of mattoon also known as the anesthetic prowler, the phantom anesthetist, or simply the mad gasser was the name given to the person or people believed to be responsible for a series of apparent gas attacks that occurred in mattoon, illinois, during the mid1940s.
The small towns fears of an enemy within, stalking them like prey. Trn apr 1999 remembering the mad gasser of mattoon. In 1944, reports about a mad gasser circulated in matoon, illinois. Mattoon was the site of the mad gasser attacks of the 1940s. The incidents began on august 31, 1944, and lasted two weeks. Which brings me at last to the mad gasser of mattoon. The story of the bulldog man has been with me since i was a child. You groggily make your way to the window to see whats going on. After the accident, cracks were found in the bulkheads of many other dc10s. According to a woman named aline kearney, a prowler used some kind of anesthetic or gas which made her throat to burn and legs to go numb. Most serial killers commit their crimes over a number of years.
Shut the windows and change your mask filters, the mad gasser of mattoon is prowling the podcast. The mad gasser of mattoon the dark histories podcast. The attacks were often accompanied by sightings of a tall, dark man, whom many believed to be the perpetrator of the attacks. To this day, the identity of the mad gasser remains a mystery, as does the reason why he chose to wreak havoc in mattoon. Chrysler dodge jeep ram car dealer near mattoon il. Emma just happens to live in the illinois city of mattoon. Oct 10, 2016 the mad gasser of mattoon ultimately generated three main theories. Illinois historian scott maruna believes farley was the culprit. Inspired by the legend of the mad gasser of mattoon, an urban myth that. The incident later became known as the mad gasser of mattoon.
Boards community central the vestibule teh vestibule archive this cracked article is freaking me out this cracked article is freaking me out discussion in teh vestibule archive. Prowler, the mad gasser of mattoon jason lee brown on. Feb 11, 2020 the press later identified this person as the mad gasser of mattoon. If you know your supernatural tales and history, youll know that back in the 1940s, the city was plagued by a terrifying creature that became infamously known as the mad gasser of mattoon. The mad gasser of mattoon, also known as the phantom anesthetist or anesthetic prowler, was the supposed perpetrator of a series of alleged gas attacks targeting the residents of mattoon, illinois. She was trying to scare us by telling us the story and saying bulldog man would kidnap. A wwiiera midwestern mystery, the mad gasser of mattoon held a small town in a gaseous grip of fear for 2 weeks with no explanation and few suspects. The bricks tumbled to the ground and landed on the boys face. But yet again this did not fit the tactics of the mad gasser so it did seem that some shady people were trying to take advantage of this situation making the residents within this community even more nervous. The mad gasser of mattoon in mattoon, illinois in the early 1930s, reports started popping up of a man or woman deliberately spraying poisonous gasses into peoples homes via the windows, and in some cases, building crude barricades to keep the victims inside.
A sentry in a forward observation post had seen a dim figure moving in a mist south across the ravine. And the mad gasser was as silent as the newspapers during that initial 2day labor day publishing break. The clergy concluded they were fraternizing with the devil and this marked the beginning of witch trials. The mad gasser of mattoon was the name given to the person or people believed to be responsible for a series of apparent gas attacks. Jan 21, 2011 which brings me at last to the mad gasser of mattoon.
In the case for a mad gasser being an actual, physical attacker, there is some amount of evidence. The mad gasser of mattoon is probably one of my favorite myths ever. Now whatever the case maybe the mystery of the mad gasser is one of americas most strangest cases and dozens of people have dedicated their lifes hopping that they would be the one to finally crack this case once and for all but so far this bizarre mystery still remains unsolved. The mad gasser of mattoon became one of the most famous case studies in mass hysteria. Apr 05, 2020 the mad gasser of mattoon, tiger king and outlandish true crime on thursday, august 31, 1944, mr. The legend of the mad gasser of mattoon was born but the case has. In 1944, residents in the town of mattoon in illinois came under a prolonged series of attacks by a man the papers named as the mad gasser and the phantom anesthetist. In 1944, the town of mattoon, illinois was plagued by reports of a madman using toxic gas to target residents. See more ideas about illinois, mattoon illinois and growing up. Mattoon illinois in the summer of 1944 was just a typical small town of about 16,000 inhabitants.
Dec 20, 2016 the mad gasser of mattoon in 1944, a strange night prowler is believed to have made poison gas attacks in illinois. Its the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard of, and its a prime example of how the. Aug 28, 2019 illinois historian scott maruna believes farley was the culprit. Police discovered a skeleton key on the porch where mrs. If the morning newspapers dedicated more space to the gasser, more reports came in that day. An unknown assailant would sneak up to houses and through various entryways usually through a cracked windows, doors, and even holes in. Dec, 2016 the attacks were often accompanied by sightings of a tall, dark man, whom many believed to be the perpetrator of the attacks. Stories have suggested that mattoons gasser was anything from a mad scientist to an apeman although who knows where that came from. Coles county is part of the charleston mattoon illinois micropolitan statistical area and consists of two cities, four villages and twelve townships. There was a peculiar heavy odor in the bedroom and i at first thought it was gas. One night, during an awful storm, wind blew through an opening in the roof and shifted a stack of bricks. This cracked article is freaking me out ign boards.
The mad gasser of mattoon had a peculiar way of attacking his victims. To this day, those responsible for these attacks have never been identified. But in the 1940s, it became known for its mad gasser. Mattoon is a city in coles county, illinois, united states. In 1944, a bizarre criminal assaulted the small town of mattoon, illinois. Regarding the latter, the police chief would say that all of the gas attacks were caused by chemicals carried by the wind from nearby industrial plants, that there was no mad gasser at all. After this night, the mad gasser of mattoon was never seen or heard from again. A week or so ago, i saw that an author had revisited one of the classics of the paranormal, the mad gasser of mattoon, illinois, in which a mysterious figure terrified the population of the small town by ostensibly seeking to do them in or make them ill. And rumors started to spread that the real mad gasser was from an insane asylum and he had just recently escaped. In 1966, lake land college was built just south of. Since its summertime and hot, youve left the window cracked to cool off the room. Still, as a case study in mass hysteria, the mattoon epidemic is a useful example in how quickly fear can arise and how easy it is to spin out of control. He came to be known as the mad gasser and by the time his gassing spree ended, over.
In 1944 they kept those windows open only a crack, because many of the men were away, fighting in. Mattoon is a city in coles county, and was the site of the mad gasser attacks of the 1940s. A gentleman by the name of urban raef was awoken by a strange odor that had encompassed most of the interior of his house. In 1944, the people of mattoon, il lived in fear of a madman that was going around spraying homes with toxic gas. Our chrysler dodge jeep ram car dealership is stocked with all of the best models. Victims reported smelling a sickly sweet odor in their bedrooms before being overcome with nausea and a feeling of paralysis. This county is also home to many wellknown folktales and legends including the ghost of mary hawkins at pemberton hall and the mad gasser of mattoon.
Aug 05, 2017 in 1944, the town of mattoon, illinois was plagued by reports of a madman using toxic gas to target residents. Sep 14, 2016 who was the mad gasser of mattoon illinois. Small towns across the country have their share of odd stories and urban legends, and mattoon illinois is no exception. The weight of the glacier to the north created cracks in the underlying bedrock. Oil extraction continues to be an important economic activity. The attacker was supposedly a masked man or woman who went about at night trying to spray some sort of gas into peoples faces, sometimes while they slept, for reasons unknown.
I have done, seen, and heard of some ridiculous things in my time, but nothing compares to the story that im about to relate to you. The mad gasser of mattoon was the name given to the person or people believed to be responsible for a series of apparent gas attacks that occurred in botetourt county, virginia, during the early 1930s, and in mattoon, illinois, during the mid. In august and september 1944, a series of mysterious attacks were reported in mattoon, illinois. His nose was smashed flat, his cheeks hung loose, and his bottom lip drooped to reveal his now sharp and cracked teeth. According to eyewitnesses, numerous sightings, and even physical evidence left behind, the town was under attack by a mysterious man in black who was for unknown reasons spraying some sort of paralyzing gas into the windows of unsuspecting residents. Did mattoon have a mad scientist or a mad population io9. The 1940 discovery of petroleum reserves near mattoon led to a small oil boom over the next two decades, bringing with it economic benefits and increased civic pride.
569 1297 634 281 364 350 1492 495 477 1062 613 1261 939 715 943 235 595 1506 1455 1079 1455 1087 1053 62 1024 1369 850 1182 550 1236 334 1115 650 264 1143 715 511 1474 1073