Rock’n’ Roll Crooner Arrested For Assault

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28104, 20 October 1956, Page 11

Rock’n’ Roll Crooner Arrested For Assault

(Rec. 0 p.m.) MEMPHIS (Tennessee). OctoFer 18 Elvis Presley, the crooning leader ot a large section of America’s rock’n’roll set. was charged with assault and battery today after a fight in which a service station attendant received a blatk eye.

Police said that the trouble started when Presley, the banjo-strumming and hip-swinging :dol of some young Americans, pulled up to the service station in his white, 10.000-dollar motor-car to check for leaks in the petrol tank.

A crowd, drawn by the singer (who wears sideburns) and the IO.JOO-dollar car began to gather. Traffic was blocked. The police said that the at tendant finally asked Presley to take himself off so that the station could get back to normal work. The police said that Presley, seated in the car signing autographs, agreed to move on but delayed, to oblige pressing fans. They said that the attendant then slapped Presley on the back of the head and '•aid: “I said move on.”

Presley, 6ft lin and I3st, was then alleged to have leaped f rom the cat and jolted the attendant with a righ’ that cut a half-inch gash at the corner of his left eye.

A nearby policeman and a bystandei moved in and broke up the flurr’ 7 An other attendant came hustling out o’ the station and also drew a bio - ' from Presley, it was alleged.

Police said that Presley, fuming in the clutches of peacemakers, said. “I’ll take ridicule and slander, hut when a guy hits me. That’s too much.” Asked his name by the arresting officer. Presley said: “Well, maybe you’d better put down Carl Perkins.” (Perkins is his principal competitor in the rock’n’roll record field.)