Introduction
702 South 2nd Street was operated as early as 1918 as a tavern by Joseph Vilardo, who, after prohibition was enacted, operated through at least 1921 under a soft drink license, selling near beer over the bar… and most likely like many other Camden of the era whatever else one could get away with alcohol-wise as well. By 1930 Joseph Vilardo had let the bar business and moved to 423 South 4th Street, working then as a Camden police officer. The 1930 US Census discloses that Luigi Cinaglia and his family lived at 702 South 2nd Street, and that he was a saloonkeeper. It is likely that he was running the bar for some time prior to that.
The 1931 Camden City Directory shows the bar being operated by Louis Cinaglia, and a Mrs. Francesca Cinaglia is known to have been the licensee from 1936 through at least 1939. By 1937 the Cinaglia family had purchased the bar at South 4th Street and Chestnut Street, which eventually became known as Pete’s Cafe, run by son Peter Cinaglia through at least 1964. The family was still living at 702 South 2nd Street as late as February of 1938.
The 1947 Directory lists 702 South 2nd Street as the Paradise Cafe, with R.L. Mosley and Theo Wiley as proprietors.
In 1948 the bar was sold to Samuel Neimeiser who changed the name to New Paradise Bar & Liquor Store. Samuel Neimeiser sold it to Lillian Pincus and Irving Bottler in 1950. In 1952 Edward Hoff acquired the bar and kept it open into early 1977. It appears that by the fall of that year it had closed, as there was no telephone directory listing. Edward Hoff sold the liquor license in 1980, and the new owners had it transferred to 1324 Mechanic Street, trading as Bacchanal.
Burglar Trapped By Sleepless Girl
Camden Courier-Post —
Father, Brother Awakened, Fell Intruder After Short Chase
Miss Olga Cineglie’s sleeplessness last night resulted in the capture of a robber who was looting her home. The man, a Negro from Carteret, was knocked unconscious by a blow with a stout stick from Luigi Cineglie, 55, a saloon keeper and the girl’s father, while his son, Peter, 18, grappled with the intruder. The man arrested gave his name as John Jones, 41, and said he is a stevedore.
Miss Cineglie, 20, told police she could not go to sleep and was reading a book in her second floor bedroom at 702 South Second street. She heard a noise downstairs and listened long enough to be convinced someone was moving about on the first floor. She tiptoed silently to the telephone and called police in a whisper. Then she quietly roused her father and brother. The trio was descending the stairs when the intruder heard them and bolted for the kitchen door. He threw the door open and leaped a back fence and ran into Line street. Peter, a factory employe, was on his heels and had made a partial flying tackle, which had slowed the intruder. Cineglie, as he ran from the house, picked up a hardwood stick, used as the cross piece in an automobile top. When Peter slowed the fleeing man with his tackle, his father was able to gain enough ground to get within range.
As Cineglie caught up with him, Jones was aiming a brick, seized in his flight, at the head of Peter. He was unarmed otherwise. He struck Jones on the head and knocked him unconscious. At just that moment, Radio Cruise Car Patrolmen Walter Vecander and Wilbur Prentiss arrived. They arrested Jones and took him to Cooper Hospital where several stitches were required to close the head wound caused by Cineglie’s stick.
Jones, police said, had been drinking but was not drunk. He was held on suspicion for investigation. He told police he reached Philadelphia Saturday and slept Saturday night in the Philadelphia jail. Cineglie’s saloon is in the front downstairs section of his home, and the living quarters are in the rear on both the first and second floors.
Man Gets 4 Months for Saloon Entry
Camden Courier-Post —
Excuse of Breaking in ‘Just to Buy a Drink’ Fails to Move Court
John H. Fagen, 34, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to four months in county jail yesterday by Judge Clifford A. Baldwin in Special Sessions Court, on charges of breaking and entering a saloon January 17.
Fagen was arrested after Olga Cinaglia, daughter of Peter Cinaglia, proprietor of the saloon at 702 South Second Street, heard him and wakened her father. The father and a brother caught Fagen after he climbed out a window of the saloon. Fagen told the court he entered the saloon to buy a drink.
George Zimmerman, 33, of 53 Marlton Pike, was sentenced to six months in jail in default of $300 fine as a result of his arrest three weeks ago by state ABC agents who found five gallons of untaxed alcohol in his home.
Earl Bundy, 824 Sycamore Street, and Grant Green, 723 Sycamore Street, were given jail sentences as a result of their arrest in the latter’s home. William West, of Second street and Kaighn Avenue, complained to Policeman Earl Wright that he was attacked by Bundy when he went there to buy liquor. Wright found five quarts of illicit liquor in the house.
Judge Baldwin sentenced Bundy to 30 days for assault and battery and three months for the ABC violation. When Green admitted he had the liquor and said Bundy was innocent, Judge Baldwin said:
“Misery loves company, and as long as you are so fond of Bundy you can keep him company in the county jail for two months.”
Harold Smith, of Lawnside, arrested by Bayard Sullivan, ABC agent, for operating a still in a vacant house, pleaded that he was ill and subject to “spells.” Judge Baldwin sentenced him to a “spell” of six months in the county jail.
Former Recorder William Branch, of Lawnside, was found not guilty of malfeasance in office. On May 15 Jerry Whitledge, also of Lawnside, was arrested on a charge of drunken driving. At a hearing before Branch, Whitledge was sentenced to 30 days or $100 fine. Whitledge appealed and his attorney, William A. E. King, served the appeal papers on Branch. Under the law, Branch should have sent an immediate discharge order to the county jail for Whitledge’s release but Branch failed to do so for several days. Because Branch’s term has expired and because neither King nor Whitledge appeared to prosecute, the court discharged him.
Paradise Cafe Holiday Greeting
Camden Courier-Post —
Paradise Cafe — 702 S. 2nd St., Camden, N. J.
Frank Robinson and Teddy Walley “Proprietors”
Extends Season’s Greetings to All Their Customers, Friends and Business Associates
Line Street Cafe Robbed of Liquors, Money
Camden Courier-Post —
Theft of $684.34 of liquors at the Paradise Cafe, 2nd and Line Streets was reported Sunday by Edward Hoff, proprietor of the place, to Detectives Walter Zimalong and Nathaniel Jones.
Hoff said he detected the robbery when he visited the place at 12.30 p.m. He reported an undetermined amount of money was stolen from a juke box and a cigarette machine.
Police said the thieves apparently entered from an adjoining room through a window on the second floor of the building, disconnected a burglar alarm, made their way downstairs and broke through a door into the taproom.