While World War II was being fought on multiple fronts, panic was filling one U. S. town. Someone was gassing the residents of Mattoon, Illinois. Were the incidents reported real, or was it just a matter of mass hysteria?

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SOURCES

“All Quiet on Mattoon's ‘Gas Front.’” The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 14, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“Anesthesia and Anathema.” The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 11, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“Anesthetic Prowler Adds Victim.” Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 6, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“'Anesthetic Prowler' Covers City.” Journal Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 5, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“'Anesthetic' Prowler On Loose.” Daily Journal Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 2, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“The Case of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon.” Illinois Times. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/the-case-of-the-mad-gasser-of-mattoon/Content?oid=11450083.

“Intensify Hunt For Paralysis Gas Prowler.” The Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) , September 7, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“The Mad Gasser of Mattoon • Unexplained Stories.” YouTube. YouTube, January 13, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_q2LMlDgBc.

“The Mad Gasser of Mattoon, Illinois.” Historic Mysteries. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.historicmysteries.com/the-mad-gasser/.

“Mad Gasser of Mattoon.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, October 29, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Gasser_of_Mattoon.

United Press. “'Gardenia Gas' Prowler at Mattoon, Ill.” The Belleville News-Democrat (Belleville, Illinois), September 7, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

Waters, Dustin. “The Mystery of the 'Mad Gasser of Mattoon' Who Terrorized an Illinois Town.” The Washington Post. WP Company, October 29, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/10/30/mad-gasser-mattoon-illinois-mystery/.

“‘Mad Gasser’ Case Limited to 4 Suspects.” The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illnois), September 12, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

“The ‘Perfumed’ City Speaks.” The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois), September 20, 1944. www.newspapers.com.

SOUND SOURCES

Al Jolson. “I’ll Say She Does.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Lucille Hegamin and The Dixie Daisies. “Cold Winter Blues.” www.pixabay.com/music.

Sophie Tucker. “Reuben Rag.” www.pixabay.com/music.