1952 Jupiter, Florida Circus Performers Interviews
During this time period in Jupiter, Florida the circus was in critical condition. Everything was falling apart. The performers kept disappearing. No one ever went to any of the events that they held. I think everyone was going crazy and that’s why the circus fell apart. But we located some of the old performers and got them to let us interview them. We wanted to clear up any of the gossip goin on. 7 years later, we are getting our answers. I can’t believe these performers kept the story a secret for so long. It was a horrid life for them. We got some inside information about the owners. Turns out she was a fame wanting lunatic and was going crazy because her circus performances were not successful. There were never any spectators, maybe one or two a month. That’s not enough to make a living off of, especially when you have a bunch of performers to pay. She got so money hungry she started planing crazy ways to kill and sell her “freaks”. Today she is no where to be located, it’s a shame. We wish to find her one day and lock her away for the rest of her life. She’s caused so much damage in these peoples lives and who knows how many she’s killed.
Ma Petite ~ Jupiter, Florida 6/59
I’ve been a part of Elsa’s circus for as long as I can remember. She waslike my mother, and I loved her so very much. At night I was her cuddle buddy and during the day I was her favorite “child”, she carried me around almost everywhere she went. I for sure had all my trust in her. One night, during the dark hours, Maggie came into my small tent and asked if I would like to go on an adventure. I thought it would be a fun idea so I didn’t turn her down. She carried me towards the stream just beyond the circus field, as she carried me I was interested in trying to catch the fireflies that were lighting up our path. Maggie seemed a little off but I though it was just because she was tired. I was too caught up in my firefly catching activity that I didn’t even notice that we were walking towards a lit up tent. In the tent I could see a faint outline of a person. I was curious as to what it was for. I asked Maggie what was going on and she said that there was a surprise inside the tent for me. As we approached the opening of the tent, I saw a woman’s outline and immediately hoped it was Miss Elsa. One foot in and I was beyond happy with the outcome of what I thought was my surprise. Little did I know it was the weird objects I haddn’t noticed when we first walked in. There was a small tube, about my size with the lid laying right next to it. There were some chemicals in the room and ropes. I wasn’t completely sure what was going to happen to me. Miss Elsa would never hurt me, I kept repeating to myself. She took me from Maggie and gave me a big smooshy hug. Then she reassured me that everything would be okay as she slid me into the tube that I perfectly fit in. The tube was too tall so I couldn’t grab the edges to try and pull myself out. So I started screaming as loud as my tiny body could scream... “let me out!! Let me out!!”. I knew nobody was around to be able to hear my scream, we were too far away from the circus. I had to think of a back up plan. Miss Elsa and Maggie we’re facing to opposite direction, whispering to each other, I assumed about how they were going to MURDER me. I watched Miss Elsa hand Maggie the poisonous liquid. She started walking towards me, not making eye contact. “Why are you doing this to me?” I asked, “What have I ever done to anyone to deserve this?!”.. I started rocking and pushing myself into the sides of the rounded tube, in hopes it would tip over and I could run away and hide. The tube magically tips over on what felt like the hundredth attempt. My body hit the wooden table I was on and I started running as fast as my tiny legs could run. Thank god it was dark out, I ran behind the tent and into the bushes that were by the stream. I think that Miss Elsa and Maggie were in shock and didn’t know what had just happened, because it took them a couple minutes to even come after me. They searched and yelled for about an hour, I could hear them. But they never got close to me. They eventually gave up and cleaned up their failed attempt of murder. All while I was sitting in a bush, crying and wondering to myself why someone I had all my trust in would ever try to kill me. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t go back to the circus, but that was where my family was. I wanted so much to return home and talk to someone about it. But here I am, figuring everything out about the real Miss Elsa. She’s a criminal, she kills for money. She has no heart and doesn’t care about her so called children. All she wants is to become famous. I was not her only target. There were others that she was very close to.
Jimmy Darling ~ Jupiter, Florida 6/59
I was born a part of Elsa’s circus because my mother, Ethel was her best helper. I was born with lobster hands, I’ve been called lobster boy all my life by people that aren’t close to me. I usually hide my deformity with leather black gloves. All my life all I wanted was to be normal. I wanted to have normal hands and be able to do things the right way without my so called claws getting in the way. Once we up and moved the circus to Florida I thought for sure this would be a new beginning for all of us. No one would know us and maybe people would like to see the circus in action. It’s been a while since we’ve really made a profit on one of our shows. No one really wants to come and see the “freaks dancing on stage”. We aren’t freaks, and I hate that word. We are just people. Like everyone else. I am still human. After being here for a while I’ve come to realize that these towns people aren’t going to come around to us. They find us disgusting. One bad thing happens in the town and we get blamed. I hate it. One day not too long ago, I made a deal with a man that Miss Elsa has sent me. He said he could help me escape to reality. I went with him, thinking this would be a good thing for me. *sobbing* but come to find out, all he did was make me worse, he chopped my lobster claws off. *tears still running down his face* now I have no hands and can’t do anything at all. At least I used to be able to feed myself or get dressed myself. Now I’m no longer independent. I rely on everyone to help me. Come to find out, this man SOLD, that’s right, sold my hands to some stupid mueseum for straight up cash. I though I was getting help but I was getting swindled. I was furious. My life is even worse than it was before. All thanks to Miss Elsa Mars. I wouldn’t be surprised if she got a chunk of that cash. She’s evil. I went back to the circus one night and for one thing only. My girls. I rescued them once again and we went and got married. I wanted to start a better life with them and make us all happy.
Paul ~ Jupiter, Florida 6/59
I’m considered the illustrated seal. Part of Elsa’s circus for a while now. I’ve been performing on stage at all of her events. Despite my short arms and smaller body, my face is pretty handsome, hence why I didn’t tattoo it like I did the rest of my body. Elsa and I had our moments together, I loved her. She was amazing and made me feel like a real man. Kept me feeling confident and not hated. However when the twins went missing, I confronted her, and that’s when everything started. However I was lucky enough to survive. I knew she had something to do with their disappearance, and I could have left it alone but something wasn’t right. So I asked her about it and things got bad. She started getting angry and upset when I told her she doesn’t care about any of us and how she is self centered. I definitely chose the wrong time to confront her, at the time she was practing throwing knives at the target. She had me tied up to the target. She was ranting about how she isn’t any of the things I called her all while chucking the knives at me. One struck me right in the shoulder. I know for a fact it wasn’t an accident, she was mad at me for calling her names, she was mad at me for finding another lover. I fell to the ground and the people around started to hold my wound all while calling the ambulance. We knew that no one would show up to the Freak Show, but it was worth a shot. I eventually healed enough, thankfully there were no infections along the way. I’m not sure why Elsa is the way that she is. But I do know she’s out for money and fame. She’ll do anything for that, even if it means hurting ones she once loved. I just wish it were different, we all trusted her so much, she built us all a safe space and we all became a family. After all we “freaks” are all that we have. There’s no safe place out in the real world for us, we are discriminated against.
Bette Tattler ~ Jupiter, Florida 6/59
I will admit that I have done some bad things in my life. Yes, I killed my mother because she wouldn’t let Dot and I leave the house ever. We had a very sheltered life up until then. We ended up going to the hospital because Dot stabbed us after I stabbed our mother. At the hospital, we met Elsa. She came to us. She told us we could have a new life. She’s give us fame. I was all for it. Until we got there and I realized I had no real talent. I couldn’t sing, all I could do was stand on stage with my sister and look weird. Elsa tried getting me to kill Dot. I wanted to be the famous one and that was Elsa’s way of helping me. But I couldn’t kill her. She’s my sister. Elsa ended up selling us to Gloria Mott. Her son, Dandy, was very interested in us and wanted us to be his. I didn’t like him very much, he was weird and childish. I missed Jimmy, I wanted to be with him so badly. Dot was keeping me from him. I wish that I could just have one moment alone with him. But I knew there wasn’t no possible way for that to happen. Many days went by living with the childish creature, I was so bored, it was terrible. But one day Jimmy came by asking if we were there, he came to rescue me. I was ecstatic. I couldn’t believe it. Dot put up a little fight about leaving but I finally convinced her that Dandy was nothing but a weirdo. At the circus life felt weird now, we felt as though we couldn’t trust the one person that made us who we are. I’m so thankful to have gotten out of this place with the love of my life and my best friend. Life couldn’t be any better now.
Dot Tattler ~ Jupiter, Florida 6/59
YYou’ve already heard the story from Bette I assume. But I’ll tell you my journey through Elsa’s circus. After she sold us, I fell in love with Dandy Mott. He was so amazing and treated Bette and I so well. It was a dream come true. I could live there for the rest of my life. He made me so happy. Until one day, he started trespassing and was reading Bette’s diary about Jimmy. Dandy got upset and started throwing a terrible tantrum. I finally saw the true him and I didn’t like it as much as I though I did. Thankfully not too long after, Jimmy came to save us. I went willingly, it was better than living with this weird man and his mother who treats him like a baby. We got back too the circus and were mad at Elsa. We didn’t talk nice to her for a while. After all lots of things were going on. Ma Petite was missing, Paul had been injured, and well, she just sold us. I was furious with her. One night Jimmy came back to the circus and captured us. I was so grateful. I had come to love him very much so. And now we are a family far away from the ridiculous Elsa Mars. She is no longer in our lives anymore. And I couldn’t be more happy to announce that we are going to be having a baby together. One great big happy family.