by Doug Swanson
Gold Dollar (Perry Rose), 73, 201, 205–9, 226, 227, 244
Golden Nugget, 150, 153, 170, 232, 258
Gonzaullas, Manuel “Lone Wolf,” 66
Goodman, Oscar, 240, 267–68, 270–73, 281, 290, 295
Gordon, Waxey, 72
Grable, Betty, 176
Graduate, The, 245
Green, Betty, 128–29
Green, Hollis DeLois “Lois,” 56–57, 58, 76, 82, 89, 122, 127, 135, 142, 143, 170–71
murder of, 118, 127–29, 131
Noble and, 125, 126–27
Green, Perry, 277
Green & White Café, 31
Greenbaum, Gus, 102, 103, 106, 198, 225, 249
Greenspun, Hank, 151, 164, 197–98, 201, 281
Griffin, Merv, 264–65, 276
Grisaffi, Johnny “Brazil,” 56, 58, 76–77, 170
Guthrie, Steve, 81–83, 88, 121
Jones and, 86–88
Noble and, 82, 83, 88
Guys and Dolls, 263
Haggard, Merle, 263
Hansson, Carl, 83, 129, 131, 132
Harper, Fat, 23
Harper’s, 278
Harrah’s Entertainment, 308, 309
Harrelson, Charles Voyde, 271–72
Harrelson, Woody, 271
Harston, Dan, 30
Hays, Slim, 77
Helm, Clifford Duane, 107–9, 113
Beasley and, 110–16
death of, 115
Henderson, Hilliard, 35
Hendrix, Jimi, 245
Herring, Charles F., 228
Hill, Virginia, 102, 144, 152, 160
Hillcrest State Bank, 55, 190
Hines, Michael L., 195
Hinkle, Bob, 263, 284
Hodges, W. O., 162, 219
Holiday Hotel, 252
Hollywood Reporter, 100
Hood, Hal, 20–21
Hoover, J. Edgar, 192, 279
Binion and, 3, 112, 190, 198, 200–205, 207, 237–38
Helm and, 112, 113
Hoover Dam, 95, 96, 98, 203
Horne, Lena, 243
horse racing, 72
Horseshoe, see Binion’s Horseshoe
“Horse Trader’s Song, The,” 11
horse trading, 10–11
Hotel Whitmore, 49
Houssels, J. Kell, 106, 107, 111–12, 120
Houston, Sam, 50
Houston, Tex., 50, 135
Houston Press, 135, 163
Hughes, Howard, 40, 54, 258
Desert Inn and, 248
Las Vegas properties purchased by, 248–49
Hughes, Maury, 63, 67, 69
Hull, Thomas, 96–97, 100
Hunt, H. L., 40, 54
Hurt, Robert, 47
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 236, 245
Iran, 193
IRS, 260
Horseshoe and, 308
see also Bureau of Internal Revenue
Jackson, Jackie, 297
James, Harry, 176
Jenkins, John, III, 277
Jenkins, Lew, 41
Johnson, Lyndon, 236
Jones, Cliff, 98, 230, 238
Kefauver hearings testimony of, 150–51
Jones, Glen, 172
Jones, Paul Roland, 83–88
Guthrie and, 86–88
Jones, Robert, 112
Jones, Thomas “T.C,” 238
Joplin, Janis, 245
jukeboxes, 84
Justice, Department of, 192–93, 198–99, 203, 229, 245, 250, 285, 286, 302
Keaton, Buster, 40
Kefauver, Estes, 137–38, 143–44, 150, 151, 153, 247
Crime in America, 153–54
Kefauver committee hearings, 137, 143–45, 150–53, 156, 177, 178, 214, 215
Kelly, Machine Gun, 218
Kennedy, John F., 244
Kennedy, Robert F., 94, 245
Klugman, Jack, 276
Korshak, Sidney, 236
Koval, John, 272–73, 301
Ku Klux Klan, 29–30
Kuykendall, Leo, 237–38, 239, 262
Lamarr, Hedy, 40
Lamb, Ralph, 171–72, 201, 261–62, 295
Lansky, Meyer, 99, 100, 103, 105, 106, 137, 138, 144, 150, 169, 236, 237, 239, 244, 246, 267, 303
Binion and, 215, 262
LaRue, Eddie, 240, 261
Last Frontier, 97, 98, 151, 163, 176, 225, 243
Last Mafioso, The (Fratianno), 284, 285
Las Vegas, Nev., 3, 94–96, 102, 232
atomic weapons testing and, 174, 175–76
Binion’s Bonanza Road estate in, 106, 179, 200–202, 213, 226, 269, 308
Binion’s move to, 3, 89–90, 93, 94, 105–6, 129
divorce law in, 95
early history of, 94–95
Glitter Gulch in, 96, 107, 121, 146, 150, 163, 170, 180, 236, 238, 251, 278, 309
growth of, 137
Hoover Dam and, 95, 96, 98
Hughes’ purchase of properties in, 248–49
mob and, 99, 120–21, 137, 235–36, 238–39
in 1960s, 243–45
police department in, 111
Strip in, 96–97, 99, 137, 176, 225, 245, 248–49, 251, 265, 309
Las Vegas casinos, 96–103, 137, 138, 153, 176, 252, 289
betting limits in, 179–80, 265
Binion’s Horseshoe, see Binion’s Horseshoe
Caesars Palace, 245, 251
Circus Circus, 94, 265
corporations’ buying and building of, 248–49
Desert Inn, see Desert Inn
Eldorado Club, 146, 156, 161
El Rancho Vegas, 97, 98, 100, 238
FBI’s electronic surveillance of, 245, 247
Flamingo, 100–103, 106, 137, 138, 151, 164, 169, 171, 198, 238, 243
Fremont, 232, 236, 238, 245–47
Golden Nugget, 150, 153, 170, 232, 258
Hughes’ purchase of, 248
Last Frontier, 97, 98, 151, 163, 176, 225, 243
Las Vegas Club, see Las Vegas Club
Mint, 232, 293, 299
Riviera, 176, 225, 236, 249
Sahara, 176
Sands, 176, 215, 225, 230, 238, 245, 248, 251
segregation in, 243
Showboat, 176
Stardust, 245, 251
Thunderbird, 137, 150, 176
Las Vegas Club, 104, 106–8
Beasley and, 110–13
Claiborne and, 115
move of, 120
Las Vegas High School Rhythmettes, 250
Las Vegas News Bureau, 225
Las Vegas Nights, 97
Las Vegas Press Club, 168
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 97, 160, 170, 230, 259, 280, 294, 296, 302
Las Vegas Sun, 151, 164, 197–98, 201, 202, 271, 281
Laxalt, Paul, 285–86
Leavenworth, Kans., 223
Leavenworth prison, 223–24, 260
Binion at, 218–20, 223, 226–31, 245, 246, 247, 260, 261
parole board and, 228–29, 231, 233–35
release of Binion, 231, 233–34, 237
Lefors, Charles Melton “Sonny,” 77, 108–9, 127, 143
Levinson, Ed, 236, 238–39, 246, 247
Lewis, Jerry, 225
Liberace, 138, 225
Licavoli, Pete “Horse Face,” 142
Life, 144, 165
Lipsky, Marcus, 84
Log Cabin Club, 72
Look, 97
Looney, C. H., 228
Los Angeles Times, 102
Loudermilk, Raymond James, 67–6
9, 75, 76, 136, 168, 200
Lowery, Fred, 41
Luciano, Lucky, 144
Lusk, Willie, 73, 177, 208
lynchings, 29
Maceo, Sam, 169, 231
Maceo family, 52
Mafia (mob), 85
Las Vegas and, 99, 120–21, 137, 235–36, 238–39
migration to Nevada, 93–94
Malone, George W., 229, 233
Malone, Harlis E. “Buddy,” 44–47, 84, 136
Freiden shot by, 46, 82, 136
Noble and, 82
Manson, Charles, 244
Marcello, Carlos, 52, 56
Marshall, Schuyler, Jr., 53
Martin, Dean, 225
Matthews, R. D., 2, 89, 244, 260, 269, 279, 304
Noble and, 125, 126
Maurice Hotel, 120
McAfee, Guy, 96
McCarran, Pat, 169, 197, 198, 204
McCarthy, Joseph, 193, 197
McCormick, Harry, 140–41
McCraw, Bill, 25
McDermott, Paul, 168
McGranery, James P., 190–95, 200, 202
McKay, Brian, 296
McMillan, James, 244
McWillie, Lewis, 244
Meadows, Al, 89
Mecca Hotel, 53
Meltzer, Harold “Happy,” 237
Mercantile National Bank, 84
Merrill, Fred, 50, 80, 88, 106, 107, 120
Merrill, Fred, Jr., 222
Merv Griffin Show, The, 264–65, 276
Methodist Hospital, 130–32, 143
Meyer, Ted, 53
Mexican Revolution, 37
Mexico, 13–14
Michael, Brenda Binion, 14, 33, 34,
35, 73–74, 119, 142, 179, 186, 235, 257, 282
Binion’s imprisonment and, 226–27
Binion’s letter to, 226–27
Binion’s tax case sentencing and, 217
birth of, 73
FBI surveillance and, 200–201
military, 66, 72, 98
Miller, Bob, 294–95, 297
Miller, Ivy, 31, 56, 66, 73, 84, 86, 87, 163
Murray murdered by, 61–64, 67, 136, 163, 168
Minsky’s Follies, 150
Mint, 232, 293, 299
Minyard, Bob:
Loudermilk murdered by, 68–69, 76, 136, 168, 200
murder of, 77–78, 108, 136
mob, see Mafia
Monde, 278
Monterey Pop Festival, 245
Moore, Tom, 252
Moore, William J., 151
Mormons, 94–95, 248
Morris, Bernard C., 147
Moss, Johnny, 252, 265
Dandalos’ tournament with, 182–85
in World Series of Poker, 257
Moss, Virgie, 183
Mowbray, John Code, 285
Murder, Inc., 229
Murphy, Edward P., 191
Murray, Sam, 61–64, 67, 69, 136, 163, 168
Murray, Sue, 62, 67, 68
NAACP, 243–44
Nappi, Jack, 87
narcotics, 57–58, 99, 237, 271
National Finals Rodeo, 283
National Jewish Health hospital, 299
Native Americans, 94
Naughty Lady, The, 149
Naylor, Dub, 87
Nelson, Willie, 304
Nesbit, Jack, 122
Nevada:
atomic weapons testing in, 174, 175–76
Corporate Gaming Act in, 248
divorce law in, 95, 136
gambling legalized in, 95, 99
gambling outlawed in, 95
Las Vegas, see Las Vegas, Nev.
mob migration to, 93–94
Nevada Club, 153
Nevada Gambling Industry, 245, 246
Nevada Gaming Commission, 238
Nevada Gaming Control Board, 300
Nevada State Journal, 136, 218
Nevada Tax Commission, 107, 156, 168, 176–78
Nevada Test Site, 175
New Frontier Hotel, 238
Newton, Wayne, 236
New Yorker, 278
Nichols, L. B., 192–93, 202, 204–5
Nitti, Frank, 218
Nixon, Richard, 192–93
Noble, Frieda, 123, 159–60
Noble, Herbert, 62, 67–68, 74–78, 82, 83, 122–32, 134, 135, 138–44, 159–60, 259
Binion and, 2, 74–75, 78, 82, 83, 119, 122–23, 132, 139–42, 153, 154, 163, 165, 167, 168, 170–71, 218–19
bomb plot of, 142
Butler and, 138, 141–42, 149–50
Cohen and, 155
Green and, 125, 126–27
Guthrie and, 82, 83, 88
investigation of murder of, 165, 167, 170, 218–19
Lefors and, 109
Matthews and, 125, 126
Minyard’s murder and, 77–78
murder of, 1–2, 158, 159–63, 165, 167, 168, 199, 200
murder attempts on, 1, 2, 70, 76, 82, 122–23, 125, 130–32, 142–43, 149–50, 154–56
Shimley and, 138, 139–40, 142, 153
Todd and, 143
wife’s murder and, 2, 124–26, 140, 141, 142, 149
Noble, Mildred, 123, 160, 165
murder of, 2, 123–26, 136, 140, 141, 142, 149, 153, 199, 200
Noel, Frank, 30
Noel, Lorenzo, 30
Nores, E. L., 166, 177
Northern Club, 96, 97–98
O’Brien, John J., Jr., 234
Odessa, Tex., 72
Odessky, Dick, 262
oil:
in Iran, 193
in Texas, 37, 154–55, 179, 203
in Wyoming, 171
Old Spanish Trail, 94
Olney, Warren, III, 154, 203
Onassis, Aristotle, 251–52
Operation Ajax, 193
Operation Benny Binion, 300–303, 307
organized crime:
Kennedy’s campaign against, 245
Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime in Interstate Commerce (Kefauver committee) and, 137, 143–45, 150–53, 156, 177, 178, 214, 215
see also Mafia
Oswald, Lee Harvey, 244, 260
Otters’ Club, 183
Owens, J. H., 31
Pahlavi, Mohammad Reza Shah, 193
Paiute Indians, 94
Palmer, Alfred, 128
Parker, Bonnie, 42, 43
Parker, “Colonel” Tom, 263
Parker, George, 45, 46
Patton, Andrew, 64
Pearson, Puggy, 252
Peckinpah, Sam, 263
Pesci, Joe, 258
Peterson, Virgil, 144
Pioche Record, 166
Pioneer Club, 153
Pilot Grove, Tex., 7–8
poker, 12, 13, 181–82, 252, 255, 264
Dandalos-Moss tournament, 182–85
five-card stud, 184
No Limit Texas Hold’em, 263–64
as spectator sport, 185, 255, 265
Texas Circuit and, 255–56
World Series of Poker, 3, 252–53, 254, 255–58, 263–65, 276, 277–78, 308–9
policy games, 27–28, 31, 45, 46, 64–68, 147–48, 200
Binion and, 27, 28, 31–32, 41, 72, 86, 129, 131, 136, 147–48, 163, 188, 190, 191
Potter, Frank, 124, 189–90, 198–99
Presley, Elvis, 245, 263
Preston, Amarillo Slim, 257, 264, 265
Pride of Dallas Café, 45
Priest, D. W., 147
Progressive Era, 9
Prohibition, 13, 20–21, 2
3, 52, 96
prostitution, 19, 51, 57, 58, 95, 96, 99, 172
at Southland Hotel, 66
at Top O’Hill, 41
Purity Journal, 19
Purple Gang, 103
Raft, George, 105
Rand, Sally, 51
Rat Pack, 244
Reagan, Ronald, 225, 285–87
Redlein, John, 295–97
Reid, Harry, 285
Reno, Nev., 252
Reno Evening Gazette, 130, 169, 178
Republic Bank, 120, 152
Reservation, 19–20
Rice, Ben, 213–14, 216–17, 228
Rivera, Rafael, 94, 300
Riviera, 176, 225, 236, 249
Roark, Eddie, 46
Roberts, Sailor, 252
Robertson, Dale, 304
Rogers, Will, 40
Rose, Billy, 51
Rose, Perry (Gold Dollar), 73, 201, 205–9, 226, 227, 244
Rosen, Al, 190, 203, 206
Roxie’s, 172
Rozanski, Walt, 272–74, 301
Rubinsky, Oscar “Daddy Joey,” 236
Ruby, Jack, 244, 260
Runyon, Damon, 263
Russell, Charles, 169, 177, 178
Sahara, 176
St. George Hotel, 32–33
Samuell, W. W., 20
San Antonio, Tex., 50
San Antonio Express, 217
Sands, 176, 215, 225, 230, 238, 245, 248, 251
Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 50
Schiller, Abe, 102
Schmid, R. A. “Smoot,” 43–44, 81–82
Schultz, Dutch, 144
Sellers, Ray, 57–58
Sedway, Moe, 103, 106, 156
Kefauver hearings testimony of, 151–52
Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime in Interstate Commerce (Kefauver committee), 137, 143–45, 150–53, 156, 177, 178, 214, 215
Sesame Street, 285
Sessions, William, 302
Shimley, Harold, 138–40, 153
Showboat, 176
Shumate, Marvin, 250–51
Siegel, Benjamin “Bugsy,” 72, 92, 99–103, 137, 144, 151, 156, 169, 197, 198
murder of, 102, 103
Sinatra, Frank, 97, 225
Sky Vu Club, 127–28
slot machines, 84
Smith, John L., 302
Smitham, V. R., 64
Snyder, Jimmy “the Greek,” 182, 258
Snyder, Tom, 265
Southland Hotel, 48, 52–53, 54, 66, 76–77
Southland Syndicate, 48, 53, 64, 65, 67, 69, 72, 75, 82, 161, 163
South Point, 309
Spilotro, Tony “the Ant,” 258–59, 267, 301
Stacher, Joseph “Doc,” 215, 236, 238
Stardust, 245, 251
Stellmacher, Willetta “Willie,” 42, 43
Stelzle, Charles, 19–20
Stern, Emmanuel M., 229
Straus, Jack, 276
Strauss, Russian Louie, 160, 165, 284–85, 301
Summer of Love, 244
Supreme Court, U.S., 204, 231, 233