Comments on: The Mad Gasser of Mattoon

By: David Lewis

David Lewis — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:55:59 +0000

Living only 30 minutes from Mattoon and making frequent trips to Eastern Illinois Unviersity, i was still unfamiliar with the story…DI!

By: BenKinsey

BenKinsey — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:31:15 +0000

How could the chemical be unknown if “Mrs. Carl Cordes reported finding a small wet cloth on her porch, and when she picked it up she was overcome by an odor”? Why wouldn’t they test it to see if she was making it up and if not what was the chemical? I guess it’s just another case of the lazy-ass pigs not doing a thorough job.

By: sroden1711

sroden1711 — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 04:09:45 +0000

That’s crazy. I go to school at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston (a few miles from Mattoon) and it’s not really talked about, although I had heard something about it my freshman year.

By: GrawneyMan

GrawneyMan — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:53:12 +0000

Around these parts, my son is known as the Mad Gasser… though rarely is the odour sweet.

By: Kafka

Kafka — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 03:16:08 +0000

This type of robbery has occured, and still occurs today. In Malaysia, poor medical students often use bundles of cloth soaked in chloroform or other gas form anesthetics, placed near windows or near bed sides, and with a gentle breeze or fan, induced the owners to sleep, while robbing their house.

In France, Footballer Patrick Viera recently had all his wife's jewellery stolen when thieves pumped gas anesthetic into his home.

These types of attacks do occur, so it might not be that far-fetched to believe the Mad Gasser.

By: Archcroc

Archcroc — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:46:22 +0000

Bucky said: "That's a gas."

Is there some kind of rule for Damn Interesting where the first comment has to be a terrible pun? I'm not complaining or anything, I like bad puns, but this just happens way too much to be a coincidence.

Oh, but you've missed the creepiest thing about the Mad Gasser, the newspaper illustration! It's quite probably the best rendering of a boogeyman EVER.

By: Haywood Jablome

Haywood Jablome — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:48:57 +0000

lol spring heeled jack and the mad gasser would have made a great team.

By: AKALucifer

AKALucifer — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:44:40 +0000

Along with spring heeled jack, the matton gasser gets onto my MSN comment list of favorite criminals. Did they ever establish a link between all the victims? If so i’d like to hear it.

By: orielbean

orielbean — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 14:15:17 +0000

The reason why the cops arrested the vigilantes – they might get in the way, and get angry, and shoot stuff. The Beslan tragedy was due in large part to the vigilante citizens getting in the way and actually shooting a bunch of the police & army forces. Most of the dead who were shot and not blown up were directly credited to the vigilantes that stormed the building when the bombs went off and the police moved in.

By: schuylercat

schuylercat — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 16:40:17 +0000

I know this person. I was married to her. Every time she ate seafood she would attack – there would be a “buzzing sound” under the covers, followed by “blue vapors.” There would be a “sickly sweet odor,” I would “feel ill,” the “roof of my mouth would burn,” and I finally had to divorce her. She’s currently gassing a fine young national guardsman – a man who likely had a bit of training in dealing with chemical weapons. Poor sodder.

And I didn’t know anything at all about Mattoon – is it really the Bagel Capitol? How cool! And I’m surprised at the number of people who posted who were from there.

Kidding aside – that was a odd little story – thanks, Alan.