The bar at 1102 South 4th Street, the corner of South 4th and Chestnut Street, went by a number of names over the years, and was expanded from a bar into a nightclub as time went by. The bar dates back to at least 1887, when John J. Brown was the proprietor. His son, William D. Brown, was Camden's City Clerk in the 1920s and early 1930s.

At the time of America's entry into World War I, Daniel Lamb was the proprietor. The bar was sold in the 1920s to the Corda family. Anibale Corda was listed as the proprietor from 1926 through 1929, when Luigi Corda took over, he operated the bar through 1931. Anibale Corda was still involved in the bar as late as June of 1933. After Prohibition was repealed in 1934 Marsilio Daziani acquired the business, and operated it under the name of Monte Carlo Cafe for a few years, before moving to a building in the next block at 1016 South 4th Street. 

By 1937 Luigi Cinaglia, who had been operating the bar at 702 South 2nd Street, known in later years as the Paradise Cafe, had purchased the property, operating the bar and living with his family on the second floor of the building. The Cinaglia's were still living at 702 South 2nd street as late as february 1938. Son Pete Cinaglia later operated the bar as Pete's Cafe. Another son, Anthony Cinaglia, was killed in action while serving with the United States Army during World War II. During the Cinaglia family's tenure as owners of the bar, it became quite well known in Camden for its sandwiches. The Cinaglia family operated the bar through 1964. The Cinaglia family apparantly retained an interest in both locations for a time during the 1930s, however, by 1943 the South 2nd Street bar was under new management.

The bar appears in the 1966 as Joe's Cafe. The ethnic makeup of the neighborhood, which had a strong Italian-American presence prior to the time of the riots of 1967 and 1971, had changed by the 1970s. 1102 South 4th Street was by this time known as Baron's Lounge. At some pint in the late 1970s or 1980s the property next door on 4th Street was acquired, and the two buildings were merged, providing the bar a dance floor on the first floor and and a second floor lounge. A woman named Pauline became the owner during this period. She leased the bar out in the mid-1980s. Operating as the Phase 2 during the 1980s, 1102-1104 South 4th Street became a popular nightspot until a shooting forced the bar to close in the late 1980s. Pauline reopened briefly under her own name, prior to selling the property.

In the early 1990s a new owner, a fellow named Sid, completely remodeled the property, and renamed it the Cotton Club. Despite the protests of most of the neighbors, the bar was allowed to reopen, in part due to apparently undue influence on the part of certain parties within Camden's Regular Democrat Organization. While the Cotton Club operated quite profitably throughout most of the 1990s, it attracted a young and increasingly violent crowd, and after a series of shootings the bar closed after the 2001 murder of Jermaine Glasco.

The Cotton Club has reopened for brief periods occasionally since that time, but for the most part its doors have remained shut. 

27 Mild Padlocks Provided In U.S. Court Rules by Avis

Camden County Padlocks 

Probationary padlocks of one year were ordered by Judge Avis for the following establishments: [Frank's Cafe] Frank Auletto, as proprietor; William J. Stettler, bartender; Rebecca Friedenberg and Lena Teitelman, owners, 1135 and 1137 South Fourth Street, $1000 bond; William Barr, proprietor; George E. Stone, bartender; Marion R. Klump, owner, 11 South Third Street, $1000 bond; Annabale Corda, proprietor and owner; Mary Corda, employee, 1104 South Fourth Street, $1000 bond; Anthony and Stanley Knast, owners, 7807 East Park Avenue, Pennsauken, $1000 bond; Oliver Smith, proprietor; [Thomas "Bluch" Golding] Bertha Golding; owner, 1726 Master Street, $1000 bond; [Big Ed's Place] Edward W. Williams, proprietor; William J. Dolan, bartender, 623 Pearl Street, $1000 bond. 

Conrad Lambert, 44, of 1427 South Ninth Street, Camden, pleaded guilty to possession of liquor and was fined $35. 

Frank Tischner, 1244 Cambridge Street, pleaded guilty to possession and nuisance and sentence was deferred until June 19.

Frank H. Poole, 1400 Rose Street, pleaded guilty to possession and maintaining a nuisance and was fined $35. James Rodgers, 1000 Segal Street, pleaded guilty to possession and maintaining a nuisance. Agents said he conducted a speakeasy and he was fined $l0 and given 10 days in jail.

Harry Getty, 48, of 29 North Third Street, Camden, was fined $35 for possession of beer and maintaining a nuisance. A fine of $25 was imposed upon Charles H. Lee, 30, of 1565 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, Camden, when he pleaded guilty to possession and nuisance charges. Annibale Corda, 35, of 1104 South Fourth Street, Camden, was fined $10 when he pleaded guilty to charges of possession of liquor and maintenance of a nuisance.

[Steppy's Cafe] Walenty Szczepankiewicz, 63, of 1621 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, was given a 45-day jail term and fined $25 when he pleaded guilty to possession and nuisance charges. His son, Edward, 19, was freed on a suspended sentence and placed on probation for six months on similar charges. 

John Baronkin, 669-1/2 Van Hook Street, Camden, was given a suspended sentence upon pleading guilty to possession of liquor, after his attorney pleaded he was keeping a wife, child and an ill mother. 

A bench warrant was issued for Mike Britto, of 112 North Delaware Avenue, and bail of $500 was ordered forfeited when he failed to answer charges of possession and maintaining a nuisance. 

Frank Cipriani, of 713 South Third Street, Camden, was sent to jail for 10 days and fined $1 when he pleaded guilty to possession and nuisance charges. His attorney said he was a prosperous South Camden business man who lost his holdings in the depression and has six children to support. 

Lawrence L. Murphy, 33, of 552 Haddon Avenue, Camden, was fined $25 when he pleaded guilty to possession of two jugs of liquor. He was arrested February 10 with the liquor in his possession. 

William Deroncone, 38, of 520 South Second Street, Camden, was given five days in jail and fined $1. He pleaded guilty to possession of a half pint, of liquor, in his cigar store. 

Cotton Club

October 2002

Click on Images to Enlarge

Camden County Prosecutor Lee A. Solomon and Camden City Police Chief Robert Allenbach reported that Jermaine Glasco, M/ 28, of the 2000 block of Broadway, Camden, was shot multiple times last night. At approximately 11:33 P.M. on January 3, 2001, Camden Police received reports of gunshots fired outside the Cotton Club bar located at Fourth and Chestnut Streets. Upon arrival, police located the body of the deceased at Seventh and Chestnut Streets. It is believe that Glasco was shot at a location near the bar, and sometime after the shooting he was dragged by a motor vehicle for an approximate distance of a half-mile to the location the body was found. The investigation into the identity of the shooter(s), and the driver of and type of vehicle, which dragged the victim, is continuing. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact either Camden County Prosecutor's Office Investigator William Gonzalez at (856) 225-8400 or Camden City Police Detective Eric White at (856) 757-7400.

Camden County Prosecutor Lee A. Solomon and Camden City Police Chief Robert Allenbach reported that Earic S. Billue, M/25, of the 3000 block of Carmen Street, Camden. Billue, along with his attorney, surrendered to authorities this morning at the Camden Police administration Building. He is charged with Murder in connection with the January 3, 2001, shooting death of Jermaine Glasco. He will be arraigned before Camden County Superior Court Judge Samuel D. Natal at 1:30 P.M. this afternoon. Jermaine Glasco, M/ 28, of the 2000 block of Broadway, Camden, was shot multiple times at approximately 11:33 P.M. on January 3, 2001. Camden Police received reports of gunshots fired outside the Cotton Club bar located at Fourth and Chestnut Streets. Upon arrival, police located the body of the deceased at Seventh and Chestnut Streets. Allegedly, Billue shot Glasco near the bar, and then ran over the victim with his vehicle, dragging the victim for an approximate distance of a half-mile. All persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law .

Shooter will be sentenced March 12

A city resident convicted of fatally shooting a man outside a South Camden nightclub two years ago faces up to 30 years in state prison.Earic S. Billu, 27, of Carmen Street, will be sentenced for aggravated manslaughter on March 12

Witnesses told jurors Billu fired several shots at the victim - Jermain Glasco, 28, of Broadway - outside the Cotton Club at 4th and Chestnut streets on Jan. 4, 2001.Billu then got into his car and drove over Glasco, dragging him with the car, witnesses said Glasco's body was found at 7th and Chestnut.

A medical examiner's report showed Glasco died of bullet wounds, not from injuries suffered when he was struck and dragged by the car.Billu had been free on $200,000 bail.

Upon receiving the jury's verdict Friday afternoon, Superior Court Judge John T. McNeill III granted a request from Assistant Prosecutor Michele Morgera and revoked Billu's bail