Emmett Cobb, Tonelli and Ahmed-El were all the same man, yet with three unique personalities.  The most noted of thee was Tonelli, a man of many dimensions.

By BOB FERGUSON

Contributing Writer

* Editor’s Note (March 21, 2012) – Over the last few weeks the Call and Post has received an overwhelming response from Ryan Miday’s 5-part series on Cleveland legend Emmett “Tonelli” Cobb. But the subject of Tonelli was not a new one. On Dec. 16, of 1999, the C&P published the first story dedicated to Emmett Cobb since his 1954 court trial. Written by Bob Ferguson, the original article was set to honor him for his 78th birthday, which would have been that Christmas Eve. While checking final details for the article, it was discovered that Tonelli passed away on Oct. 22, 1999 due to complications from an illness.  The man born Emmett Cobb died quietly in Columbus, all but ignored by the press, but certainly not forgotten by the people of Cleveland. This story honors him as a man of the people, who sought to spread a message of self-pride. Away from the crime headlines, this is the Tonelli that was cherished by many Clevelanders.

Below is how the story originally appeared in the Dec. 16, 1999 issue of the Cleveland Call and Post (parts of the original were unable to be transcribed): 

There are still many unanswered questions concerning the life of Emmett “Tonelli” Cobb.  Today’s generation of young people who have heard remnants of his story ask, “Who he is, where he is and what he was?  The mere mention of Tonelli’s name instantly invites a conversation.  Many of Cleveland’s older folks still discuss what happened to him. Regardless of the opposing opinion of some, this man has left a legacy that may never be fully explained or forgotten; he is a legend.

Tonelli is as much a part of Cleveland’s Black history as its politicians and other people of prominence.  Too many, he is one of Cleveland’s foremost heroes; not because of his alleged notorious side, but for the way he challenged the system.  He was not afraid to express and voice what he believed.  Tonelli made a profound spiritual impression on many people with his strong Islamic beliefs.  He was fluent in the expression of his study of the Moors, going by the name Ahmed El and was, in fact, taught by the master himself, C.M. Bey. Today, Tonelli is still regarded as an icon by many who study and practice this faith.  Noted for his boldness (he often wore a red fez), the man was a dare to behold and a threat to the White traditionalist, who when in his presence was most uncomfortable with his protection.  Tonelli was aesthetically in love with his African American community and walked among his people as a non-fearing giant.

There are stories about this man’s mystique and how he carried himself as a role model, reflecting and demanding the utmost respect for Black women.  Is it said that he would not allow men to swear or curse around women and he was known to put them in check by stating, “hold it, ladies are present.” One of Cleveland’s women says, “I know one thing. Tonelli was a gentleman.  He was very respectful to Black women.  I heard a lot of (negative) things about him, but he was nothing like I had heard.”

Another female friend relates, “I went to Central High School with him and he was very clean cut and didn’t use profanity or anything like that.  My mother was a manicurist on Cedar Avenue, and he didn’t allow men to say just anything or talk bad around her.”

Studying “Islam” changed his lifestyle.  He discouraged and warned others about drinking, smoking and eating pork.  The Black community idealized him because he bucked the system and had nerve. “I would often see him having lunch at Art’s Seafood and other places, he was always studying the Koran and acting like a gentleman.  I would see him in other public places like The Twelve Counts, Jack’s Bar, the Caravan Club and different spots along Cedar or Euclid avenues and he was always the same – a perfect gentleman,” says a longtime acquaintance.

Another person relayed a story in which a young boy about 9 or 10 years old was being beat up and chased home from school every day by a group of neighborhood bullies.  One day as the little boy was being chased home he ran past Tonelli, who stopped him and asked him what was wrong.  The boy explained the circumstances and was told to tell those boys that “Tonelli said not to bother him again.” The youngster did as instructed and the beatings and chasing came to a screeching halt.

Tonelli was totally against the use of drugs and alcohol in the community.  Although he was known to patronize clubs and bars, he neither drank nor smoked.  It is said that he was an excellent dancer and loved to roller skate, often at the Pla-Mor on Cedar Avenue.  He was a very common man, yet a man of mystery due to his ability to communicate and get along with all people on every level.  He was very comfortable wearing a robe, sandals, blue jeans or a full suit and tie.

Another story about Tonelli tells of when he once saw some girls walking down the street.  He asked them where they were going and they told him they were on their way to a house party.  Tonelli told them not to go there because the place was no good and he was on the way to break up the party.  Minutes later, he emptied the house and broke up the party.

I personally recall as a youngster of 8 or 9, while my family was having a picnic at Gordon Park, my brother Jimmy was hit in the head with a rock by a group of White boys.  With blood streaming down his shirt, two mounted policeman were questioning him as if he had committed a crime.  From out of nowhere appeared Tonelli, who walked into the crowd, immediately gained control and told my brother to tell him what had happened. My brother did and Tonelli said he would “go see” about it. Although the issue was unsettled, the police suddenly left.  My brother was taken to Glenville Hospital, where he received some stitches.  I don’t know what Tonelli said to the people involved that day, but after Jimmy returned we had no more trouble.

A Muslim brother, Colonel Judah El Shurney, said that whenever Tonelli walked the streets, seemingly a group of men always followed him, as if he were the pied piper of knowledge, listening to his teaching of Islam.  “People in the community would be leaning out of windows waving, shouting and honoring him as their local neighborhood hero.  I don’t know where or how he acquired the name Tonelli, but it was his name and his only. I haven’t heard of anyone else using it, not even today, 50 years later. Tonelli would buy a hungry family food, pay their rent or would give them his last dime.”  Shurney says. “He was tall, tan and terrific – that’s why they used to call him Mr. T.  This man could have never been all the bad things that they said about him.”

Tonelli’s athletic ability was superior due to his tall, slender height and agility.  “One day a White policeman picked a fight with him. ‘T’ told him if he took off his gun, he would whip his butt.  The cop did and Tonelli beat the … (unable to transcribe from original story) … fight, the police were out to get him. ‘T’ was good in self-defense because he was quick and could move.”

Many of Cleveland’s old-timers still talk about the bare-knuckles fight between Tonelli and boxer Sampson Powell. According to many, the altercation was the fight of the century and it “must have lasted for at least two days.” Some of the old-timers tell this story with as much enthusiasm as if it were the match between Joe Louis and Max Schmelling.  Of course, the fight varies in length and intensity, depending on who is telling the story.  There is never any mention of guns or knives in the recounting of this tale, which would be expected had the fight occurred today.  Tonelli did not like violence, but was no pushover and would meet a challenge.

It was at the Town Casino Club on Euclid Avenue where Tonelli met a young White woman from Shaker Heights, who eventually led to his downfall.  The town Casino closed on Aug. 1, 1953 after it was rocked by two mysterious, unsolved bombings.  It was thought that this was an attempt to kill Tonelli, as well as to end the mixing of White females with Black males.  On March 21, 1954, Tonelli was arrested on charges of being a “suspicious person” and suspected of “morals crimes.” He was taken to Cleveland Police headquarters, then located at 21^st and Payne Avenue, booked and placed on a $50,000 cash bond.  In today’s money, this amount would be equivalent to nearly $3 million.  An all-White jury, consisting of seven men and five women, was selected and a hearing was set before Judge Arthur H. Day.

It shows the power of Tonelli that he had the boldness to proclaim in public his defiance of every standard of behavior set for Black people during that time by wearing a red fez.  That led to bedlam, when, on the first day of the trial, the courtroom erupted into bitter chaos and was delayed because Tonelli refused to remove his fez, which the judge had referred to as a hat.  Tonelli told Magistrate Day, “this is not a hat,” at which point the judge found him in contempt, charging him with a lack of respect for the court.  The judge ordered a deputy sheriff to remove the fez from Tonelli’s head.

… (unable to transcribe from original story) … to complete the task, but only after a tremendous fight had taken place.  Tonelli was eventually indicted of a “morals crime,” which stems from a law enacted in 1910 called the Mann Act, or the white slavery law.  This law was legislation for the protection of White women from ‘bad men.”

There were other noted Black men who were plummeted by the White slavery law.  Among these notables were Jack Johnson, the world’s first Black heavyweight champion, who was convicted in 1910; and rock and roll singing legend Chuck Berry, who was sentenced in 1959 to three years in jail.  Flamboyant spiritualist “Sweet Daddy Grace” of New York was also toppled under the Mann Act. The Mann Act operated on the premise that if an unmarried woman was carried across a state line and had sex with her carrier, it was a violation of the law.  If convicted, the punishment was a $10,000 fine or years in jail or both.  Tonelli and a friend, “Cadillac Smitty,” were accused of driving to White women to Pittsburgh with bad intentions.  In crossing the state line from Ohio into Pennsylvania, they were charged with violating the white slavery law.  According to close associates of Tonelli, one of the White women was his wife, Sara Jane Hillenbrand, whom he had married on May 29, 1948.  It was said that the Mann Act was used as a catch-all device to impose the values of White middle-class America upon the rest of society.  Maybe the real reason the judge gave Tonelli such a stiff sentence was to make an example of him.  One person pointed out, “There were a number of prominent Black lawyers, … (unable to transcribe from original story) …  such as his case for free and believed the he would have come out better with an attorney, but Tonelli , refused and that might have been a mistake.” On May 12, 1954, Tonelli was convicted of various “morals crimes” and sentenced to serve 14 to 68 years in prison.  He was not sent to the penitentiary as prescribed, but was sent to The Lima state Hospital For The Criminally Insane for psychiatric evaluation.

For 45 years, Tonelli remained confined in the Lima State Hospital, now known as The Oakwood correctional Facility in lima.  Earlier this year, after developing an illness, he was transferred to the Correctional Medical Center and later to The Ohio State University Hospital.  It was there where he died from complications related to his illness.

Emmett Cobb, Tonelli and Ahmed-El were all the same man, yet with three unique personalities.  The most noted of thee was Tonelli, a man of many dimensions.

Highlights:

One of Cleveland’s most respected retired policewomen says, ‘I know one thing, Tonelli was a gentleman.  He was very well respectful to Black women.  I heard a lot of [negative] things about him, but he was nothing like I had heard.’

‘People in the community would be leaning out of windows waving, shouting and honoring him as their local neighborhood hero. I don’t know where or how he acquired the name Tonelli, but it was his name and his only.’

It shows the power of Tonelli that he had the boldness to proclaim in public his defiance of every standard of behavior set for Black people during that time by wearing a red fez.