Author: greatlakeslore

Episode 2: The Mad Gasser of Mattoon

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“He moves through the night as nimbly and secretly as a cat, squirting a sweetish gas through bedroom windows.” -(citation needed)

In this episode Samantha and Aaron are exploring the case of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon! In late-August and September of 1944 the citizens of Mattoon, Illinois began reporting cases of sweet smells in the home at night, followed by physical symptoms, such as a burning throat and temporary paralysis. Was there really an “anesthetic prowler” attacking the residents of Mattoon or is there another explanation? 

Time Stamps: 

Intro- 0:00

Setting the Scene- 3:10

What the Papers Said- 6:52

Legend or Lie?- 44:58

Paranormal Explanations- 49:17

Psychological Explanations- 57:53

An Actual Criminal?- 1:08:51

Note! There are a couple of spots that had some brief, un-fixable audio distortion–only a second or so, here and there. Thank you for understanding.

For More Information:

On the Gassings in Botetourt County

On Spring-Heeled Jack

On The Dancing Plague of 1518

Episode 1: The Dudgeon Swamp Mystery

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In our inaugural episode, the Great Lakes Lore team will be diving into the sources and exploring the deaths of a father and son in rural, 1920s West Michigan. The Dudgeon family moved to White Cloud, Michigan in 1905 and, less than twenty years later three members of the family were convicted of murder. Were they guilty or were the locals out to get the new folks in town? 
A special thanks to the folks at The October Project for bringing together many of the primary sources we used in our research. You can find Meda’s handwritten account of her husband’s death there, as well as more pictures and the history by Harry Spooner that we reference.