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Mad Gasser of Mattoon
A phantom prowler spraying a paralyzing gas through windows. Victims woke unable to move. Police found nothing. Was the Mad Gasser real, or mass hysteria during wartime?
1944
Mattoon, Illinois, USA
29+ witnesses
The Mad Gasser of Mattoon was an alleged attacker who purportedly sprayed a paralyzing gas into homes in 1944.
The Events
According to documented accounts:
In August-September 1944:
- Residents reported gas attacks
- Victims experienced paralysis
- Sweet, flowery smell reported
- A prowler was sometimes seen
The Investigation
Police responded:
- No gas was ever found
- No attacker was caught
- Some footprints found
- No definitive evidence
The Theory
Many researchers believe:
- Mass hysteria fueled the reports
- Wartime anxiety was high
- The newspaper amplified panic