Quick Fact – Beat-it-Out-of-You Approach

1957

Inside the Golden Bank Casino on a Saturday afternoon, security personnel saw Merle Naughton, 40-year-old salesman, yanking and pounding on slot machines. When they told him to leave, he did. He went across the street, where he stood and yelled profanities at them.

A while later, he went back inside the Reno, Nevada club and attacked the slots so vigorously that he broke the lever off of one, causing coins to pour out. Before he could seize any of them, security grabbed him. He fought, biting and hitting them, until Reno police officers quelled him.

They jailed him until Monday morning, when, in court, he pleaded guilty to assault and battery and disturbing the peace, paid the $75 (about $670 today) fine and went on his way.