by Doug Swanson
Austin, Tex., 66
Autry, Gene, 40, 304
Avants, Beecher, 260
Bacall, Lauren, 225
Baer, Max, 41
Baker, Bobby, 236
Baker, C. D., 163
Baldwin, Bobby, 300
Barnett, Billy Bob, 240, 300
Barr, Candy, 238
Barrow, Clyde, 42, 43, 57
Barrow, Marie, 57
Bass, J. W., 51
Beasley, Johnny, 109–16
Beatty, Warren, 99
Beaulieu, Priscilla, 245
Beery, Wallace, 37
Behnen, Becky Binion, 186, 226–27, 242, 302
birth of, 73
Horseshoe and, 308
Behnen, Benny, 270
Bell, Rex, 229
Belmont, Dale, 127
Bennett, James V., 228
Bergstrom, William Lee, 251
Berman, David (“Davie the Jew”), 102–3, 137–39, 151, 156
Berman, Susan, 137–38, 151
Bernard, Arthur, 113–15
Bernstein, Monte, 161, 171, 176
Bickers, Bennie, 49
Bickers, Mickey, 89
Biggest Game in Town, The (Alvarez), 278
Binion, Alma Willie (mother), 7, 9
death of, 35
Binion, Barbara (daughter), see Fechser, Barbara Binion
Binion, Becky (daughter), see Behnen, Becky Binion
Binion, Brenda (daughter), see Michael, Brenda Binion
Binion, Dorothy (sister), 11
Binion, Jack (brother), 34–35
Binion, Jack (son), 14, 35, 156, 186, 201, 205, 226, 235, 252–53, 268–70, 296, 302
Horseshoe and, 246, 247, 270, 277, 278, 299
Binion, Lester Ben “Benny”:
arrests of, 14, 23–24, 136
authorities cultivated by, 43–44
banks and, 55, 120–21, 190
betting limits and, 72, 107, 179–80, 251, 265
birth of, 7
Bonanza Road estate of, 106, 179, 200–202, 213, 226, 269, 308
bootlegging of, 14, 22–25, 27, 28, 31, 53
bribes and, 86, 156–57, 178
Catholic baptism of, 227, 250
charitable contributions of, 135–36, 249–50, 283, 285, 299
childhood of, 7–11
clothing of, 73, 105
“Cowboy” nickname acquired by, 25
dealers’ wages and, 107
death of, 302–3
dice games and, 49–50, 52–53, 56, 58, 72, 88–89, 120, 181
education of, 2, 9, 22, 224, 226, 309
eighty-third birthday of, 304
extradition efforts against, 136, 147, 188, 195
fines and, 66
funeral for, 303–4
gambling of, 13, 106
gambling education of, 12
guard dogs of, 165–66
guns carried by, 24, 203, 284
health problems of, 284, 286, 302
Horseshoe Club of, see Binion’s Horseshoe
horseshoe trademark of, 53
horse stable as headquarters of, 60, 129, 131
horse trading and, 10–11
imprisonment of, 218–20, 223, 226–31, 245, 246, 247, 260, 261
Jesus encountered by, 284
Kefauver hearings and, 151, 153
Las Vegas Club of, see Las Vegas Club
marriage of, 35–36
Montana ranch of, 73–74, 121, 151, 153, 179, 234, 235, 246, 263, 288, 299
move to Dallas, 17
move to Las Vegas, 3, 89–90, 93, 94, 105–6, 129
murders by, 24–25, 46–47, 136, 177, 200, 204
murders arranged by, 2, 56, 58, 61–64, 76–77, 82, 122, 204
parole board and, 228–29, 231, 233–35
personality and character of, 2–3, 32, 43, 177
photographs of, x, 6, 16, 26, 38, 80, 186, 196, 212, 222, 254, 266, 276, 288, 298, 306
physical appearance of, 2–3, 73, 105
poker playing of, 12, 13
policy games and, 27, 28, 31–32, 41, 72, 86, 129, 131, 136, 147–48, 163, 188, 190, 191
political payoffs and, 55
presidential pardon sought by, 248, 250, 284–87
property bought by, 72
raids and, 65–66
release from prison, 231, 233–34, 237
rivals of, 44, 56, 64, 84–85, 121–22
shots fired at car of, 165–66, 171
statue of, 298, 300, 309–10
as steer man, 12
surveillance of, 200–202, 204–7
tax case against, 148–49, 189–95, 197–99, 204, 209–10, 213–20, 235, 261, 262, 295
tax case sentencing of, 215–19
taxes paid by, 214–16, 219
tax evasion guilty plea of, 213–14
University of Nevada donation of, 135–36
wealth of, 179, 200
Binion, Lonnie Lee (father), 7, 9, 10, 35, 73
Binion, Ted (son), 25, 72, 137, 186, 251–52, 261, 266, 281–82, 288, 307–8
birth of, 73
Blevins and, 272–74, 280, 301
death of, 307
drug addiction of, 270, 281, 307
Horseshoe and, 247, 270, 291, 301
plot against, 250
Binion, Teddy Jane Henderson (wife), 35–36, 72–73, 77, 110, 121, 165–66, 186, 229, 257, 269
Barbara’s death and, 283
Binion’s imprisonment and, 224, 226, 227, 231, 233, 234
Binion’s marriage to, 35–36
Binion’s tax case sentencing and, 216, 217
cigarette habit of, 269
death of, 308
Horseshoe and, 161, 164, 247, 269–70
move to Las Vegas, 89, 106, 119
Binion’s Horseshoe, x, 146, 166, 176, 179–81, 213, 232, 244, 249, 251, 263, 267–71, 278–79, 286, 307, 308
Apache Hotel over, 156, 170, 181
Becky Binion and, 308
Bernstein and, 161, 171, 176
betting limits at, 179–80, 251, 265
Binion as public relations director of, 246–47
Binion’s license for, 156, 161, 168, 169, 176–78, 198, 214, 215, 246
Binion’s purchase of, 156
Binion’s reclaiming of, 245–46, 250
blacks at, 244, 290
Boyd and, 234–35
Brown and, 214–15, 225–26, 236, 239
cheaters at, 290–92, 301
Claiborne and, 268, 280
Coulthard and, 259, 261
customers beaten at, 290–97, 301
Dandalos-Moss tournament at, 182–85
dealers in, 161
decor of, 161, 164, 165
Finn and Brown at, 292–97
Harrah’s purchase of, 308
horseshoe-shaped million-dollar showcase in, 226, 242, 246
integration and, 243–44
IRS and, 308
Jack Binion and, 246, 247, 270, 277, 278, 299
Kuykendall and, 262
Levinson and, 236, 238, 246
Mint Hotel acquired by, 299
money laundering and, 301–2
Onassis and, 251–52
opening of, 161, 163–65
Operation Benny Binion and, 300–303, 207, 307
postcards of, 174, 176
profits of, 251–52, 299
restaurant of, 164, 172, 180, 246
Ted Binion and, 247, 270, 291, 301
Teddy Jane Binion and, 161, 164, 247, 269–70
World Series of Poker at, 3, 252–53, 254, 255–58, 263
–65, 276, 277–78, 308–9
blackjack, 252, 292
hole carding and, 292
blacks:
in Dallas, 28–31, 32, 45
gambling and, 28–29
at Horseshoe, 244, 290
lynchings of, 29
Blank, Natie, 165
Blevins, Jerry, 273
Blevins, Rance, 272–74, 280, 289, 301
Block, Samuel, 229–30
Bluebonnet Hotel, 53, 56
Boiardo, Anthony “Tony Boy,” 239
Boiardo, Richard (“Richie the Boot”), 239
Bolding, Frank, 24–25, 177
Bollinger, Henri, 277, 278
Bonds, Joe, 127
Bonnie and Clyde, 245
bootlegging, 13, 20–22, 34, 35
Binion and, 14, 22–25, 27, 28, 31, 53
Borge, Victor, 245
Boulder Canyon, 95
Boulder City, Nev., 95
Bowen, Clifford Henry, 283
Bowman, Dan, 273
Boyd, Hubert A., 234–35
Braggins, Bob, 167, 218–19
Branding Iron Dinner, 168
brothels, see prostitution
Brown, Allan, 292–97
Brown, Joe W., 214–15, 225–26, 236, 239
Brownell, Herbert, 203, 204, 218, 229
Browning, Fred, 213
Binion and, 39, 41
Top O’Hill Terrace casino of, see Top O’Hill Terrace
Brunson, Doyla, 283
Brunson, Doyle, 185, 252, 256–58, 265, 283
Spilotro and, 258–59
Bugsy, 99
Bureau of Internal Revenue, 85, 194
Binion’s payment of back taxes, 214–16, 219
Binion’s sentencing for tax evasion, 215–19
Binion’s tax case, 148–49, 189–95, 197–99, 204, 209–10, 213–20
Binion’s tax evasion guilty plea, 213–14
Butler, George, 86, 87, 108–9, 132, 149–50, 171–72
Binion and, 170–71, 199–200
Kefauver hearings testimony of, 153
Noble and, 138, 141–42, 149–50
Noble’s murder and, 167, 170, 218–19
Bryan, John Neely, 18
Caesars Entertainment, 309
Caesars Palace, 245, 251
Cahill, Robbins, 107, 168, 169, 177, 214
Caldwell, Erskine, 101
Cannon, Howard, 247–48, 250, 268
Capone, Al, 53, 132, 199, 218, 303
syndicate of, 84, 86
Carson, Johnny, 264
Carter, George, 128
Carter, Jimmy, 284
Carter administration, 285
Casino, 258
casinos:
Kefauver on, 153–54
Las Vegas, see Las Vegas casinos
Catena, Gerardo “Gerry,” 215, 238–39
Catholicism, 227, 250
Caudill, Robert “Doby Doc,” 181, 227, 231
Caudle, Theron Lamar, 148–49, 194
Cavanaugh, J. B. “Red,” 57–58
CBS Sports Spectacular, 258
Chagra, Jimmy, 267, 270–72, 302
Chicago syndicate, 83–87
Christ the King Catholic, 303
church drives, 250
Circus Circus, 94, 265
civil rights, 243–44
Civil War, 8, 28, 29
Claiborne, Harry, 111–12, 114–16, 136–37, 195, 268, 280–81, 286, 295–96, 300
Clark, Wilbur, 152
Clark County Jail, 247
Coca, Imogene, 178
Cofield, Emory, 295, 296
Cohen, Mickey, 72, 154–55, 156, 200, 238
Cohn, Roy, 193
Collier’s, 21
Colorado River, 95
Coolidge, Calvin, 95
Coopersmith, Harry “Spinach,” 236
Cordova Island, 13–14
Cornelius, Arthur, Jr., 200–202, 205–7
Corporate Gaming Act, 248
Costello, Frank, 144, 229, 231
Coulthard, William, 259–61, 280
Coward, Noël, 225
craps, 55–56, 179–80, 252
Crime in America (Kefauver), 153–54
Crowder, Bob, 167, 170–72
Crowther, Bosley, 97
Cupit, Edward C. “Ted,” 113, 114
Daily Times Herald, 28, 30, 46, 63, 128, 132
Dalitz, Moe, 103, 120–21, 152, 169, 248, 249, 262, 263, 288, 300, 301, 304
Dallas, Tex., 3, 17–22, 36–37, 61, 66, 72, 135
Binion’s move to, 17
Binion’s visits to, 119
blacks in, 28–31, 32, 45
centennial celebrated in, 50–51, 64
Deep Ellum in, 30–31, 44–45
Freedman’s Town in, 44–45, 64–65
Frogtown in, 19–20
gambling fines and bribes paid in, 66, 67, 86
gambling laws not enforced in, 51–52, 64
Ku Klux Klan in, 29–30
money funneled to Las Vegas mob from bankers in, 120–21
police and gambling in, 65–66, 71
Dallas County courthouse, 38, 43–44
Dallas Gazette, 31
Dallas Morning News, 28, 46, 47, 64, 69, 73, 84, 124, 140, 153, 163
Dalton, Earl, 56
Dandalos, Nick “the Greek,” 106, 120, 164
Moss’s tournament with, 182–85
Dandridge, Dorothy, 243
Darby, Jack, 82
Davidson, T. Whitfield, 199
Davis, Danny, 239
Davis, Sammy, Jr., 243
Day, Ned, 294
Day, Doris, 225
Dean, Gordon, 175
DeCarlo, Angelo “Gyp,” 239
Decker, James Eric “Bill,” 38, 44, 50, 81, 83, 84, 86, 88, 121, 150, 180, 209, 240
Freiden’s murder and, 46
Jones and, 85–86
Minyard’s murder and, 77–78
Deep Ellum, 30–31, 44–45
“Deep Ellum Blues,” 30
DeJohn, Nick, 83–84
Denver Post, 135
Department of Justice, 192–93, 198–99, 203, 229, 245, 250, 285, 286, 302
Depression, Great, 37, 40, 42, 74
Desert Inn, 103, 120–21, 137, 150, 152, 156, 225, 245
Hughes and, 248
Devine, Ida, 239
Devine, Irving “Niggy,” 239
Diamond, Warren, 32–34, 35, 49, 179, 220
dice games, 32, 33, 49–50, 64–68
Binion and, 49–50, 52–53, 56, 58, 72, 88–89, 120, 181
craps, 55–56, 179–80, 252
Dolan, James Henry “Doc,” 260
Donica, Finley, 167
Dorough, Dewey, 53
Doughty, Max, 28–29
Dragna, Jack, 144–45
Dust Bowl, 36–37, 42
East Side Club, 54
Eggleston, Tincy, 256–57
Einstein, Albert, 184
Eisenhower, Dwight, 202
El Cortez, 137, 153
Eldorado Club, 146, 156, 161
El Paso, Tex., 13–14, 17
El Rancho Vegas, 97, 98, 100, 238
Emory, Emerson, 32
Eskew, Jim, 110
Fabulous Las Vegas, 164
Fats, Minnesota, 263
FBI, 66, 67, 71, 84, 89, 103, 121, 144, 178, 195, 236, 238, 244, 279, 280, 301, 302
Binion and, 190–92, 195, 199–209, 218, 236, 237, 261, 268, 300–303
Binion as informant for, 237–40, 247, 262, 268
Binion under surveillance
by, 200–202, 204–7
Claiborne and, 281
Coulthard case and, 280
Dolan and, 260
electronic surveillance of Las Vegas clubs by, 245, 247
Helm and, 112–13, 114
Nevada Gambling Industry report of, 245, 246
Operation Benny Binion and, 300–303, 307
Ted Binion and, 282
Yablonsky and, 279–81, 285
Fechser, Barbara Binion, 186, 222, 230, 249, 282
birth of, 36
death of, 282–83
Horseshoe and, 247
robberies and, 230–31, 282, 295
suicide attempt of, 282
Fechser, Key, 249
Fechser, Steve, 293–97
Federal Firearms Act, 203
Fields, W. C., 40
Finn, Barry, 292–97
Finn, Charley, 207
Finn, George, 207
First National Bank of Dallas, 190
Flamingo, 100–103, 106, 137, 138, 151, 164, 169, 171, 198, 238, 243
Flying Finn Twins, 207
Foley, Roger D., 262
Foley, Tom, 231, 262, 295–97
Ford, Henry, 124
Fort Worth, Tex., 51
Fort Worth Stockyards, 256–57
Forty Thieves, 57, 127
Fox, W. Turney, 155
Fratianno, Jimmy “the Weasel,” 284–85, 301
Freedman’s Town, 44–45, 64–65
Freestone County Moonshine, 22–23
Freiden, Ben, 45–46
Binion’s murder of, 46–47, 82, 136, 177, 200
Freiden, Ben, Jr., 45
Freiden, Mrs. Ben, 47
Fremont, 232, 236, 238, 245–47
Frémont, John, 94
Freyer, Otto, 58
Friedman, Jake, 230–31
Fritz, Will, 125
Frogtown, 19–20
Gable, Clark, 95
Galveston, Tex., 9
gamblers:
professional, 55
traveling, 12
gambling:
blacks and, 28–29
Dallas police and, 65–66, 71
Dallas’s non-enforcement of laws against, 51–52, 64
dice games, see dice games
Nevada’s legalization of, 95, 99
poker, see poker
policy games, see policy games
gambling establishments:
fines and bribes paid by, 66, 67, 86
Kefauver on, 153–54
Las Vegas casinos, see Las Vegas casinos
raids on, 65–66
Top O’Hill Terrace, 39–42, 50, 54, 72, 86, 180, 204, 213, 244
Gaughan, Michael, 307, 309–10
Gauldin, Dean, 69
Gelfan, Mrs. M. R., 68
Genovese family, 215
Georgetti, Emilio “Gambo,” 121
Gigante, Vincent “the Chin,” 303
Gilliland, Eddie, 54
Gilreath, J. R., 167
Godfrey, Arthur, 150