From our March 29, 2001, edition.

Editor's Note: This is all in good fun and for a worthy cause. Every Turkey King Candidate is a fine individual and a good sport.

Turkey candidate's jar disappears from store 

Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The money jar of Turkey King candidate Vic Jeter disappeared over the weekend, forcing the popular banker into second place and plunging the election process into further controversy.

Election judge Linda Gray said Jeter’s jar was secure when she left Duckwall’s at 5 p.m. on Friday, but it was stolen over the weekend. A new jar will be glued to a big rock and ready to receive votes by Wednesday of this week, she said. In the meantime, voters who wish to support Jeter can give their money directly to the store’s clerks.

Recent high jinks by the Jeter campaign have aroused suspicion that the candidate himself may be a culprit. Last week, Jeter was reported to have threatened to steal the jar.

“I think he might have been involved,” Gray said. “I know he was in the store this weekend, and he did tell me that some boys were wanting to steal [the jar] for him.”

Jeter’s feathers appeared ruffled by the accusations, and he flatly denied any wrongdoing.

“I haven’t seen it, I didn’t take it, and I don’t know who did,” he said. “No one has contacted me claiming responsibility.”

Jeter vowed to find the real jar-nappers and said the jar wasn’t “really stolen.” Denying any knowledge of who took it, he promised the jar would be returned after the election is over and that the money would be returned to the turkey coffers even if he has to pay it himself.

While proclaiming his innocence, Jeter seems to know a lot more than he lets on. The former front-strutter tried to deflect attention from himself to – of all people – the Girl Scouts. He said a local Girl Scout troop had said they would take the jar under the auspices of going door to door with it to collect votes. Once they had the jar, Jeter claims the scouts were going to ask him for $50 to make it “disappear.”

While he seems to have the support of popular opinion, Jeter said he doesn’t really want to be the King Turkey.

“The crown needs to go to a local dignitary,” he said. “Whoever is the king should be someone who will carry the title with great honor, and that ain’t me.”

Jeter brushed off comparisons to H. Ross Perot’s bid for the presidency. In 1992, Perot told CNN’s Larry King he would only run if the people wanted him to.

“This [election] isn’t about what the people want,” Jeter said. “It’s about who has the most money. I represent the poor, the weak, the old, and the decrepit.”

Gray, however, said there was no reason for anyone to believe anything Jeter said.

“I really think he should be hauled in for questioning,” she said.

Neither Gray nor Jeter think any of the other 11 king candidates were involved in the jar’s disappearance. But Gray did say the turkey race has made a lot people do things they wouldn’t ever do otherwise.

“You look at people like [County Judge Jack] Hall, [insurance salesman Walt] Knorpp, and [car dealer Trey] Chamberlain. I think any one of them would really want to march down Kearney Street as the king of the festival,” Gray said.

Regardless of the voting method, the fact remains that Mayor Tex Selvidge is now the leading candidate with $31.62 as the election enters its sixth week. Jeter is in second place with $26.60, and other minor candidates continue to trade places.

One Duckwall’s clerk claims she saw a woman put $5 in Jeter’s jar before it was stolen. If that’s true, Jeter would be within 2¢ of Selvidge. It’s possible that if all the votes were counted, Jeter would be ahead.

Meanwhile in other Turkey Strut Festival news, County Commissioner Ernest Johnston sent a wooden turkey to Clarendon College’s Joel Zehr last week. City Librarian Carolyn Blackerby claims Zehr hauled the turkey to the library where he threatened it with bodily harm if it ever came back to roost in his yard.

“He said he would make sure the turkey wouldn’t be seen again,” Blackerby said.

Also, local resident Vernon Watkins had his picture taken with a turkey in his yard last week. The photo was published in the Amarillo Sunday News-Globe, and Watkins has reportedly been dragging the picture all over town, showing it to everyone he meets.

Anyone can have a turkey put in someone’s yard for a birthday, anniversary, or gag gift for a $5 donation to the Tourism Council. Call Carolyn Blackerby at the Burton Library at 874-3685 for your order and delivery.

The election for Donley County’s King Turkey continues, and pictures of all 12 turkey candidates are on money jars at Duckwall’s. The winner will be the turkey with the most money at the end of the contest.

The king will be crowned during the Turkey Strut Festival on April 21-22.

Money raised goes to the Donley County Tourism Council to help promote our fair county. Vote early and vote often.