Club Lido
The Cafe Lido at 1418 Broadway opened up shortly after the repeal of Prohibition. A 1935 newspaper article lists the bar at Broadway and Liberty, and refers to it as the Cafe Lido. In October of 1936 Gus DeLuca became the proprietor of the establishment, and renamed it Club Lido. Directories from 1947 onward show the address at 1418 Broadway, near the corner of Broadway and Atlantic Avenue, and as Club Lido.
Charles DeLuca was the licensee in early 1939. In June of that year the license was transferred to the partnership of Charles J. DeLuca and Joseph Garaguso. Morris DiAngelo was the proprietor according to the 1947 Directory, and retained the principal interest in the establishment as late as 1967.
The Club Lido remained open on Broadway into the early 1970s. It was gone by 1977.
Morris DiAngelo was born on January 19, 1914 in New Jersey, the second son of Amadio and Santa Angelo. The Angelo family lived at 420 Line Street in Camden at the time of the 1930 census, when the elder DiAngelo was working as a laborer at the Camden Coke plant. By 1947 Morris DiAngelo was operating Club Lido, living at 420 Line Street in Camden according to the City Directory.
Morris DiAngelo also owned the Greenwood Inn in Pennsauken, and kept the Greenwood through the 1950s. The ground next door was a Mobil gas station; DiAngelo sold that piece of property to Mobil. Morris DiAngelo passed away September 28, 1997.
Carl Papa bought the bar in January of 1975. By mid-February he was considering closing up after having been burglarized twice. Club Lido is not listed in the 1977 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory.
Thanks to John Ciafrani for information used in the creation of this page.
‘Cop-Hater’ Helps Policeman in Court
Camden Courier-Post —
‘COP-HATER’ HELPS POLICEMAN IN COURT
‘Pumpkins’ Jaroski Testifies for Shapiro Accused of Striking Man
A Whitman Park man who admitted, “I don’t like cops and they don’t like me” nevertheless felt conscience bound to appear in police court yesterday afternoon and testify in defense of Motorcycle Policeman Edward Shapiro.
Shapiro was arrested on a warrant sworn out by Joseph Narciso, 1308 South Fourth street, who accused the patrolman of assault and battery during an altercation in South Camden Wednesday at 2 a. m.
Shapiro, insisting he acted in self-defense, filed a cross-complaint against his accuser, with the result that both were held for the Grand Jury in their own recognizance.
‘Pumpkins’ Testifies
The witness was Joseph “Pumpkins” Jaroski, of 1154 Louis street, who isn’t exactly a stranger in court. “I guess my dislike for cops is mutuel,” he said, “but I thought I ought to come into court and tell what happened down there.
“I was coming in from Gloucester about 2:15 a. m. Wednesday when I saw a crowd at Broadway and Liberty street. I saw a bunch of men attacking Shapiro, who was stopping plenty with his face. Oliver Morgan was in uniform and trying to stop the fight.”
Bruce Wallace, attorney representing Shapiro, said Morgan was not called to testify because he might be considered biased, since he and Shapiro are fellow officers.
Narciso testified he saw Shapiro seated in his car in front of the Cafe Lido, Broadway and Liberty street, after going off duty, and heard him arguing with someone in his car.
Made Wise Crack
“I said in a joking way, ‘you’re not so tough,’” declared Narciso. “He got out of the car and hit me twice.” Narciso pointed to a discolored eye. He added that several men witnessed the alleged attack but “were afraid to come into court and testify.”
Shapiro said he was attacked by five men. “One had me by the throat, another bit me on the shoulder,” he said. “I just swung wildly. All of them ran away after the fight.”
“I don’t think the whole story has been told. I think the others in the mixup should be heard,” said Judge Lewis Liberman in holding the two principals for Grand Jury action.
Making the Rounds
Camden Courier-Post —
October 10, 1936 — Gus we’re glad to see your smiling face again … and thanks for your birthday greetings … incidently congratulations to you on the anniversary of your opening of the new and delightful Club Lido … the same age as us … Gus De Luca is the gentleman we mean … and speaking of swell spots, don’t miss the Club Lido one of the gayest gargling gables you’ve ever visited … snappy entertainers and the good old hospitality that only Gus knows how to turn out … address is 1418 Broadway, Camden.
October 17, 1936 — The boys whooped it up a bit at Gus’ place last weekend ‘course there was a good reason … the reason being it was the anniversary of the opening of the new and improved Club Lido … Gus DeLuca is the prop. … and he sure puts on a swell bit of entertainment … the address is 1418 Broadway just in case you never had the good fortune to attend one of the nightly meetings … one of the better amusement centers of Camden.
Drinks, Even If Free, Break Sunday Law
Camden Courier-Post —
Service and Not Just Sale Called Wrong at Hearing of ABC Board
If you own a taproom and want to give your bosom pal or your wife or your mother-in-law a drink at the bar on Sunday—don’t do it. It’s a violation of city ordinance.
The clink of a two-bit piece bouncing from the mahogany to the till isn’t necessary to create the legal breach; the mere service of alcoholic beverage in licensed premises during restricted hours is all that’s necessary for the loss or suspension of a license.
That formal ruling was made last night by the Camden Municipal Alcohol Beverage Control Board when several licenses, accused of sale or service on Sunday, presented the plea they were “giving away” their liquor. The board’s ruling follows:
“It isn’t necessary for a sale of alcoholic beverage to be made during restricted hours to be a law violation. License holders, either club or retail, are not permitted to serve any alcohol on licensed premises during restricted hours. Defendants who give liquor away under such circumstances are subject to either revocation or suspension of their licenses.”
7 Cases Up for Ruling
The board paused to make the ruling during a hectic session at which hearings were held in seven cases of Sunday service or sale, and more than a score of property owners near Fifth and Pine streets spoke for or against an application for the transfer of one liquor license.
Decisions in all the cases were reserved until tomorrow night at 7:30 in Council Chamber, City Hall. Decisions then will be handed down also in five other pending Sunday cases. Action will clear the decks for the excise board to start considering renewal of 300 licenses of all types before July 1, the date for renewal.
Walter Konopka, 1921 South Fourth street, pleaded not guilty to sale on Sunday. But it developed his son, Henry, invited a party of in-laws into his father’s place after a turkey shoot on Sunday, December 18. While they were having a stirrup cup on the house, in walked ABC Agents R. C. Lockwood, William Brooks and Norman Myers. The agents agreed only members of the family were present, along with guns and dead turkeys.
Officers of George W. Booz Post, American Legion, 1944 Broadway, testified they were giving away beer to members on Sunday, December 4. The beer, they said, was the residue from a party held Saturday night; so why let it go to waste? Agents Brooks and Myers happened in at the wake over the dead barrels and preferred the charge.
Contractors—Not Customers
Joseph A. Ragan pleaded not guilty to Sunday service or sale at his taproom, 697 Sylvan street, on February 26. Agents Lockwood and B. M. Sullivan were permitted to enter the place and said they found 13 men there, liquor on the bar and a table, and $41 in the cash register. Ragan said eight men were there, but they were contractors making estimates for competitive bids on alteration of the premises. He said he opened the door for the agents because he thought they were contractors, too. He claimed the glasses were from Saturday night’s closing rush hour, left for the Monday morning bartender to clean up. The cash, he said, was for the Monday morning change and payments for supplies.
Louis Bader, 538 Kaighn avenue, pleaded not guilty to service or sale also February 26. Policeman August Riehm testified he and Policeman Stanley Bobiak arrested two men who said they bought liquor at the Bader place. The informants were not present to testify.
Lockwood and Myers testified they found glasses of liquor and 24 men in the bar of the Polish-American Citizens’ Club, 1559 Mt. Ephraim avenue, on December 18. Officers of the club insisted they gave the steward strict orders not to serve or sell liquor during restricted hours. The club has a record of previous conviction for Sunday sale on March 13, 1938, for which its license was suspended for five days.
Liquor as ‘Medicine’
A bit or [sic] histrionic art was exhibited by Nunzio Milano, 1901 South Fourth street, after he pleaded guilty to Sunday sale on December 18, to Lockwood. Crushing a soft hat over his eyes, hunching up his shoulders and going through contortions designed to indicate deep misery in his tummy, he acted out a role he said the agent played in getting into his barroom. Lockwood complained of sickness, Milano testified, and, being hig [sic] hearted and opposed to such suffering, he sold the agent some sure-fire nostrum.
John Revallo, 1186 Mechanic street, was heard on a charge of refilling bottles with diluted liquor, preferred by Agents Schuyler Adams and Charles G. Glenn. He admitted a conviction under the fair trade act.
The battle of the night was staged over the application of Bert Bottura for transfer of his license from 112 [sic] Mt. Ephraim avenue to 720 South Fifth street. John Pennington, chairman of the resolutions committee of the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association, presented a petition signed by seven members of the association who have taprooms within a radius of two blocks of the latter address.
Pennington said the Seventh ward, in which Bottura now is located, has 17 licenses, while the Sixth ward, to which he proposes to move, has 28. Business is bad enough in the Sixth ward now, Pennington said, and an additional taproom there is not warranted.
Teacher Testifies
Property owners of the neighborhood who signed a petition against the transfer were represented by the testimony of Miss Sadie Seers, a former Camden school teacher, who lives at 501 Pine street, adjoining the proposed new saloon; Mr. and Mrs. H. Caldwell, 507 Pine street, and Mrs. A. B. Kleaver, 515 Pine street.
Antonio di Accentus protested the transfer on the ground the new bar would be only 375 feet from his taproom at Lyons and Williams streets and business of the neighborhood did not warrant the transfer.
Dr. Frank J. Cilliberti, Jr., who has his professional office, home and a drug store across the street, protested the transfer on the ground it would depreciate the value of his property, injure his medical practice and serve no demand for an additional taproom in the neighborhood.
Bottura testified he has been in the saloon business five years and has never been arrested for law violation. He would conduct an orderly business, he said. And his friends brought Cupid into play when they said he wants the transfer in order to establish a home above his place of business for his bride-to-be.
Thirty-six Support Plea
Sixteen property owners of the neighborhood lined up before the board and backed his plea. Twenty others stood up in the back of Council chamber to signify they held the same sentiment.
The board granted new club licenses to the International Workers’ Order, Branch No. 2586, at 457 Berkley street, and the Walt Whitman Aristocrats, 1027 Lawrence street.
It transferred the license of the South Camden Bocce Club, Inc., from 329 Spruce street to 306 Spruce street; the license at 1418 Broadway from Charles DeLuca to Charles J. LeLuca and Joseph Garaguso; the license at 202 South Fourth street from Michael W. Mignogna to Elvira Vari; that at 320 Market street from Stag Cafe, Inc., to Elizabeth Miller.
The meeting was conducted by the board members — Chairman John L. Morrisey, Secretary Ann M. Baumgartner and Curtis A. Stangtinette—and their solicitor, Assistant City Solicitor Edward V. Martino.
Businessman May Quit City
Camden Courier-Post —
Bar Owner Has Been Robbed So Often He’s Afraid
By Joseph Hiler, Courier-Post Staff
Carl Papa says he was scared. When he bought Camden’s Club Lido at 533 S. Broadway a month ago, the previous owner said he was getting out because he was afraid and because he’d been robbed so often.
Papa, 47, of Somerdale, finally decided he was afraid to come into Camden. He’s thinking of selling his bar.
He began to worry when he found out that burglars had hit the place between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Saturday. Entering through the roof of an adjacent vacant building, the thieves stole a safe containing cash — about $50 worth. They also took all the bar’s cash registers.
Dismayed but not deterred, the new owner cleaned out the building and opened. That night, burglars struck again. This time they entered through the steel cellar door which opens through the sidewalk. They chiseled up a section of the concrete sidewalk in which it was anchored and hoisted the door.
“That has to have taken a good amount of time and tools, too,” Papa said. “You don’t pull that thing up with a screw-driver.” This time, the burglars made away with another $100 worth of merchandise and two vending machines.
“I came to the city because I wanted a bigger investment. I got it, but I realized I was really kept out.”
The bar owner also complained that foot patrolmen along Broadway don’t bother going past midnight. “What good do they do between 9 pm and midnight?” he asked. “We need them after midnight.”