Transcript
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The rest of the story. It was a warm day in the early July 1950, when J.B. morrison came to town. Wetumpka, Oklahoma, population then, 2700. Nice folks, the sort you'd like to have for neighbors. Theirs were the pleasant faces that greeted J.B. morrison as he parked his car at the courthouse curbside. I represent Bonds United Circus, he told Mayor Tom Smith. I'm an advance agent. He. Morrison went on to explain that he had lived in Watumpka many years before. He loved the town and the townsfolk, and he would hate to see the circus pass by Wetumpka in favor of a larger community. Well, Mayor Smith was delighted. The circus could be the biggest thing that ever happened to Wetumpka. Thousands of people from nearby towns would come to see. It would bring in revenue for the local businesses. For the mayor, the proposal seemed too good to be true. A special town meeting was called at which J.B. morrison recited the details. The engagement would be for 10 days beginning July 24. Local merchants could purchase advertising space on the circus grounds. In return, the circus would purchase goods from the merchants. Everything from hot dogs to hay for the elephants and something more. For a fee, the circus sound truck would make a promotional tour of towns within a 50 mile radius. The small businessmen of Wetumpka huddled. Surely there was no way they could lose. The following day, the town grocer ordered 100 pounds of frankfurters for circus concessions. R.G. taylor of the Farmers Exchange arranged to deliver tons of hay for the elephant's tent. Meteters Hotel bought 20 new mattresses. When it was learned that the circus performers would be staying there, Scoutmaster Charles Davis approved plans for the Boy Scouts to sponsor the circus and share in the profits. Cafe owner Lewis Charlton was given a contract to feed the entire Circus. And J.B. morrison, a man with whom it all began, received $300 in cash for advertising from Wetumpka merchants. And with that money, he disappeared. Disappeared. Now, the townsfolk first assumed that he was returning to the circus. But on the 24th, they learned the truth. There was no circus. Wetumpka, Oklahoma had been had. When con man J.D. morrison came to Watumpka, Oklahoma, 46 summers ago, he derived as much pleasure from his prank as from his plunder, convincing all of those people that there was a circus coming to town. He thought he was dealing with fools. Not quite. You see, that occasion on which the circus did not come to town, that occasion became an event in Watamka to be re celebrated. Every year, the town that was swindled celebrates with an auto show and carnival rides. And handcraft booths and horseshoe competition and a dance. This year it'll take place tomorrow, Saturday, August 24th, when a town hosts the annual celebration of a circus that never happened, but which has brought to the town of Wetumpka a hundred times more money than any circus ever could in Wetumpka, Oklahoma. Tomorrow, they will celebrate again. Tomorrow, the official annual Sucker Day. And now you know the rest of the story.