The Mad Gasser of Mattoon

<p>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. </p> <p><strong>Research:</strong></p> <ul> <li>“‘Anesthetic Prowler’ Covers City.” Journal Gazette. Sept. 5, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/93681179/?terms=%22Urban%20Raef%22%20&amp;match=1</li> <li>“‘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&amp;match=1</li> <li>“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</li> <li>“Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning.” Centers for Disease Control. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/carbon_tetrachloride/docs/Carbon_Tetra_Patient_Ed_Sheet-508.pdf</li> <li>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</li> <li>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&amp;match=1</li> <li>“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.</li> <li>“’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&amp;match=1</li> <li>“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&amp;match=1</li> <li>“Is ‘Madman od Mattoon,’ Who Gasses Victims,