LIVE: Minneapolis - The Madd Gasser of Mattoon

In 1944, a series of mysterious gas attacks occurred in Mattoon, Illinois, causing widespread fear and drawing both local and federal investigators.

The initial incident at the Kearney household

The frightening series began on September 1, 1944, at the Kearney residence.

On September 1, 1944, Aileen Kearney and her sister Martha Reedy experienced a strange, sickly-sweet odor in their home, accompanied by paralysis and dryness in their mouths and throats.

This ordeal took place in the night, with the peculiar gardenia-like scent marking the incident. Aileen Kearney went to bed at 11 p.m. with her toddler daughter, Dorothy. As the odor intensified, Aileen began to lose control over her limbs. Both mother and daughter experienced distressing symptoms.

The local police were called but could not find the source of the odor or any evidence of an intruder.

Martha Reedy sought the help of a neighbor, Earl Robertson, followed by the police. During their searches, however, nothing was uncovered. Bert Kearney, Aileen's husband who was returning home around 1:30 a.m., spotted a suspicious figure that ran away when approached, but no evidence was found upon the police’s return.

Subsequent reported attacks

These eerie occurrences continued to happen throughout the community, with various Mattoon residents describing comparable terrifying moments.

Over the following days and weeks, a number of other Mattoon residents reported similar experiences of being overcome by a noxious gas and suffering from paralysis, nausea, and other symptoms.

After the Kearney incident was reported and labeled as the first encounter with the anesthetic prowler, other locals came forward with their accounts. For instance, Urban Rafe and his wife experienced the same phenomenon just the night before the Kearneys', and Patrice Ryder and her children reported illness, with the children vomiting from the attack.

The reported attacks occurred at different times and locations around Mattoon, but followed a similar pattern.

The gas attacks were not isolated to one area but occurred at various locales throughout Mattoon. The pattern was consistent: an inexplicable gas leading to a range of acute symptoms.

Some victims, like the Spangler and Hendershot families, had only one member affected whi ...

The mysterious events attributed to the "Mad Gasser" of Mattoon have sparked a debate on whether they were acts of a real assailant or the product of mass hysteria.

The case for mass hysteria

Johnson, who published his assessment in the Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, outlined a psychogenic origin. Johnson concluded that the widespread fear was seeded by Aileen Kearney's initial report and inflamed by sensational coverage in the local newspaper, read by almost the entire town, fostering belief in an anesthetic prowler.

Factors that contributed to heightened anxiety and paranoia

At the time, the town of Mattoon faced heightened anxiety as many men were absent due to the war, and a recent escape of a Nazi POW from an army base 150 miles away contributed to the paranoia.

The prominent role of the local newspaper

The impact of the local newspaper, particularly the Journal Gazette, was significant as it publicized the idea that a serial gasser was targeting victims, suggesting ongoing and future attacks.

The lack of physical evidence or a clear motive

Physical evidence such as chemicals were never isolated from the reported pink cloth, and the nature of the reported gas affected individuals inconsistently within the same environment, both call into question the presence of a tangible perpetrator.

The abrupt end to the reported incidents

The cases ceased abruptly when the police implemented strict consequences for those reporting attacks. Chief Cole announced potential hospitalization or jail time for claimants, which led to an immediate reduction in reports.

The case against mass hysteria

Despite the inclination to label the incidents as mass hysteria, some aspects presented by Chuck Bryant and others suggest the potential involvement of a true gas attacker.

Physical evidence that could not be easily explained away

Occurrences of a moist pink cloth, slashed window screen, and the presence of a unique boot print add layers of tangible mystery.

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The mysterious case of the "Mad Gasser" of Mattoon has seen its fair share of suspects and theories. Farley Llewellyn was one such suspect, and his background and the speculation around his possible involvement provide a captivating narrative entangled with limited evidence and local bias.

Llewellyn's background and reputation in the community

Llewellyn was a local man with a chemistry background who was seen as strange and an outsider in Mattoon.

Farley Llewellyn was a trained chemist and a college dropout from the University of Illinois. Considered tall with a slim athletic build, he was perceived as strange by the townsfolk, part of which may have been due to his sexuality. Being gay in a time and place where that was widely unacceptable contributed to his outsider status. Despite coming from a prominent and beloved family—his father was a revered grocer known for his kindness—Llewellyn was seen as an oddity in the community.

The case for Llewellyn being the "Mad Gasser"

Speculation about Llewellyn's potential involvement takes shape around his capabilities and circumstances. Scott Maruno suggests that nitromethane could account for the symptoms reported by victims, as well as its described sickly sweet odor. Llewellyn, viewed as a smart yet socially isolated chemist, could have leveraged his expertise in chemistry for vengeful actions against his neighbors. It's implied that Llewellyn possibly attempted to blow up people one bedroom at a time. This series of attacks may have stopped due to Llewellyn giving up or for other unknown reasons.

Timeline and possible cover-up by family

The narrative posits that the initial attacks might have been carried out by Llewellyn before he ceased his attempts. Subsequently, there's speculation that his older sisters might have perpetrated additional attacks to divert suspicion from him.

Furthermore, Llewellyn had set up a professional chemistry lab on his family’s property, which notably exploded about a week before the Mad Gasser incidents began. This event is entwined with the speculation around his potential as the main perpetrator.

Limitations of the ...