lorepodcast
patreon
Lore 231: Out of Breath (ad-free)
🕑 Added 2023-07-03 04:01:01 +0000 UTCMuch of the history of folklore we have today involves a community driven to panic over unusual stories and experiences. But few moments in time illustrate that pattern so clearly as the events in one small Midwestern town.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Cassandra de Alba and music by Chad Lawson.
————————
Further Reading
- “Who was invited to the annual washing of the lions at the Tower of London?” Smithsonian Magazine, March 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/mar/30/washing-lions-tower-london
- “Anesthetic Prowler Adds Victim.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 6, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681200
- “‘Anesthetic Prowler’ Covers City.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 5, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681179
- “‘Anesthetic Prowler’ on Loose.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 2, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681104
- “‘Ape Man’ Now Suspect No. 1 As Gas Maniac.” Rock Island Argus. September 15, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/548001458
- Ballenger Charles. “Fear, Perhaps Gas Too, Fills Mattoon’s Air.” Chicago Tribune. September 12, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/370396797
- Ballenger, Charles. “Mattoon’s Gas Fiend Attacks Girl, 11, In Home.” Chicago Tribune. September 9, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/370379662
- Baloh, Robert W. & Robert E. Bartholomew. Havana Syndrome: Mass Psychogenic Illness and the Real Story Behind the Embassy Mystery and Hysteria (Springer Nature, 2020).
- Bartholomew, Robert E. Hoaxes, Myths, and Manias: Why We Need Critical Thinking (Prometheus, 2003).
- Bartholomew, Robert E. & Hilary Evans. Panic Attacks: Media Manipulation and Mass Delusion (The History Press, 2004).
- “Black Flash in Old Provincetown Says ‘Booh,’ and Are Folks Scared!” Boston Globe. October 24, 1939. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/431852373
- “Boys on Cape Start Search for Prowler.” Boston Globe. October 26, 1939. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/431856404
- Carlson, Debbie. “The Mattoon Mad Gasser – Looking Back At A Textbook Case Of Mass Hysteria.” Belt Magazine. June 4, 2015. https://beltmag.com/the-mattoon-mad-gasser-looking-back-at-a-textbook-case-of-mass-hysteria
- “Chief Denies Current Rumors.” Provincetown Advocate. November 9, 1939. https://provincetown.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=black%20flash%20tarvers&i=f&d=01011856-12311967&m=between&ord=k1&fn=provincetown_advocate_usa_massachusetts_provincetown_19391109_english_1&df=1&dt=10&cid=3034
- “Citizens Seek Action to End Mattoon Gas Raid Mystery.” Decatur Herald. September 9, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/88425524
- Coleman, Loren. Mysterious America (Pocket Books, 2007).
- Desroches, Steve. “The ‘Black Flash’…The Legend Lives On.” Provincetown Magazine. October 16, 2011. https://provincetownmagazine.com/index.php/2011/10/16/the-black-flash-the-legend-lives-on
- Downes, Jon. “In Search of the Mad Gasser.” Fortean Times. November 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20090903034909/http://www.forteantimes.com/features/articles/83/in_search_of_the_mad_gasser.html
- “Fall Brings Out The ‘Black Flash.’” Provincetown Advocate. October 26, 1939. https://provincetown.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=black%20flash&i=f&d=01011856-12311967&m=between&ord=k1&fn=provincetown_advocate_usa_massachusetts_provincetown_19391026_english_1&df=1&dt=10&cid=3034
- “‘Gardenia Gas’ Prowler At Mattoon, Ill.” Belleville News-Democrat. September 7, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/769373198
- “Gas Breaks Up Church Meet.” Austin American-Statesman. December 18, 1961. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/357923319
- “‘Gas Calls’ At Vanishing Point.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 13, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681538
- “Getting Gassed In Mattoon Becomes Most Popular Fad.” Dayton Journal. September 12, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/391696936
- Heflin, James. “The Uncanny Valley: Jumpin’ Black Flash, A Cape Cod boogeyman.” Valley Advocate. May 27, 2015. https://valleyadvocate.com/2015/05/27/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-6
- Hereford, Robert A. “Mattoon Argues Over Denial That Prowler Exists.” St. Louis Star and Times. September 13, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/205455415
- “History of Coles County.” Coles County, Illinois Homepage. Accessed September 10, 2022. https://www.co.coles.il.us/genInfo.html
- “Hunt Escaped Nazi Here.” Daily Journal-Gazette. August 31, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681016
- “Hurricane Damaged Water Heater Blamed For Fumes.” Galveston Daily News. December 19, 1961. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/30166877
- “Intensify Hunt For Gas Prowler.” Chicago Tribune. September 7, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/370374182
- Johnson, Brooke. “Debating the Mad Gasser.” Journal-Gazette & Times Courier. August 17, 2005. https://jg-tc.com/uncategorized/debating-the-mad-gasser/article_9813e265-c321-522b-81c1-42078c176093.html
- Johnson, Donald M. “The ‘Phantom Anesthetist’ of Mattoon: A Field Study of Mass Hysteria.” Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 40(2), 1945: 175-186. http://ergotism.info/en/hysteria/mass_hysteria_mad_gasser_jasp_1945_40.pdf
- Ladendorf, Bob and Robert E. Bartholomew. “The Mad Gasser of Mattoon: How the Press Created an Imaginary Chemical Weapons Attack.” Skeptical Inquirer 26(4), July/August 2002: 50-58. https://skepticalinquirer.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2019/03/Issue-04-23.pdf
- “‘Mad Gasser’ Adds Six Victims!” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 9, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681408
- “‘Mad Gasser’ Case Limited To 4 Suspects.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 12, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681496
- “Mad Prowler Takes It Easy For Night.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 8, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681348
- “Many Prowler Reports; Few Real.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 11, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681453
- Maruna, Scott. The Mad Gasser of Mattoon: Dispelling the Hysteria (Swamp Gas Book Company, 2003).
- “Mattoon Citizens Watch for Insane Prowler; Gas Victims Mount to 17.” Daily Clintonian. September 8, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/133994468
- “Mattoon Fiend Fells Two More With Poison Gas.” Chicago Tribune. September 8, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/370377270
- “Mattoon ‘Gas Prowler’ Just Mass Hysteria, Police Assert.” Alton Evening Telegraph. September 13, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/26061102
- “Mattoon, Illinois Population 2022.” World Population Review. Accessed September 10, 2022. https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/mattoon-il-population
- “Mattoon’s Mad Anesthetist.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 8, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681355
- “Mattoon Memories.” Souvenir Program of the Mattoon Centennial. 1955. https://libsysdigi.library.illinois.edu/oca/Books2008-06/mattoonmemoriess00matt/mattoonmemoriess00matt.pdf
- Mio, Leslie. “The Mattoon Gasser: Victims and Locations.” Eastern Illinois University. Accessed September 10, 2022. https://www.eiu.edu/localite/gasservictims.php
- Moreno, Richard. Myths and Mysteries of Illinois: True Stories of the Unsolved and Unexplained (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013).
- “Mystery Fumes Fell Churchgoers.” El Paso Herald-Post. December 18, 1961. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/798206437
- “No Gas, Not Even Madman Seen During Night.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 15, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681718
- “No New Cases In Gas Mystery.” Decatur Herald. September 14, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/88427234
- “The ‘Perfumed City’ Speaks.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 20, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681877
- “Poison Gas Prowler Adds Two Victims To Previous List.” Belleville Daily Advocate. September 7, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/768245656
- Revai, Cheri. Haunted Massachusetts: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Bay State (Stackpole Books, 2005).
- “Safety Agent To Aid Police In ‘Gas’ Case.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 6, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681233
- Sampson, Bob. Email correspondence. October 1, 2020.
- “Sidelights of ‘Mad Gasser’s’ Strange Case.” Daily Journal-Gazette. September 12, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/93681517
- Smith-Johnson, Robin. Legends & Lore of Cape Cod (Arcadia Publishing, 2016).
- “Some Say ‘Madman of Mattoon’ Is Hoax.” The Dispatch. September 8, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/340095570
- Stalker, Harold. “Mattoon Gas Scare Laid to War Plant Fumes, Hysteria.” Decatur Herald. September 13, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/88426660
- “Sweet Gas Ends Songs At Church.” The Austin American. December 18, 1961. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/384919416
- “Sweet Gas Sickens Many At Yule Party.” Denton Record-Chronicle. December 18, 1961. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/24379522
- Taylor, Troy. Monsters of Illinois: Mysterious Creatures in the Prairie State (Stackpole Books, 2011).
- “Three Killed By Mysterious Gas.” St. Joseph News-Press. February 1, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/560113681
- “Total Gas Victims Now 27.” Decatur Daily Review. September 9, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/88438557
- “Two Mattoon ‘Gas Victims’ Found To Have Hysteria.” Alton Evening Telegraphy. September 11, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/26061078
- Waters, Dustin. “The mystery of the ‘Mad Gasser of Mattoon’ who terrorized an Illinois town.” The Washington Post. October 30, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/10/30/mad-gasser-mattoon-illinois-mystery
- Weiser-Alexander, Kathy. “Mad Gassers of Virginia & Illinois.” Legends of America. January 2020. https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mad-gassers/
- “‘Whiff’ Left by Phantom Gasser Puzzles Police.” Star Tribune. September 10, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/181829078
Comments
Serenity Ann
To hear someone pronounce Mattoon correctly is just … a breath of fresh air. I’m sorry, I’ll see myself out
