Chicago Herald-American, Sept 7

2 Women New Gas Victims

Picture on Page 4
BY GLADYS ERICKSON
MATTOON, Ill. Sept. 7 -- Two new victims of this town's strange "gas fume maniac" told police today how they suddenly were made ill and half-paralyzed by "sickly sweet" vapors.
The victims, both women, made a total of 15, including five children, at whom the "Phantom Gas Man" has sprayed fumes through windows.
Mrs. Ardelle Spangler, worker in a shoe factory, said she was overcome in her bedroom about 10 p.m. yesterday. She said something smelling like "cheap perfume" bowled her over. Her legs became partially paralyzed and she was nauseated.

GASPS FOR BREATH

Mrs. Laura Junken, manager of a restaurant, said she fell gasping for breath when she entered her bedroom shortly after midnight. She said the fumes came toward her from a window. Two investigators arrived here from the Department of Public Welfare, Springfield, and Dr. E.E. Richardson, Mattoon mayor, appealed to the FBI to join in the hunt. The mayor also said he would ask the city council to offer a reward for the terrorist.
The only description of the phantom-like character came from Bert Kearney, whose wife, Aline, and their two children and Mrs. Kearney's sister, Mrs. Edgar Reedy, and her little son, were overcome by fumes injected into their screened window, Kearney said.
"I was called from work by neighbors an hour after the lunatic came to my home. As I reached my front door, I saw the figure of a man at my wife's bedroom window. He apparently had returned and then saw me and fled. By the street light I could see that he was tall and thin and had on dark clothes and wore a cap like those sold in our stores here to railroad men.
"He must have moved fast, because to get out of our yard he would have to leap over a four-foot picket fence."
This happened on the east side of town last Friday about 11:30 p.m. Several hours later the madman moved to the north side of town where at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Urban Raef he again sprayed the poisonous fumes through a front first floor window. -- Thursday, September 7, page 1

'GAS MADMAN' VICTIM

ROGER REEDY, 2, son of Mrs. Edgar Reedy, lies in crib where he was overcome by mystery gas sprayed during night into Mattoon home of Bert Kearney. Fifteen persons have been victims of Mattoon's 'gas madman.' City has called on FBI for aid. (Story on Page 1.) -- Page 4