hostage – Gambling-History.com https://gambling-history.com History of Gambling in the U.S. Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:44:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://gambling-history.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/cropped-Kings-Castle-Chip-32x32.png hostage – Gambling-History.com https://gambling-history.com 32 32 Quick Fact – Gutsy Granny https://gambling-history.com/quick-fact-gutsy-granny/ https://gambling-history.com/quick-fact-gutsy-granny/#comments Fri, 14 Jun 2019 00:33:15 +0000 https://gambling-history.com/?p=1412

1972

A 71-year-old, wheelchair-bound, California grandmother, Susan Ellyn Reid, who had a long rap sheet and various aliases, entered Harrahs Club in Reno, Nevada in July carrying a box.

She gave casino personnel a typed note that demanded $100,000 and indicated she was holding a bomb. It revealed kidnappers were holding her grandson hostage, so she had no choice but to execute the extortion.

The entire situation, however, was a hoax. The explosive she carried actually was a non-diary creamer bottle stuffed with cornflakes! A judge sentenced her to probation provided she reside in a nursing home.

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