In September 1944, as World War II raged overseas, the small town of Mattoon, Illinois felt under attack. Dozens of people reported smelling a sickening sweet odor drift into their bedroom at night. It allegedly smelled like gardenias and left them feeling ill and, in some cases, paralyzed. The town’s leading theory was that a madman was running around town ... Show More
Aug 13
Was the “Pirate King” also the King’s Spy?
In 1695, “The Pirate King” Henry Every pulled off a heist, evaded a global manhunt, and vanished with his newfound treasure. He was never found…or was he? A new theory suggests the King of England not only knew what happened to Henry – he hired the “missing” pirate as a spy. Keep ... Show More
43m 16s
Aug 6
Japan’s Evaporated People
Imagine you wake up tomorrow and the person you depend upon most in this world is gone. No trace, no goodbyes, just vanished. Then, you find out they planned their disappearance — and have no intention of returning. In Japan, this phenomenon has a name: Johatsu, or “evaporated pe ... Show More
44m 36s
Nov 2022
This Paralyzing Gas Caused Panic in a Small Town | Mad Gasser of Mattoon
In 1944 the small town of Mattoon, Illinois was in a panic for weeks. A number of residents had woken up to a strange odor which caused alarming symptoms like paralysis, and it appeared someone was attacking victims with gas. Today, we discuss the peculiar mystery of the Mad Gass ... Show More
1h 17m
Jan 2020
Herrin Massacre
In the spring of 1922, the United Mine Workers of America announced a national strike. And then, that summer in Herrin, Illinois, 23 people were murdered over two days. Men, women, and children came out of their houses to watch, and in some cases, to take part in the violence. Sc ... Show More
27m 53s
Jan 2017
E28: The Hall-Mills Murder
Two corpses are found posed under a tree in New Brunswick, New Jersey. An heiress, a reverend, a cheating wife, a charming bachelor, the local oddball, and the love affair that turned deadly—with this cast of characters, it’s no wonder the case kicked off one of the biggest media ... Show More
39m 59s
Oct 2022
EP. 86 ILLINOIS - John Wayne Gacy (PT. 1): Who WAS The Killer Clown?
It was the 1970s, and young men who had their whole lives in front of them started going missing around the greater Chicago area. While some disappeared while looking for a job in the city, or hanging out near the Greyhound bus station, or walking along the roads outside of Chica ... Show More
1h 20m