From our April 5, 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.

Jeter leads Turkey King race; One bird lynched 

Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

This wooden turkey was found hanged by the neck in a local woman's front yard. He's the first known casualty of the Donley County Turkey Strut Festival which will be held later this month.  Enterprise Digital Photo

Turkey King candidate Vic Jeter has surged ahead in the latest Enterprise / Gobbler Poll.

The local banker had slipped behind Clarendon Mayor Tex Selvidge last week by a margin of $5.02 following the mysterious disappearance of Jeter’s money jar at Duckwall’s. But as of Monday, Jeter had overcome that deficit and gained $18.22 on the mayor.

The Jeter forces are everywhere in this campaign. One bumper sticker has been seen touting his candidacy; and, although the real money jar is still missing, election judge Linda Gray says something strange has been going on at the polling place.

“We’ve had about 20 jars with Jeter’s name on it being brought to the store by all different people,” Gray said. “I don’t know what they’re doing.”

Election analysts speculated that the Jeter campaign might be trying to change the rules after the election has started by increasing the number of jars for their candidate.

Meanwhile, Jeter’s official jar – the new one – has been the subject of tampering again. The new jar was glued to a rock to keep it from wandering off like the old one did, Gray said. But one day after the jar was put out it had been pulled loose from the rock.

“We’ve got to get better glue,” she said.

Gray reports Jeter – the self-acclaimed “Candidate of the Common Man” – continues to check on his jar regularly and is now saying he wants to be present when the final votes are tallied. But Gray thinks Jeter’s time could be better spent.

“He ought to be out campaigning.”

While the race for Turkey King seems to be down to Jeter and Selvidge, some minor candidates aren’t giving up hope. In fact, one may be planning an offensive.

“Word has it that a contingency from Floydada may be coming up here to for [Monty] Hysinger,” Gray said.

The local school superintendent was formerly a resident of Floydada, and people from that city were in Duckwall’s recently to vote for their man. They reportedly said they were going to tell other people from their hometown to come vote for Hysinger.

The Floydada influence in a Donley County election troubles local analysts, but they agree with Gray who said, “Their money is as good as anybody’s.”

Still others say a vote for anyone other than the top two candidates is money down the drain. Hysinger is currently in seventh place with only $8.72.

Turkey found hanged

In other Turkey Festival news, anti-poultry forces have made their point known by taking the life of one of the wooden turkeys making their way around town.

The bird was found Monday morning in the yard of Tessie Robinson. It had been hanged by the neck from a tree and had a note on it that read “Guy Ellis, RIP.”

It’s not known when the turkey’s goose was cooked. Rigor mortis had set in when the body was found.

Local officials were in conflict over whether any laws were broken.

“Other than dealing with the Texas Parks & Wildlife or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, I’d say it was alright to hang it,” Sheriff Butch Blackburn said, “but I would refer it to Gary Hunt.”

Hunt, a local game warden, disagreed with the sheriff.

“I’d say [the turkey’s] status definitely puts it on the threatened list,” Hunt said, stopping short of classifying the bird as endangered.

Hunt said he had never seen a turkey hanged like that before and lamented the bird’s fate.

“I think they’re kind of pretty,” he said. “If I got one, I’d probably keep it.”

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.