Camden People - Sabba Verdiglione

SABBA VERDIGLIONE born January 6, 1887. He was active in the civic life of Camden from the 1920s onward. He and his wife, the former Marie V. Kelley, he made his home at 940-942 South 5th Street, and this is also where he maintained his business. Involved in real estate and insurance, he was the founder of the first Italian Democratic Club in Camden County. He also served as the court interpreter in Camden.

Marie V. Kelley had alrready established herself as one of the first important female politicians in Camden when the couple wed. Sabba Verdiglione served as the Democratic County committeeman in 1930, and ran again in 1934 on a ticket aligned with Harry Maloney and Emma Hyland. Both he and his wife were active in the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus.

Marie Verdiglione passed away in 1953. One of Sabba Verdiglione's employees, Anthony Gentile, was tragically killed on a car accident in August 1954.

Sometime after Gentile's death, Sabba Verdiglione moved his offices to 432 Mickle Street, where it was located in 1959, and his home to 601 Maple Avenue, in Haddonfield NJ. He passed away in July of 1970.

Sabba and Marie Verdiglione's daughter Marie graduated Camden Catholic High School Class of '56. She then went on to earn a Liberal Arts degree at Rutgers University before opening the popular nightclub 23 Skidoo / Some Place Else with her then-husband Anthony "Skeets" Tortu. Marie V. Tortu passed on Janury 29, 2012.

Camden Courier-Post - October 23, 1931

7 DEMOCRATS RALLIES IN COUNTY TONIGHT

Democratic speakers, urging suffrage in the interest of A. Harry Moore, gubernatorial candidate, and the local Democratic ticket, will invade seven political clubs in the city and county tonight.

County meetings, all at 8 p. m. and speakers are as follows:

First Ward Democratic Club, Gloucester, Mercer and Burlington streets, E. George Aaron, Firmin Michel and Marie V. Kelly.

Pennsauken Colored A. Harry Moore Club, Magnolia and Scovel avenues, Merchantville, Dr. Clement T. Branch, Eugene Aumaitre and Albert Melnik.

Lindenwold A. Harry Moore Club, Garden Lake fire hall, C. Lawrence Gregorio, Leon Rose, Joseph Varbalow and Mrs. Florence Melnik.

Glendora A. Harry Moore Club, fire hall, Mrs. Bertha Shippen Irving, Gene Mariano, Samuel P. Orlando and John Crean.

Somerdale Democratic Club, fire hall, Mrs. Emma E. Hyland, Edward L. Canning, Thomas Madden and John Delaney.

Fifth Ward Democratic Club. Fifth and Pine Streets, Samuel T. French, Rev. Robert A. Jackson, David L. Visor and Sabba Verdiglione .

Eighth Ward Democratic Club, 509 Ferry Avenue, Isaac Eason, Francis Homan, Charles Degnan and Judge Frank F. Neutze.

Camden Courier-Post - October 31, 1931

MOORE RALLIES TONIGHT IN 3 WARDS, ASHLAND

Rallies in the interest of A. Harry Moore, gubernatorial candidate, and local candidates on the Democratic ticket will be conducted tonight in Ashland and in three wards of the city.

The meetings and speakers are as follows;

Sixth Ward Democratic Club, Fourth and Walnut Streets; E. George Aaron, Samuel P. Orlando, Boyd E. Morrison, Charles Degnan and Sabba Verdiglione.

Third Ward A. Harry Moore Club, Third and Benson Streets: Samuel T. French, Orlando, Edward L. Canning, C. Lawrence Gregorio, Frank Homan and Anthon Ruffo, of Trenton.

Eleventh Ward A. Harry Moore Club, 927 North Twenty-seventh street: Aaron, Canning, Isaac Eason, Marie V. Kelly and Judge Frank F. Neutze.

Ashland Democratic Club, home of Ida May Heidrick, Burnt Mill road and Second Avenue: Thomas Madden, Leon H. Rose and Eugene Mariano,

Camden Courier-Post * June 20, 1933

DEMOCRATS ARRANGE FOR 'MALONEY DAY'
July 9 Set for Reception and Picnic to New Revenue Collector

"Harry L. Maloney Day" will be celebrated by South Jersey Democrats, Sunday, July 9, when the newly-appointed collector of internal revenue will be guest of honor at a picnic at Silver Lake Park. State leaders of the party will attend. Maloney, Democratic state committeeman from Camden County and Mayor of Bellmawr, was named by President Roosevelt to succeed Edward L. Sturgess and is expected to
take office by July 1.

Plans for the outing were made last night at a meeting in Democratic headquarters, 538 Stevens Street, at which Albert S. Marvel, Jr., was named chairman of the general committee. Vincent de P. Costello was elected secretary and former Mayor Victor King treasurer.

The committees follow:

Ways and means- Sidney Kaplan, chairman; Judge Samuel M. Shay, Judge Frank F. Neutze, Victor King, Vincent Gallaher, Samuel P. Orlando and Thomas N. Madden.

Entertainment- Joseph A. Varbalow, chairman; Patrick H. Harding, Joseph E. Nowrey, Calogero Salvagio, Thomas Cavanaugh and Joseph A. Gorman.

Refreshments- Ralph W. Wescott, chairman; Raymond Hadley, Walter Bateman, Joseph Ackroyd, James Hainesworth, Joseph Harczynski.

Athletics- Frank Abbott, chairman; John Lyons, Joseph McVey and Daniel T. Hagans,

Music- John P. Bissinger, chairman; Ventorino Francesconi, William Bell, Bernard Tracy and Matthew P. Johnson.

District organization- Michael J. Powell, chairman; Dominick Josephs, Ralph Comilli, Herbert McAdams, William Noonan, Edward Huston, Harry Daly and William Kistner.

Transportation - Mayor Emerson Jackson, of Gloucester, chairman; Lewis C. Parker, George Cohen, John Bennett, Horace L. Brewer and Sabba Verdiglione.

Printing- Charles J. Clark, chairman; Raymond Saltzman, Jack Goldstein, Walter Kelly and William M. Williams.

Publicity- Edward C. Bowe, Herbert Beattie, Patrick Whalen, Alfred R. White and Luke Bates.

Mrs. Emma E. Hyland, state committeewoman, and Miss Marie V. Kelley, vice- chairman of the county committee, will head a women's reception committee to be chosen later.

The committees will meet again Monday night to complete arrangements. .

Camden Courier-Post * February 2, 1938

K. Of C. HERE PLANS WASHINGTON BALL
Pre-Lenten Social Function Set for Feb. 22 in Honor of First President

Camden Council, Knights of Columbus, will hold a "George Washington Birthday Ball" February 22, at the Hotel Walt Whitman.

Grand Knight J. Frank Crawford says he can find no trace of a civic affair of this nature ever having been given in Camden to pay honor to the first President of the United States.

Usually the Knights' pre-Lenten ball is held on the Friday evening preceding Ash Wednesday, but the dates are so close this year that the suggestion for a Washington's Birthday Ball met with instant favor.

Both the main and junior ballrooms of the hotel have been engaged for the dance while numerous rooms in the hostelry have been reserved for dinner parties to precede the ball.

Arrangements have been made for lavish and substantial decorations. A life-size statue of Washington on a pedestal will be surrounded by the Stars and Stripes, palms and floodlights.

The ballrooms will be replete with bunting and shields, alternating to achieve the patriotic and nationalistic tinge that the Knights believe this annual occasion should invest the affair.

To carry out the significance of the event and to furnish an exceptional touch to the evening, a committee of women, with Mrs. Jere Crean as chairman, will have charge of the features of the entertainment.

This program will partake of early colonial social activities. There will be dances of those early days together with the march of "The Three Minutes," the patriots whose picture has become as familiar to Americans as the sun and the moon.

Other, members of this features committee include Mrs. Kirk B. Barb, Mrs. Patrick O'Connor, Mrs. Joseph McShane, Mrs. Sabba Verdiglione, Mrs. Joseph E. Mears, Mrs. Vincent de Paul Costello, Mrs. James L. Hughes, Mrs. John Reynolds, Mrs. Frank Daly and Mrs. Andrew J. McMahon.

There Is also a Junior Ladies' Committee headed by Miss Mary Verga and comprising the Misses Catherine Kelley, Margaret Powell, Madeline McFeely, Alice Dolly, Teresa Regnery, Catherine Fay, Julia Kirk, Margaret Kelley, Winifred Cogan, Marie Carr and Marie Stanton Daly.

Thomas J. McCloskey is chairman of the committee on decorations; William J. Hartman of music, and Francis J. Poplaski of publicity. District Deputy George J. Reed heads the reception committee with Grand Knight Crawford, Past Grand Knight John A. Reynolds is in charge of the general committee, with Theodore J. Stiles, secretary; Francis Halstead, treasurer, and Daniel Roche, treasurer of Camden Council, as advisory member.

Camden Courier-Post * February 14, 1938

PRE-LENTEN BALL PLANNED BY K.OF C.
Mrs. Jere Crean Heads Women's Committee for Event Feb. 22

One of the principal pre-Lenten events in this city will be the Knights of Columbus Ball which is to be held in the Hotel Walt Whitman on Tuesday evening, February 22.

Since the ball falls on Washington's birthday the program has been centered around the observance of the national holiday.

The Women's Committee has completed plans for its participation in the affair and has announced that many dinner parties are being arranged, preceding the ball.

John A. Reynolds is general chairman of the ball committee. Mrs. Jere Crean heads the women's committee and is assisted by Miss Margaret Powell, Miss Madeline McFeeley, Miss Alice Dolly, Miss Margaret Moore, Miss Winifred Cogan, Miss Julia V. Kirk, Miss Kathryn Kelley, Miss Mary McGrath, Miss Teresa Regnery, Miss Margaret Kelley, Miss Jule M. Carey, Miss Winifred Stafford, Miss Rose Mary McKernan, Miss Marie B. Carr, Miss Rita Reigert, Miss Frances Jagod, Miss Mary Verga, Miss Anna Connell, Miss Monica Barrett, Mrs. Kirk B. Barb, Mrs. Marie Stanton Kelly, Mrs. Andrew McMahon, Mrs. Sabba Verdiglione, Mrs. John Reynolds, Mrs. Joseph Mears, Mrs. Charles Grimley, Mrs. John P. Daly,, Mrs. John Holt, Mrs. Frank Daly, Mrs. James A. Kane, Mrs. Joseph P. McShane and Mrs. Patrick A. O'Connor.