Lecture Notes on The Mad Gasser of Mattoon

Introduction

• Topic: The mystery of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon.
• Context: In 1944, Mattoon, Illinois faced reports of a man using toxic gas to harm residents.
• Question: Was the Mad Gasser a real person or a case of mass hysteria?

Initial Incident

• Date: September 1, 1944.
• Victim: Dorothy Kearney.
  • Noticed a sweet odor, experienced paralysis.
  • Her husband saw a man in black near their home.

Subsequent Incidents

• Carl and Beulah Cordes:
  • Found a cloth with a sweet odor, fell ill.
  • Found a skeleton key and lipstick near their home.

Night of Multiple Attacks

• Victims:
  • Glenda Henfershott: Her daughter became ill.
  • Ardell Spangler: Sickly sweet fumes.
  • Laura Junken: Compared smell to cheap perfume, felt weak.
  • Fred Goble: Saw something sprayed, fell ill; no symptoms in his wife.

Response from the Community

• Public Reaction:

  • Panic and frenzy ensued.
  • Residents speculated about chemicals such as chloroform and chloropicrin.

• Police Force:

  • Limited resources; skepticism from Police Chief Eugene Cole.
  • Identified hysteria as a primary factor.

• Vigilante Actions:

  • Armed citizens patrolled streets, risking accidental harm.

Additional Reports

• Notable Accounts:
  • Bertha Burch: Described gasser as a woman dressed as a man.
  • Edna James: Claimed the gasser was an ape-like creature.
  • Eaton Paradise: Mistook nail polish remover for toxic gas.

Conclusion of Events

• Police Chief's Statement:
  • Dismissed the events as mass hysteria linked to a nearby plant.
  • Divided opinion among officials and residents.

Investigation Insights

• Suspect: Farley Llewellyn.
  • Amateur chemist with a history of experiments.
  • Lived near the incident sites.
  • Lack of evidence for a conviction.

Historical Context

• World War II Influence:

  • Heightened fears of chemical attacks may have fueled hysteria.

• Comparison: Similar incident in Virginia a decade prior.

Conclusion

• Final Thoughts:
  • Earliest attacks may have been real.
  • Later reports likely due to community hysteria.

Safety Advice

• First-Aid Tips:
  • Wash immediately after removing clothes in case of gas exposure.

Closing Remarks

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