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 History of Northlake > Kay the Elephant |
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Alderman
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| Mayor John Lawrisuk |
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John A. Lawrisuk was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Neri and in 1968 a special election was held.
As a result of the special election, Eugene C. Doyle was elected, serving from 1968 to 1989.
A lighter
memory affecting the lives of residents and law enforcement in the 1960's was the visit made by “Kay”.
Kay
was a 20 year old elephant, who had made her get away from the Keely and Miller Bros. Circus, which
was performing in Franklin Park.
A loud,
low-flying airplane traveling from O’Hare Airport had apparently startled Kay and another elephant named
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| Mayor Eugene Doyle |
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Barbara.
While
Barbara traveled northwest, Kay headed for Northlake.
The
6,500 pound mammal trampled flower beds, squashed vegetable patches, walked through fencing and not
surprisingly shocked residents of all ages before she was caught by Northlake Police Officer Norm Nissen,
Sr. in the parking lot of a Stone Park food mart.
"It
was definitely different, recalled Nissen, who still resides in Northlake. “I had been part of shootings
and all sorts of other things, but not anything like that.
But
it was not a one-person operation. I had a lot of assistance from Stone Park and Melrose Park officers
and Sgt Francis Kelly of Northlake. The elephant had a chain around its leg and we used a chain from a
tow truck and were able to get him hooked. Then we just tied him around the lamp post,” said Nissen
who was 24 years old at the time.
Nissen
was granted a day off by then-Police Chief Harry Glos.
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