Leon Smith, the trainer, and Kay the elephant at Mesker Park Zoo. Cartoons from Karl Kae Knecht graced the pages of the Evansville Courier from 1906-1960. In addition to being a prolific and influential cartoonist and later photographer, Knecht was very civic minded and loved circuses.""In 1928, Knecht helped found Mesker Park Zoo. This occurred after the president of the American Circus Corporation offered Knecht a pair of lions. A year later, Knecht bolstered the fledgling zoo--Indiana�s first--with a successful fund drive to purchase an elephant for the new facility. The elephant, Kay, was named in honor of Karl Kae Knecht." (https://evansvillemuseum.org/events/pen-paper-remembering-karl-kae-knecht/).