The Mad Anesthetist, or Mad Gasser, was reported to be a tall, thin man in dark clothes. He often wore a tight-fitting cap. Some reports stated he was actually a woman dressed as a man. Other tales that state there were a group of culprits responsible for the damages. Still others put blame on government officials conducting secret weapons testing, or even extraterrestrial beings. ...
The first wave of attacks happened in Botetourt County, Virginia, between December 1933 and February 1934. The first home attacked was in Haymakertown. Around 10 pm, Mrs. Cal Huffman noticed a strange odor that made her nauseous. The initial symptoms faded within minutes and she dismissed it. Thirty minutes later, the symptoms came and grew more severe. The family called the police.
Her symptoms passed and it everyone assumed it was just some minor incident. The authorities examined the home and couldn’t find anything suspicious. Everyone decided to get some rest and retired for the evening. No one knew precisely what happened, but it passed.
The next attack came at one in the morning. This time, the entire house was affected. Eight family members and one houseguest became sick with headaches, facial swelling, and constriction of the mouth and throat. Huffman’s daughter, Alice, was unconscious and had to be resuscitated when the authorities found her. She suffered convulsions for several weeks after. ...
Clarence Hall and his family came home from church on Christmas Eve. They entered their Cloverdale home around 9 pm to find a strong, sweet odor inside. No one really paid attention. They assumed something outside had just drifted in when they entered the home and would clear momentarily. The air didn’t clear and moments later, the family grew fatigued and nauseous. They summoned the authorities.
The police found a hole the size of a nail near their window. It was believed the gas was pumped into the home through the opening. The same sickness came to a Troutville household on December 27. The next attack was in Haymakertown on January 10, at Holmer Hylton’s residence. Mrs. Moore, a houseguest at the time, said she heard voices outside just before everyone grew ill. The authorities’ believed the gas came through a damaged window.
That same night, the Kinzie house, also in Troutville, was hit. There were 8 attacks before the gasser finished with this region, although older statistics place the numbers closer to 20 separate attacks. Several witnesses claim there were always multiple suspects in the vicinity before a house was gassed.
Dr. S. F. Driver, of Troutville, said he believed it was chlorine gas. Other reports claim the offensive fog was a different gas. Many witnesses saw someone near their home, but the authorities did not pursue the information. Even footprints and the sighting of strange automobiles did not arouse their interests. Women’s shoeprints were found at the scene of at least two homes. ...
