Goyim Defense League (GDL) linked to QAnon anti-Semitic Ravings Sarasota Cops Investigate Distribution of anti-Semitic flyers in Neighborhoods

UPDATE JUNE 24th, HERALD TRIBUNE WRITES: Antisemitic flyers scattered in Sarasota neighborhood for the third time this year this time in Vamo area and on Siesta Key. This was a QAnon - Goyim Defense League (GDL) strike, their paw prints all over this! Ziploc bags weighed down by dry rice held a folded flyer targeting various public figures of Jewish descent — including billionaire philanthropist George Soros and Emanuel Celler, a former U.S. congressman who died in 1981 — and blaming current immigration trends on the Jewish community. "We are investigating the incidents and trying to ascertain who might be behind these horrendous acts," Douglas Johnson, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office, said in an email to the Herald-Tribune. “Sarasota County has somehow become the Conspiracy Capital of the World." QAnon Strikes in Sarasota as Cops Investigate distribution of anti-Semitic flyers placed in brown paper bags and ziploc clear bags with rice in several neighborhoods.  

Goyim Defense League (GDL) in Florida is Jon Minadeo II and Dominic Di Giorgio –photo above Telegram May 2021. "Goyim" is a Yiddish word which refers to anyone who is not Jewish. The GDL operates an online video platform called GoyimTV. The Goyim Defense League was listed by MEMRI in a March 2019 Special Report of groups engaged in "Online Incitement against Jews." The GDL operates an online video platform called GoyimTV. GDL says that Jews were responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attack on New York. Jon Minadeo II had launched the GDL platform with the help of Dominic Di Giorgio of Port St. Lucie, Florida. They used the online platform to attract supporters to the GDL, and to further the network's interests. 

Kyle, Texas, October 2020: Police in Tyler, Texas, arrested Dominic Di Giorgio of Port St Lucie Fl for possession of a license plate flipper. A license plate flipper allows a car’s owner to rotate or “flip” between two license plates. Di Giorgio drove his personal van from Port St Lucie Florida to Texas to participate in GDL’s “Name the Nose” tour and was using the van to drive members of the group during their antisemitic activities in the state.

From Port St Lucie Fl where Dominic Di Giorgio lives to Sarasota Fl where the antisemitic flyers were scattered in Sarasota neighborhoods is a straight shot on Highway 70, about a 2 1/2 hour dive, only 150 miles, just sayin! Dominic Di Giorgio is known to drive all over the South East for GDL "rallies."

In late 2020, Jason Brown distributed GDL propaganda in Cocoa Beach, Florida, while dressed as a unicorn and wearing a sign that read, “The Holocaust is as fake as this Unicorn." In Feb 2020 Jason Brown was accused of stealing and destroying a Jewish student’s cell phone last weekend during an GDL antisemitic demonstration in Orange County Fl was denied bond in Brevard County Monday. Jason Brown was denied bond after the judge realized he was facing other pending charges not connected to the Waterford Lakes rally as well. Brown is awaiting trial on other charges from the last couple years, including, according to the jail, felony domestic battery by strangulation, Brown was denied bond. The GDL was responsible for at least 74 antisemitic propaganda incidents in 2021. 

GDL vehicle used by Dominic Di Giorgio of Port St Lucie Fl appears to be a 2020 Ford Transit Passenger Van. Most of GDL’s propaganda distributions have taken place during their so-called “Name the Nose” tours in Florida, but in December 2021 the GDL group increased their non-tour related propaganda distributions, organizing their first nationwide propaganda campaign for the weekend of December 18. GDL has continued monthly propaganda drives into 2022, distributing propaganda dozens of times in seventeen states. GDL maintains that the Holocaust is a Jewish lie, and accounts of the Holocaust are merely propaganda or lies generated by Jews for their own benefit.

The use of the name former Rep. Emanuel Celler a New York Democrat who was the congressman chiefly responsible for the enactment of the first civil rights laws since Reconstruction, is curious in the anti-semantic flyer? Mr. Emanuel Celler served in the House for 50 years -- from 1923 until January 1973, he died in 1981. He was involved in all of the major civil rights bills of this century, and perhaps 400 other major laws, including the abolition of the use of national origins for setting immigration quotas. Rep. Emanuel Celler was the grandson of German Jewish immigrants.

Goyim Defense League (GDL) and Proud Boys linked to QAnon anti-Semitic white supremacist ravings. Ziplock clear bags and brown paper bags with rice and anti-Semitic propaganda found in Democratic enclaves Sarasota Fl, this was a QAnon - Goyim Defense League (GDL) strike, their paw prints all over this! Antisemitic conspiracy theories about Jewish elites, globalists, and bankers are part and parcel of the QAnon belief system and the Goyim Defense League (GDL) and the Proud boys. On top of all that, SARASOTA QANON COVEN "THEY'RE HERE", ALL THE BOSSES: Cyber Ninjas, Doug Logan, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, Caroline Wetherington, Joe Flynn, Patrick Byrne, Emily Newman, Charlie Kirk, Alfie Oakes, and Ann Vandersteel. QAnon’s conspiracy theory is a rebranded version of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Former Gov. Jeb Bush has said of QAnon, “Nut jobs, racists, haters have no place in either Party.” The world has seen QAnon before. It was called Nazism. In QAnon, Nazism wants a comeback.

Goyim Defense League (GDL) linked to QAnon anti-Semitic conspiracy ravings. One of the flyers dropped off in Sarasota neighborhood driveways lists the URL of a website that appears to be run by individuals associated with an anti-Semitic group known as the Goyim Defense League (GDL), according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Ellie Hall, a journalist at BuzzFeed News described the GDL as a white supremacist group in an article. The GDL is most visible and active in California, Colorado, Florida and New York. Patrick Little, a member of the GDL, ran on a Republican Party ticket in the 2018 United States Senate election in California for Dianne Feinstein's seat, he was removed from the ballot. In November 2021, GDL was responsible for distributing anti-Semitic flyers in residential areas of Austin, Texas and Beverly Hills, California; this was repeated in January 2022 in San Antonio, Texas. The flyers, neatly folded in baggies weighed down by rice, pebbles or beans, were hurled onto private driveways in a random pattern. The Sheriff’s Office and Sarasota Police Department said they are continuing their investigations into the incident. Perez said the Sheriff’s Office is working with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces on the investigation.

Feb 14, 2022 Anne Snabes Herald Tribune writes: On Friday morning Feb 11th, a resident of Rose Street Sarasota told police that someone had left a brown paper bag in her driveway overnight. The bag contained papers with anti-Semitic rhetoric, according to the Sarasota Police Department. One piece of paper was titled, “Every single aspect of Covid agenda is Jewish.” Another flyer stated, “Anti-Semitism is a Human Right,” and “Let’s Go Brandon” which is code for "Fuck Joe Biden.” Other victims lived in the Cherokee Park neighborhood or in the Harbor Acres neighborhood, according to a police report. Flyers were also distributed throughout the Oyster Bay neighborhood, (S Lake Shore, Field Rd, N Lake Shore Dr), in Sarasota on the same night that as the papers distributed in the city, said Kaitlyn Perez, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office. Bags containing rice and anti-Semitic propaganda were found at the end of several driveways in the neighborhood. "There were 100 estimated bags throughout the neighborhood," Perez said.


QAnona loosely organized, far-right network of people who believe the world is controlled by a satanic cabal of pedophiles and cannibals, made up of politicians (mostly Democrats), mainstream media, journalists, and Hollywood entertainers. This cabal is accused of controlling a “deepstate” government whose purpose is to undermine and attack President Donald Trump and his supporters. Antisemitic conspiracy theories about Jewish elites, globalists, and bankers are part and parcel of the QAnon belief system, and George Soros and the Rothschilds are consistent targets (see Soros, Rothschild). The use of children in the conspiracy—the need to rescue children from the hands of the powerful globalists—harkens back to medieval blood libel accusations against Jews


Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - Cheaters and Child Custody Cases at http://www.wbipi.com/

CARVANA LLC LAWSUITS ACROSS USA, CARVANA LAYS OF 2,500 EMPLOYEES, CARVANA LINKED TO CONVICTED FELON ERNEST GARCIA II

CARVANA UPDATE JUNE 25th, 2022 Carvana Sought to Disrupt Auto Sales in the USA. It Delivered Undriveable Cars. Sales soared, but then came the less glamorous business of actually registering the cars, which appears to be a problem if CARVANA did not actually own the cars. Carvana sold cars before it had title to the vehicles, an action that is illegal in many states where the company does business. Carvana’s efforts to resume its torrid pandemic-era sales pace have been complicated by an inconvenient side effect of the growth: In its haste to seize market share from competitors, Carvana was selling cars faster than it could get them registered to their new owners. The reporting reveals a company scrambling to address the problem, at one point forming an ad hoc unit known as the “undriveable-car task force.” Interviews with state officials and former Carvana employees show the issue is wider-reaching than the company suggests.

CARVANA UPDATE JUNE 24th, 2022: HOLLAND, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Carvana, a national used car dealer that brags about making car buying easier, is now facing a class action lawsuit that alleges unfair and deceptive practices. Some customers even allege the company landed them in hot water with law enforcement. This news comes after the company announced Tuesday it will be laying off 2,500 employees, which may have some consumers concerned. Customer service will be non-existent as Carvana Lays Off 2,500 Workers. Carvana Buys Auction House For $2.2 Billion. CARVANA the online used car retailer had a net loss of over $500 million in the first quarter of 2022. On May 10 – literally the same day Carvana filed its workforce reduction notice with the US Securities and Exchange Commission – it announced the acquisition of vehicle auction company ADESA for $2.2 billion. The deal had been in the works for some time, adding 56 ADESA US sites to Carvana's portfolio.

Carvana Car Title Scam. Jan 11th, 2011, News 4 Jax I-TEAM: State threatening to suspend Carvana’s license to sell cars in Florida. The News4JAX I-TEAM has uncovered new troubles for the online used car dealer Carvana, which could lose its license to sell cars in the state of Florida.Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is threatening to pull the company’s dealer license over ongoing title issues.

UPDATE Jan 26, 2022 It is well known that Carvana gets their vehicles at auto auctions from all around the country. Most used car dealers must pay cash at the auction to take home a car, but it appears to me Carvana, being so huge, is able to purchase cars from auto auctions on credit. If Carvana had paid for the cars they would have access to the titles from each individual State. It appears to me that Carvana is selling vehicles that they don't actually own, that is most likely what is happening with Carvana. Sometimes when a used car dealer pays the car off it can take 2 to 3 weeks to get the title, but not the time frame Carvana is claiming, so they are floating the money. Or Carvana has really slow credit accounts with auto auctions around the country which is just as bad, which will delay titles to Carvana customers for months. You best bet is to file a complaint with the Carvana BOND company with your DMV state office, this will cause a call to action by the DMV who can pull Carvana's license.

UPDATE Jan 26, 2002 Carvana customers in Florida who have not received the title for a vehicle purchased from Carvana need to contact the "Florida Division of Motorist Services, Bureau of Dealer Services, Motor Vehicle Field Operations Regional Offices" and file a Compliant on Carvana's BOND. Region 8 that covers Sarasota, Manatee. Charlotte, Lee, and Desoto County is located at 323 10th Ave West suite 200 Palmetto, Florida 34221, email is DmvRegion8@flhsmv.gov Region 6 that covers Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk County is at 5701 East Hillsborough Ave suite 2228 Tampa Fl 33610, email DmvRegion6@flhsmv.gov

CARVANA ALERT, Founded 2012, Founders: Ernest Garcia II, Ben Huston, Ryan Keeton, CEO: Ernest Garcia III (2012–) SCAM ALERT PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / December 30, 2021 / Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating Carvana Co. (NYSE: CVNA) on behalf of the company's shareholders. Kaskela Law LLC represents investors in securities fraud. The investigation seeks to determine whether Carvana and/or the company's officers and directors violated the securities laws or breached their fiduciary duties to CVNA shareholders in connection with recent corporate actions, thereby causing harm to the company's shareholders.

UPDATE Jan 25, 2022, 'MONEY TALKS BULLCRAP WALKS IN PAY FOR PLAY'. Did Carvana boss Ernest Garcia II get to Florida State Senators? Why would Rep State Senator Tom Wright and Rep State Rep David Smith file identical bills, SB 1346 and HB 1517 to extend time car dealers have to provide titles to car purchasing customers. If you do not require the car dealer to turn a title over to the new car owner in their name within a certain amount of time, or maybe never, that owner may never truly own the car State Sen Thomas A. Wright has a listed a net worth of $30.4 million. SB 1346: Motor Vehicles Motor Vehicles; Providing that motor vehicle dealers or mobile home dealers should apply for, rather than are required to obtain, certificates of title in the name of purchasers; providing that certain applications relating to transfers of motor vehicles or mobile homes should, rather than must, be filed within a certain time frame; revising grounds on which the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles may deny, suspend, or revoke a motor vehicle dealer license, etc. WHAT THE HELL

TALLAHASSEE — More millionaires are deciding how Florida tax dollars should be used and which laws should be passed. Topping the list is Fl Sen. George Gainer, a Panama City Republican who owns a fleet of auto dealerships across North Florida, and not far behind is Fl Sen. Tom Wright, a New Smyrna Beach Republican. Thomas A. Wright who listed a net worth of $30.4 million and was elected as a late fill-in candidate in 2018 after the death of Sen. Dorothy Hukill. Sen. Thomas A. Wright owns two Mazeppa, Minnesota-based businesses that specialize in air compressors and air supplied respiratory protection systems, and has some real-estate holdings including a commercial building and lot in Port Orange Fl, he is on the Transportation Committee.

UPDATE Jan 8th, 2021 Jax I-TEAM uncovers Florida state action & federal lawsuit against Carvana 2nd administrative complaint filed against car company by state of Florida. The state of Florida has filed a new administrative complaint against the company for taking too long to turn over the titles to several different car buyers. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles accuses the Carvana dealership of selling eight cars to eight different Florida customers between December 2020 and March 2021 and failing to turn over the title and registration to the buyers within 30 days — which is required by state law. Meanwhile.....Car Mogul Ernest Garcia II Raises Eyebrows After Pocketing $3.6 Billion From Sale of Stock in Son’s Used Car Company CARVANA! Garcia II pleaded guilty to bank fraud in 1990 over his role in a financial controversy at another firm, Lincoln Savings and Loan Association.

CARVANA LINKS TO CONVICTED FELON: Ex-Con Ernest Garcia II Wants To Sell You A Used Car From Carvana's Giant Vending Machine, LOL. 'Forbes' writes December 2017. In April, Ernest Garcia II, a 64-year-old convicted felon, stood next to his son as Ernest Garcia III rang the bell of the New York Stock Exchange. For decades, Garcia had been careful to stay out of the public eye, but with the initial public offering of Carvana he was ready to openly celebrate a crowning achievement. Garcia’s business career has included personal and corporate bankruptcies, overseeing a stock market debacle, and many years of selling used cars and making subprime auto loans. His 1990 criminal fraud conviction stemmed from the small role he played in the Charles Keating scandal involving Lincoln Savings & Loan. Today, Garcia operates DriveTime Automotive, the fourth-biggest used car retailer in the country, and he is separately the biggest shareholder of Carvana, a used car e-commerce company with a hot stock. He borrows big money from the nation’s largest banks, owns an apartment in Trump Tower. At 33, Ernest Garcia II pleaded guilty in 1990 to a bank fraud charge related to his dealings with Lincoln Savings & Loan. He was sentenced to three years of probation, agreeing to cooperate with U.S. government lawyers prosecuting Keating. Both Garcia and his firm filed for bankruptcy protection in 1990. Carvana lost $57 million in the first three quarters of 2017 and is burning through cash, forcing it to continue raising money. Wall Street short sellers are betting big that the stock will collapse.

The Detroit News writes Sept 20, 2020. CARVANA CASHES IN ON COVID 19 FEARS WITH TOUCHLESS CAR PURCHASE. Carvana Co. has yet to post a post a quarterly profit since going public in 2017, but it’s made Ernest Garcia II and his son Ernest Garcia III two of the richest people in America. The elder Garcia is the largest shareholder of Phoenix-based Carvana, the online retailer that sells cars out of massive vending machines. His son, Garcia III, is the company’s chief executive officer. Together they’re worth $21.6 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. “Covid-19 is prompting consumers to seek out used cars online, and CVNA is a key beneficiary of this trend,” said Alexander Potter an analyst at Piper Sandler, in a research note.

CARVANA LLC HAS MULTIPLE LAWSUITS ACROSS USA, CARVANA LICENSE REVOKED IN SEVERAL STATES, BUYER BEWARE. Carvana's so called "title problems" are not just in Florida or Michigan or Georgia, it is a much, much, bigger systemic problem nationwide. Carvana settled a complaint in Florida in Oct 2021 after the state's motor-vehicles department found it had failed to provide title paperwork to 12 customers for up to eight months. The company paid a $6,000 fine, and on it goes. In Michigan, Carvana was placed on 18-month probation for violating vehicle registration laws. Carvana Faces Federal Government Investigation and Fines Following Consumer Complaints as some buyers report months-long delays getting title paperwork and other problems nationwide. If Carvana cannot provide titles to cars they sold to customers (like in Florida) then did Carvana ever finalize paying for the cars in the first place that they purchased from the wholesalers at auction? Carvana purchases most of its cars at auctions nationwide. Some Carvana customers have found out that the title for their vehicle was not in Carvana's name when Carvana sold the car. Carvana issued out-of- state temporary tags and plates and failed to turn over titles to the state DMV , nationwide. 

CARVANA OWNERS PUMP AND DUMP STOCK: Ernie Garcia II, the billionaire father of used car dealership Carvana’s CEO, has sold more than $3.6 billion of company stock since October — raising eyebrows over whether the ownership structure of the firm gives the family too much control. The only people who have sold more stock than Garcia II since the start of 2020 are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and members of Walmart’s Walton family, The Wall Street Journal reported. But while those companies have long been massively profitable, Carvana just recently posted its first quarterly profit of $45 million this spring, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Carvana stock (CVNA) tanked at the start of the pandemic, and both Garcia II and his son quickly scooped up $25 million worth of CVNA stock each in a private offering below the market price, at $45.00 USD per share. The current stock value per share of CVNA on Jan 8th 2022 is $184.71 USD.

Used Car Mogul Ernest Garcia II Raises Eyebrows After Pocketing $3.6 Billion From Sale of Stock in Son’s Used Car Company CARVANA! Billionaire Ernest Garcia II, whose son is the CEO of the used car company Carvana (CVNA) has sold over $3.6 billion of the company’s stock in the past year, drawing scrutiny over whether the business has unduly benefited the family. Together, the father-and-son duo controls more than 85 percent of the company’s voting power, according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the share sales. Stockholders previously filed a lawsuit after Garcia II bought shares at a discount during the onset of the pandemicat $45 USD. Worth an estimated $19 billion, according to Forbes, Garcia II pleaded guilty to bank fraud in 1990 over his role in a financial controversy at another firm, Lincoln Savings and Loan Association.

November 21, 2021 FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – The fast growing online used car dealer Carvana is under investigation by Texas regulators after selling vehicles some of its customers say they legally cannot drive. Dozens of Carvana customers have filed complaints with the state for months-long delays in getting their vehicle’s title and registration. Stuck with expired and at times out-of-state temporary tags, Carvana customers told the CBS 11 I-Team they are worried about being ticketed or towed. Since 2019, according to state records, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has cited Carvana with more than 30 violations along with issuing more than $10,000 in fines for violating state registration laws.

In August 2021, Carvana received a six-month suspension from selling cars from its dealership in Raleigh, N.C., for violating the state's dealer laws. Carvana federal government investigations continues, at least four states have disciplined Carvana or are investigating the company for violating vehicle-sales rules.

CARVANA LLC HAS MULTIPLE LAWSUITS ACROSS THE USA AND 2,438 CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS WITH BBB, BUYER BEWARE. Carvana will pay $850,000 to settle a lawsuit in California.  Carvana customer complaints about car titles nationwide. The rash of complaints by car buyers in the Tampa Bay Fl area of nonexistent titles when cars are purchased at Carvana is just a drop in the bucket, the tip of the iceberg, in what appears to be a nationwide scam. The BBB in Tempe Arizona where the home base for Carvana is located has amassed 2,438 complaints agasint Carvana since 2012 when they opened for business nationwide. Carvana LLC has lawsuits filed agasint them, sometimes by the State Attorney General, sometimes by the District Attorney, sometimes by the DMV in at least five states, Florida, Arizona, California, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. On top of all that the owners of Carvana Ernie Garcia II and son have also been sued for insider trading in a lawsuit filed in Delaware by shareholders. Carvana has expanded into five New York markets, offering as-soon-as-next-day delivery to Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Binghamton and Albany, buyer beware!

CARVANA Used Car Seller Billionaires Ernie Garcia II And Son Accused Of Insider Trading In Lawsuit. May 29th, 2020.The billionaire father and son behind online used car seller Carvana have been accused of insider trading in a lawsuit filed in Delaware by shareholders. The suit, first reported by Bloomberg Law, alleges that Ernie Garcia II, and his son, Ernie Garcia III, engaged in self-dealing, using the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to buy shares at “bargain basement” prices even though they knew Carvana had “a strong balance sheet.” The suit was filed by pension fund shareholders in St. Paul, Minnesota, and also names the company’s directors and investment firms controlled by the Garcias. Carvana did not respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Aug 3rd, 2021 Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that Carvana, an online retailer selling cars using multi-story vending machines, will pay $850,000 to settle a civil lawsuit alleging the company was operating in California without a dealer’s or transporter’s license.“Not having a business license is illegal, opens your company up to lawsuits and is unfair to the consumer,” District Attorney Gascón said. “Business owners have the responsibility to obtain the licenses needed to operate their business legally.” The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division led the investigation and prosecution in this case, which also involved the district attorney’s offices in San Diego, Santa Clara and Ventura counties.

Aug 10th, 2021 Vending machine out of order: Carvana loses license to sell in Wake Co until 2022. Raleigh, N.C. — The company known for car vending machines is banned from selling cars in Wake County until next year. The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles sued Carvana based on a consumer complaint and revoked Carvana’s dealer’s license for violating dealer licensing laws. In July, Carvana was the top seller of used cars in the state, titling 587 vehicles statewide during the month. Specifically, the DMV claimed in the suit that Carvana failed to deliver titles to the DMV, sold cars without a state inspection and issued out-of-state temporary tags for a vehicle sold to a person in North Carolina, same thing is happening in Florida, what the hell?

Following is a typical complaint filed by a customer of Carvana with the BBB, BUYER BEWARE: As of 09/24/2021, I purchased a vehicle in Feb, 2021. They were supposed to transfer my existing tag to the new vehicle. I have had several temporary tags issued from Carvana. I still can't get a reason why I don't have my new tag transfer. As of today, I have an expired temporary tag, and they apparently can't issue me a new one, meanwhile they have all of the paperwork to transfer tags and no one can give me an answer. I am about to have my car voluntarily repossessed just so I can have a new car with a tag.

I have been involved in tracking fake used car sales over the internet for 10 years, it just seems to be getting worse. If you cannot sit in the car, turn on the engine and drive the car before purchase and giving someone you never met your money, then DON'T buy the car! In Orlando Fl used car dealer Mohamed Galal has posted fake exotic car sales online for years with fake VIN's, see article at http://www.billwarnerpi.com/2021/01/icefbi-needs-to-investigate.html

Fake used car dealer Mohamed Galal obtained and sold several vehicles in a online scheme to Defraud & Grand Theft Auto in the past several years. Orlando Fl used car dealer Mohamed Gala also posts fake online ads on the internet of cars for sale using VIN's on cars he does not have or own. Used Car Dealer Mohamed Galal aka Mohamed Jalal Has Closed His Fake Internet 'Royalty Luxury Repairable' Car Lot in Houston TX http://www.royaltyrentalsandsalvage.com/ Fantasy land presentation photo of what Mohamed Jalal aka Mohammed al-Galal aka Mohamed Galal's Royalty Luxury Rentals and Salvage at 3155 West Loop S, Houston, TX is shown to be on his website http://www.royaltyrentalsandsalvage.com/luxury-car-rental.html

 

Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - Cheaters and Child Custody Cases at http://www.wbipi.com/

Colt Revolver found in Bayou near Givens St Bridge on Siesta Key Used in Pistol Whipping Murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel by Rube Allyn

UPDATE June 23rd 2022, "THE REAL STORY OF THE HARRY HIGEL UNSOLVED MURDER". Sarasota mayor Harry Lee Higel was murdered by newsman Rube Allyn during a pistol whipping on Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921 at the north end of Siesta Key Fl. The murder weapon used to kill former Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel was found in November 2019 buried in the muck of Bayou Louise near the Givens St bridgeon Siesta Key Fl. A COLT POCKET POLICE POSITIVE .32 CALIBER REVOLVER LOADED WITH SIX LIVE BULLETS AND ONE OF THE GRIPS BROKEN. WHO THROWS AWAY A LOADED GUN, THE KILLER!

 

Herald Tribune writes; Sarasota private investigator Bill Warner's results of a years long investigation into the unsolved pistol whipping murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel. There was a paper trail in 1921. The Manatee County Coroners Jury inquiry was held by County Judge Cary B. Fish in Bradenton Fl on Friday Jan 7th, 1921. Sarasota's Dr John Halton's medical report to the Manatee County Coroners Jury was delivered on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 that indicated multiple depressed fractures to the skull, multiple broken facial bones, and at least one compound skull fracture of Harry Lee Higel from a pistol whipping. For those of you who thought that a  much heavier object, other than a handgun, must have caused the extensive damage to the face and head of Harry Higel on Siesta Key, like Sarasota historian Jeff Lahurd claims, a pistol whipping with a solid steel frame revolver inflicts murderous damage.

The mark of the weapon was clearly shown with multiple holes in the skull of Harry Higel made by the pointed end of the weapon (Colt Revolver). Rube Allyn murdered Harry Higel in cold blood on Siesta Key over 100 years ago on Friday Jan 7th, 1921, I have no doubt. The murder weapon has been located, a loaded Colt revolver was found buried off of Higel Ave near the Givens Street bridge with 6 live bullets on Siesta Key Fl back in November 2019, it had one broken grip. Nobody buries a loaded gun unless it was used in a crime.
 

I have traced the manufacturing date of the Colt .32 caliber revolver with black hard rubber grips to between 1907 to 1922. Grips were hard black rubber from 1907 to 1922 then checkered walnut wood with silver medallions after that. The Sarasota County Sheriff Dept has verified the age, make and model of the Colt (loaded) revolver found buried on Siesta Key in the muck near the Givens St Bridge in November 2019 with the broken grip. 

 

WHO THREW THE BLOODY COLT REVOLVER OFF THE GIVENS STRRET BRIDGE INTO THE BAYOU: After Rose Allyn went over to the Harry Higel home at about 11:00 am at 3308 Higel Ave Siesta Key on Friday Jan 7th 1921 to inquire about the incident at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave and to gather information on Mr Higel's wounds, what was her next stop? Apparently Rose Allyn was driving Rube Allyn's gray Model T Ford 'Tin Lizzie' Friday morn Jan 7th. It is only a 4 min drive from the Higel house to the bridge on Givens St, a straight shot. Someone threw the bloody Colt .32 caliber pocket positive revolver off the Givens Street bridge and into the water 100 years ago.

On Friday Jan 7th, 1921 Siesta Key was then part of Manatee County, it appears after the arrest and release of Rube Allyn little was done to find the killer of Harry Higel by the Manatee County Sheriff Department. Rube Allyn had strong political connections in Manatee County and nearby Pinellas County, Rube had run for mayor of Sarasota and Bradentown and the House of Rep, he lost every time. Rube's best pals were St Pete mayor and private investigator Noel Mitchell along with long time managing editor of the Tampa Tribune J. T. 'Jack' Worthington and Robert W. Bentley managing editor of the Tampa Sunday Tribune, the fix was in, Rube was connected.

COLD CASE FILE: Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 Newsman Rube Allyn Pistol-Whips and Fractures Skull of Mayor Harry Higel on Siesta Key, Who Hid the Gun. Who threw the bloody Colt revolver with the broken grip over the Givens Street bridge and into the Siesta Key bayou 100 years ago? Rose Allyn's alibi for husband Rube on Friday morn Jan 7th is bogus, she gave different versions with all the times changed. Rube Allyn and his family hated Harry Higel in 1920. Rube Allyn's fledgling 'Florida Fisherman' magazine was floundering costs outweighed cash income in 1920. Rose Allyn was running "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort" on Big Pass and getting $10 dollars a week for furnished apartments in 1920, that's $140 a week in today's money. Rose apparently had multiple summer-winter renters (boarders in her house), Harry Higel was killing her business by putting up a fence in front of his home over Higel Ave and blocking Rose's renters from taking the shortcut to "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort". In 1920 Rose Allyn had to find a way to pay for an operation to correct a condition of the 'Motory Nerve' for her disabled son Charles at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore MD. Rose took Charles to John Hopkins for the operation in June 1920. All during 1920 harry Higel continued to block Rose's renters from getting to her "Resort" on Big Pass. On Thursday Jan 6th, 1921 Rube Allyn came home late from St Pete were he had been working on the Florida Fisherman magazine. Rube drove up Higel Ave and found the gate locked on the fence across the road to the short cut to his house and "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort", Rube most likely went ballistic. Early the next day, Friday Jan 7th 1921, Rube Allyn was out of his house by 7:30 am hunting Harry Higel, he found him.

The 1920's era Colt revolver found buried on North Siesta Key back in November 2020 was most likely used in the pistol whipping murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel, it all makes scense. The Harry Higel murder mystery story reads like the script for a block buster movie with hard core politics, WWI, crooked Grand Jury and a unsolved murder. Sarasota County's Centennial 100 Years was July 1st 2021, mishandling of unsolved murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel by Manatee County Grand Jury caused split form Bradentown Politicians.

 

The remains of the rusted .32 caliber 6 shot Colt Pocket Positive revolver seen above could have gone into the ground on January 7th, 1921 the day Harry Higel was murdered on the north end of Siesta Key Fl. The rusted 1920's era Colt revolver that contained 6 live bullets was turned over to the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept on November 26th 2019, case number is 19-95201, a cold case detective was assigned to the case. Apparently the remains of the rusted Colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key were to be sent to the FDLE lab in an effort to raise the serial number to determine ownership.

Restoration of Firearm Serial Numbers with Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD). The 1920's era Colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key has it's serial number protected, the serial number is stamped on the frame under the back end of the barrel, and behind the crane, swing out the cylinder to see it. Using a technique called electron backscatter diffraction, or EBSD, researchers at the Boulder, Colo., campus of the National Institute of Standards and Technology have been developing a novel way to bring back to life serial numbers on a gun that have been completely sanded away or rusted out. While the method, which uses an electron microscope to examine atoms in metal, still requires refining, NIST materials scientists Ryan White and Robert Keller say it should be capable of restoring a full serial number.

Dr John Halton's medical report to the Coroners Jury on Friday evening Jan 7th, 1921, the day Harry Higel was murdered, indicated multiple depressed fractures to the skull, multiple broken facial bones, and at least one compound skull fracture. Harry Higel wasn't supposed to survive the pistol whipping. The mark of the weapon was clearly shown with a hole in the skull made by the pointed end of the weapon, more on that below. A Manatee County Coroners Jury inquiry convened by County Judge Cary B. Fish in Bradentown Fl found probable cause to arrest Rube Allyn Sr for Harry Higel's murder on Friday Jan 7, 1921. The Coroners Jury was made up of W. E. Street newspaperman, E. J. Street real estate, E. O. Burns real estate, Ralph C. Caples businessman, M. L. Young builder and Harry Figby builder. 

 

The 1915 era Colt revolver grips found buried on Siesta Key (photo on L) show extensive abuse to the bottom or butt part of the grips when compared to the 1919 era Colt revolver grips and firearm (photo on R) that I purchased last year, the 1915 era Colt grips were stained from being in the ground for 100 years. The original color of all Colt revolver hard rubber grips is BLACK. The 1915 era Colt revolver rubber grips were well worn, it appears the Colt revolver was manufactured in about 1915 and most likely went into the ground in Jan 1921. Harry Higel's head had been battered and the skull fractured in multiple areas as well as his face bludgeoned beyond recognition by a "blunt weapon" as per Dr. Halton's medical report on Jan 7th, 1921 in Sarasota Fl. 

 

The marks, scratches, gouges on the bottom of the hard rubber grips on the 1915's era colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key possibly caused by fracturing the skull and breaking the teeth of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel on Jan 7th, 1921 during a pistol whipping. The mark of the weapon was clearly shown with a hole in the skull made by the pointed end of the weapon, said Dr Halton in Sarasota. The human skull can withstand 6.5 GPa of pressure while oak holds up under 11 GPa. Frontal bone: this bone comprises the forehead and the upper orbit of the eye. It joins the parietal bones at the coronal suture. Two temporal bones: These bones are located at the sides and base of the skull, and they are the hardest bones in the body. The fourteen bones at the front of your skull hold your eyes in place and form your facial features. Your mandible, or jawbone, is the largest, strongest bone in your face. Who buries a loaded gun (Colt revolver) with 6 live bullets and a broken grip unless it was used in a murder.

The Sarasota County Sheriff report seen above concerning the loaded Colt revolver with a broken grip that I turned in, indicates that Harry Higel was found unconscious in the middle of the road of Siesta Dr and Higel Ave, (where I have claimed all along the exact location of the crime scene).
A). The Sarasota County Sheriff report indicates the firearm that I tuned in on Nov 26th 2019, is in fact a 1900's era Colt revolver produced between 1907 and 1922, as I have claimed in numerous reports.
B). The Sarasota County Sheriff report indicates that back in 1921 investigators were unable to determine the instrument used to injure Higel.
C). The Sarasota County Sheriff report indicates injuries to Higel were from a solid object and above the neck (as in a pistol whipping).
D). The Sarasota County Sheriff report indicates the weapon used to kill Higel was never located.
E). The Sarasota County Sheriff report indicates that rumors had it, the weapon used to kill Higel was buried somewhere on Siesta Key.
F). The Sarasota County Sheriff report indicates that to this date, no weapon has ever been found, aside from this Colt revolver.
G). The Sarasota County Sheriff report indicates that the location of the Colt revolver was approximately one (1) block of Higel's location.
H). On 3/24/2020 The Sarasota County Sheriff report states by writer: "I retrieved the weapon from Property and inspected it's parts. Upon review and through my own independent research, I believe, as reported by Warner, these parts are to a Colt revolver produced in the early 1900's".

At a Coroners Jury inquiry investigating the murder of Harry Higel several witnesses gave testimony as to have seen Rube Allyn Sr near the Higel crime scene at corner of Siesta Dr and Higel Ave on north end of Siesta Key Fl. Higel and Allyn were literally next door neighbors across Bayou Louise, see map. Manatee County Judge Cary B. Fish convened the jury at about 3:00 pm Friday Jan 7, 1921 in Bradentown Fl. The Coroners Jury viewed the remains of Mr Harry Higel at the Sarasota morgue and returned to the Bradentown City Hall to take testimony. Evidence discovered by the Coroners Jury was turned over to the Manatee County Grand Jury for indictment of Rube Allyn. If Harry Higel had been hit once or twice on the head it would have looked like a robbery gone bad. But Harry Higel was hit 5 or 6 times or more all over his head and face, the perp wanted Harry Higel to suffer and disfigure him, it was personal! The Higel murder case never solved, murder weapon never found, until very likely now. 

        photo credit Ocala Evening Star via associated press AP newswires
News papers in the 1900's, 1910's, 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's and 1970's were a lot different that the newspapers of today. Most Daily's in large markets had a morning and a evening edition delivered to your house or the local newsstand. When a big story broke over the AP newswires, like Harry Higel's murder, an extra edition was printed that day Jan 7th 1921 and delivered to your house and to the corner newsstands. Reporters in the old days were a lot more aggressive and dug for info on big news stories like the murder of Harry Higel. The information provided in this investigation will help provide the who, what, where, when, and why of the unsolved murder on Siesta Key Fl of mayor Harry Higel almost 100 years ago. Harry Higel was found badly beaten around the head, bleeding and unconscious on Mangrove road (Siesta Dr) near Higel Ave at 8:30 am the morning of Jan 7th by Bert Luzier and his son Merrill as they were on the way to the shell pit. Rube Allyn arrested Friday afternoon Jan 7th, 1921 in connection with the death of former Mayor Harry Higel on Siesta Key, Sarasota Fl almost 100 years ago. 

Contrary to what is written in the book 'Story of Sarasota' by Karl Grismer, who claims Harry Higel was murdered on Siesta Key on Thursday Jan 6th 1921, this is false. Harry Higel was murdered on the morning of Friday Jan 7th, 1921. If Harry Higel had been murdered on Thursday Jan 6th, suspect Rube Allyn would have had an alibi as he was in St Pete all day working on his 'Florida Fisherman Magazine' and did not return to Siesta Key until about 11:30 pm on Thursday Jan 6th. Rube Allyn would never had been arrested if Harry Higel was killed on the 6th. The story broke nationwide of Higel's murder with information posted by the Associated Press (AP) newswire headquartered in New York City on Jan 7th 1921. Rube Allyn was a tall man at 6' 2" with long arms and a powerful build, Harry Higel was much shorter at about 5' 4" tall, Harry Higel's father Frank Higel was only 5 feet tall. Wounds were found on the top, back, side and front (face) of Mr Higel's head, most likely from a pistol whipping. 

 

Newspaper front page headlines of the times screamed "A Tall Man Must Have Hit Harry Higel", Rube Allyn was a tall man at 6' 2" with long powerful arms. Rube Allyn hated and despised Harry Higel, Rube Allyn had a history of violent outbursts and uncontrollable fury, Rube Allyn was there on Siesta Key the morning Harry Higel was killed, Rube Allyn had motive and the ability to kill Higel, it's all too coincidental to be a coincidence!

 

 photo credit screenshot Tampa times newspaper.
The footprints, tracks in the sand near the body of Harry Higel at the corner of Mangrove and Higel Ave on Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 leading in the direction of Rube Allyn's house are very significant as Rube Allyn wore a size 13 shoe. Rube Allyn was a big man at 6' 2" tall with long arms and wore a size 13 shoe, he was much larger that Harry Higel who stood about 5' 7" tall and would have worn a size 9 shoe. Very few people lived on Siesta Key in 1921, at most 40 people lived there full time, there were only 2,100 people in the 1920 census in the City of Sarasota Fl. So how many of the 40 people who lived full time on Siesta Key wore a very big size 13 shoe when at least half of the 40 people were women.

The first edition of the small readership 'Sarasota Times' was published on Thursday June 1, 1899, it was not a daily newspaper, it was published only once a week on Thursday. 'Sarasota Times' newspaper moved from being a weekly on Thursdays to a daily in 1925. Publisher Rose Wilson could hardly have expected a large readership. An estimated 600 people lived in the future Sarasota County area, which was part of Manatee County until June 1921. In 1920 there were only 2,149 people living in Sarasota and Siesta Key. Despite poor initial earnings, Rose Wilson continually published the weekly 'Sarasota Times' until Rose Wilson sold it in 1923. Harry Higel was murdered on Friday Jan 7th 1921 it appears the Sarasota Times published a week old article about his murder on Thursday Jan 13th, 1921 a week later! For most of the time, the newspaper's home was a two-story frame building on the north side of Main Street, half-way between Palm and Pineapple. When a referendum approved the creation of Sarasota County in June 1921, publisher Rose Wilson changed the name of the paper to the Sarasota County Times. In her last editorial, Wilson explained that she had sold the paper because the community needed a more frequent publication and she could not fund such an expansion. Virtually none of the earliest Sarasota Times newspapers survive.

A Minneapolis Journal newspaper columnist wrote a piece about Rube Allyn on September 10th, 1906 after viewing one of his "shows", Rube was in his 40's now. It appears Rube Allyn had a bizarre way of doing things in his supposed comedy routine. He would tell very sad depressing stories to the audience and then hit them with the "jokes". It appears that sometimes members of the audience would heckle and cat call Rube during his "show" and it was Rube's response to go down from the stage and beat the hell out of the heckler no matter how big he may be, supposedly the audience loved the show. Rube Allyn was a big strong man at over 6' 2" tall, with long arms and big fists. Rube was farm tough, supposedly he did work on a farm during the summer months.

 photo credit Tampa Times News from Florida Historical
RUBE ALLYN 1929 ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE: According to the Tampa Times on May 21, 1929 Rube Allyn shot a young man, Brooks Brewer, 19, who was walking on the road near Rube Allyn's secluded cottage in Ruskin Fl, Hillsborough County. This Attempted Murder Charge for Rube Allyn is 8 years after he was arrested and acquitted of the murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl. Rube Allyn apparently felt it was no big deal to fire a shotgun at Brooks Brewer, he claimed he had problems with the 'young bloods' in Ruskin and you never know what they could be up to. 

 

Rube Allyn admitted to the Tampa Daily Times that he fired his shotgun into the night to scare away the Ruskin boys. Brooks Brewer claimed that after Rube Allyn shot him in the back with the shotgun, from distance, Allyn came up to him as he was lying in the road, told him to get up with his hands held high and then Rube marched him off down the road. Brooks Brewer's 'bird shot' wounds in his back from Rube's shotgun were supposedly minor. Brooks Brewer dropped the charges 2 1/2 days later upon pressure from his father J.F. Brewer. The father, J.f. Brewer, said "Ruskin is a small place and we want to be neighbors there. Brooks was only peppered with a few bird shot in the back and not hurt much, we ask the court to drop the charges", what the hell? Rube was released from jail, Rube got away with it again.

 

photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical.
In April 1930 Rube Allyn was arrested again, this time in St Petersburg were he had been living at his mother-in-law's house. Rube plotted with ex-Mayor and private investigator Noel Mitchell of St Pete to shoot and kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft with a shotgun blast. James Ravenscroft was a columnist for the Tampa Tribune. Rube Allyn also cussed out Mrs. Effie Ravenscroft, Rube was arrested on Disorderly Conduct charges he plead not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. Apparently Rube and Noel took offense to several articles written by newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft. Rube Allyn was displaying some severe mental problems over the years, most likely he had Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Someone with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) could destroy property, react way out of proportion to things that happen and could attack or kill another person for really no reason.

 

photo credit Miami Herald from Florida Historical.
True to form most local newspapers downplayed Rube Allyn's arrest for threatening to kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft in St Pete, but the Miami Herald laid it all out, see above. Apparently Rube Allyn and former Mayor Noel Mitchell had plotted to kill columnist James Ravenscroft. Mrs. Effie Ravenscroft had overheard Rube and Noel Mitchell planing to kill columnist James Ravenscroft who worked for the Tampa Tribune on the pretext of Rube Allyn shooting rabbits in his yard, which was directly across the street from the Ravenscroft house and "accidentally" kill James Ravenscroft with a shotgun blast. Rube was eventually released from jail and driven out of town via the Gandy Bridge by Noel Mitchell to Ruskin followed by a police escort of two City detectives. Yeah, and Rube Allyn didn't plot to beat Harry Higel to death on Jan 7th, 1921 on Siesta Key, sure he didn't.


photo credit Tampa Bay times News from Florida Historical.
Apparently Rube Allyn was re-arrested on a Failure to Appear on the Disorderly Conduct charge in St Pete where he had plotted to kill columnist James Ravenscroft. Rube Allyn was arrested for Failure to Appear by City detectives Bob Black and J. B. King. Mrs Effie Ravenscroft testified in court that she heard Noel Mitchell and Rube Allyn "plotting to get James Ravenscroft on 35th Ave South St Pete". Rube Allyn was living at 743 35th Ave South St Pete directly across the street from the Ravenscroft home. The address 743 35th Ave South St Pete was owned by the mother of Rube's wife, Rose Evelyn Knestrick. Rube Allyn was escorted out of town by City detectives on April 25th, 1930, don't come back Rube, Rube got away with it again. Rube Allyn was a loaded gun just waiting to go off, he was a very dangerous man. Another neighbor dispute gone bad just like Rube Allyn's dispute with Harry Higel in Siesta Key that led to Higel's murder, and Rube didn't do it, BULL CRAP.

       photo credit screenshot Tampa daily times

The Tampa Daily Times ran a 20 page special edition EXTRA newspaper on the day Harry Higel was murdered by Rube Allyn, Friday January 7th, 1921. The media continued to support newspaper editor Rube Allyn from the day of his arrest on Jan 7th to the day the he was released on March 9th 1921. Newspapers blatantly influenced the 18 members of the Manatee County Grand Jury with repeated stories of how "Rube could have never done it" for 61 days. The only form of information in 1921 South West Florida was your Daily Newspaper with stories 'composed' by reporters and editors and Rube Allyn was their hero, he was one of them. Murder suspect Rube Allyn and former Sarasota mayor Harry Higel had been neighbors on the north end of Siesta Key for years before Mr Higel was murdered on Jan 7th, 1921. Rube Allyn's ramshackle house at the north end of Gulfmeade Dr was directly across Bayou Louise from the Higel estate on Higel Ave Siesta Key Fl. 

photo credit Higelhurst Hotel Manatee County Historical Society. Manatee County Map Shows Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel Near Fishery Point Next to Arson Suspect Rube Allyn's House. The large two story white Higelhurst Hotel was at the very north end of what is now 3332 Gulfmead Dr on Siesta Key Fl. A huge, (Land Area: 43,038 Sq.Ft.) white mega mansion is currently in the building process at the exact same spot 3332 Gulfmead Dr and apparently linked to a Hollywood "A+ List" actor. On the map SARASOTA BAY in 1916 later became ROBERTS BAY. SARASOTA KEY on the map to the far left in 1916 later became LIDO KEY. Arson suspect and Harry Higel murder suspect Rube Allyn lived at the very north end of Gulfmead Dr. The map of Siesta Key as of 1916 shows the Higelhurst Hotel towards the far north end, at 3332 Gulfmead Dr Siesta Key Fl. The Higelhurst Hotel was on the beach at the entrance to Big Pass and 50 yards from the water. 

The Higelhurst Hotel and dock were burned down on Friday morn March 30th 1917, Rube Allyn was a person of interest in the arson of the Higelhurst Hotel that stood at the entrance of Big Pass and facing Sarasota Bay. The Hotel caretaker Mrs Mueller left the Higelhurst Hotel on Thursday afternoon March 29th 1917 for Sarasota where she spent the evening with friends. The Higelhurst Hotel which was located at the very north end of Siesta Key, was empty and vacant when torched on March 30th 1917, Rube Allyn lived next door on Gulmead Dr and hated Harry Higel directly across Bayou Louise on the north end of Higel Ave. 

Newspaper articles about the Higelhurst Hotel on fire March 30th, 1917 told of how Harry Higel was standing on the Bayfront where Marina Jacks is now and tears where running down his face as he watched his magnificent Higelhurst Hotel at the very north end of Siesta Key burn to the ground. A month later in April 1917, the north bridge to the key was completed, which may have allowed enough time for the fire department to save the building. Rube Allyn was there on the north end of Siesta Key in the early morn of Friday March 30th 1917 when the Higelhurst hotel was torched. Rube Allyn was also the one and only suspect in the brutal pistol whipping of Harry Higel on the north end of Siesta Key on Friday morn January 7th, 1921 that led to Mr Higel's death. Rube Allyn was arrested but a "kangaroo Grand Jury" made up of Rube's newspaper pals and drinking buddies, failed to indict on March 10th, 1921.

     photo credit Bill Warner Investigations

I had searched for months to find a Colt Police Positive Revolver with hard rubber grips that would pre-date the murder of Harry Higel on January 7, 1921, I found one. I was able to find a nickel plated Colt Police Positive Pocket Revolver with hard rubber grips that was manufactured in 1919 it is in pristine condition a fires a .32 caliber long cartridge. My Colt Police Positive Revolver .32 Police CTG has a serial number of 151803. When held in your hand gripping the cylinder (see photo above), if you had hit someone in the head with the pointed end of the grip you would leave dents in the persons head, like the depressed fractures in murdered Harry Higel's head. 

     photo credit Bill Warner Investigations

The rusted parts of the Colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key in November 2019 would contain the serial numbers, see above. So who owned this Colt revolver and why did they bury it with 6 live bullets? There has been no word from the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept since I took the rusted and loaded gun to them in November 2019. The New Colt Pocket was America’s first truly modern, solid-frame double action revolver. All it needed was a few tweaks, which were to come in 1905. In that year Colt improved the New Pocket — and the New Police, too — by giving it an internal, passive-hammer block safety that prevented the hammer-mounted firing pin from falling on a live cartridge unless the trigger was held all the way back. This safety was held to be utterly foolproof or, in other words, “positive.” Thus were born the Pocket Positive and the Police Positive.

    photo credit screenshot The Fargo Forum

Rube Allyn aka William James Allen was born on January 1st 1866 in Mt Forest Ontario Canada just 8 months after the end of the American Civil War, the North vs the South. Rube Allyn grew up working as a type setter for the small newspaper in Mt Forest but the draw of the big cities of Philadelphia and New York City was too much for Rube so off he went when he was in his 20's. Rube took up drama classes and public speaking, he had professional photos taken in NYC and gave them out to talent agents. Rube devolved an act and hit the road with his wife Rose. A Minneapolis Journal newspaper columnist wrote a piece about Rube Allyn on September 10th, 1906 after viewing one of his "shows", Rube was 40 years old now. It appears Rube Allyn had a bizarre way of doing things in his supposed comedy routine. He would tell very sad depressing stories to the audience and then hit them with the "jokes". It appears that sometimes members of the audience would heckle and cat call Rube during his "show" and it was Rube's response to go down from the stage and beat the hell out of the heckler no matter how big he may be, supposedly the audience loved the show. Harry Higel would have been no match in a street fight with an experienced bar-room brawler like Rube Allyn who was bigger and stronger in what appears to have occurred at the cor of Mangove Ave and Higel Ave on Friday morn Jan 7, 1921.

     photo credit screenshot San Francisco Chronicle

Rube Allyn was a big strong man at over 6' 2" tall, with long arms and big fists. Rube was farm tough, supposedly he did work on a farm during the summer months when he was younger. PHOTO CREDIT San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA July 21st, 1918, Sunday. Later in life when he was in his 50's he went at work in the Hog Island shipyard in Philadelphia from 1917 to 1919 swinging an axe cutting timber to build wooden docks for the merchant marine fleet during WWI.

        photo credit screenshot San Francisco Chronicle

Eventually Rube Allyn became a spokesman for the 30,000 workers at Hog Island shipyard. Rube Allyn was arrested for attempted murder in Philadelphia, some dust up about seats on a trolley going to work at Hog Island, charges dropped when victims disappeared. Rube Allyn testified before Congress in Feb 1918 about the working conditions at the Hog Island Shipyard, that the 10,000 German speaking Jews, the 'foreigners', who came from the slums of New York City and Philadelphia were not suitable or equals as workers for the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA, he got them fired. Rube Allyn had always liked to fight and smack guys around, just like how his neighbor Harry Higel ended up dead.

         PHOTO CREDIT BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS
Tragedy struck on Friday January 7th, 1921 at about 8:30 am when Harry L. Higel was found unconscious near a beach road on Siesta Key. Contrary to many 21st century books and news articles the unconscious body of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel was not found on 'Beach Rd'. The exact location of the brutal attack of Harry Higel was the corner of Siesta Dr and Higel Ave near the big curve in the road. Higel was found just steps from his home on Higel Ave and not 'Beach Rd' over a mile away. Harry L. Higel had been brutally attacked while he was out walking from the Shell Pits on Mangrove (Siesta Dr Now), apparently pistol whipped. Higel died while being transported by Dr Halton to a hospital in Tampa Fl. Murder suspect Rube Allyn (and neighbor) lived at the north end of Gulfmead Dr near Fishery Point on Siesta Key Fl, see map above. 

All of the wounds on Harry Higel's head appear to be depression fractures, skull crushed in at various points, front, top, back, and side. Identification of the unrecognizable battered man (Harry Higel) was initially made by his close friend Dr Halton who spotted the double HH on the wounded man's gold signet ring. All this information from Dr Halton's medical report indicates a pistol whipping not a car accident.

     photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources  
Rube Allyn was not a 'good guy' as his newspaper pals portrayed. From information obtained in my investigation of Harry Higel's murder, Rube Allyn appears to be a narcissistic sociopath who lived for the spotlight, on stage and in the real world. Rube Allyn was a bigot and a racist who hated and despised Jews especially German speaking Jews. Rube Allyn was a hot tempered, erratic, hard drinking Irishman whose eccentrics were condemned in Sarasota. Rube was known for fierce outbursts of temper. Rube was venomously bitter when confronted or disagreed with and frequently drunk in Sarasota. Rube Allyn had been in bitter disagreements with Harry Higel for years. In the elections of 1916 and 1917 for Mayor of Sarasota, Harry Higel had a bitter battle against well-known editor Rube Allyn who published libelous articles about Higel in his Sarasota Sun newspaper. Phone lines were run to Siesta Key in 1912 Rube Allyn had a phone 73-M. Rube was in communication with his wife Rose while he was working in St Pete on his Florida Fisherman news magazine in the days and weeks prior to the murder of Harry Higel on Jan 7th 1921. Rube Allyn knew about the fence across Higel Ave leading to his house prior to Higels' murder, he hated Harry. Suspicion had been raised in 1917 that Rube Allyn set fire to Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel on Siesta Key and on and on it went until Harry Higel was beaten to death on January 7th, 1921.

           photo credit Tampa Tribune newspaper
Former 3 time Sarasota Mayor Harry Lee Higel had his funeral and burial in Rosemary Cemetery on Central Ave the very next day after his attack and murder on Friday January 7th, 1921. Harry Higel died from his wounds at about 10:00 am on Friday January 7th, 1921, the following day, Saturday January 8th, after laying in state all day at City Hall for viewing, Mr. Higel was buried at 3:00 pm in Rosemary Cemetery Sarasota Fl. The Bantinarelli band at the Higel grave site played a funeral dirge as a closing song called "Flee As A Bird", CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO. From various news sources it appears the whole town showed up for Mr. Higel's funeral except of course the Allyn clan, Rube was in jail and Rose and Rube Jr where in St Pete working on the Florida Fisherman Magazine.

    photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE WRITES: In 1902, upon hearing the hoped-for news that legitimate train service was coming to Sarasota, 53 men gathered in Harry Higel’s office on the wharf at the foot of lower Main Street and voted to incorporate as a town. For the town seal they chose what was described as “A mullet with a rising sun over palmettoes with shells at the base.” The town motto was the hopeful, perhaps prayerful, “May Sarasota Prosper,” and John Hamilton Gillespie was elected mayor. Harry L. Higel was one of the most important people in Sarasota’s early growth and development. Harry Higel, known during his life as Sarasota’s “indefatigable booster,” was a progressive dynamo pushing Sarasota toward its future as a desirable destination for wealthy snowbirds, equal to his contemporaries John Hamilton Gillespie, Owen Burns and the Ringling brothers. Until his brutal murder in 1921, Harry Higel was everywhere to be seen in Sarasota, then still a part of Manatee County but pushing to break away and chart its own course. In June of 1920 Higel had the idea to hold a mass meeting in Sarasota to initiate the county separation effort. He arranged to advertise the event in the Sarasota Times. Higel was later named to the General Committee on County Division but brutally murdered six months later on Jan 7th, 1921. With the small community inching slowly forward, he immersed himself in local politics, fighting hard for Sarasota to incorporate as a town, serving five terms as a member of the town and city council and three terms as mayor. The focus of Higel’s attention shifted to what was then known as Sarasota Key, a remote tropical island reachable only by boat. It was so beautiful with its sugar-fine sand beaches and vividly bright gulf that Higel was certain if he could get the word out and offer a place to stay it would become a popular winter resort. As he put it, “Siesta was being largely developed along the lines that appeal to the ‘well-to-do’ who wish to leave the snow...and get down here for five or six months of continuous good weather.”

       photo credit Tampa Times newspaper
Harry L. Higel was a visionary for Sarasota Fl after the initial dreging of the northern part of the intracoastal waterway Harry Higel became the first agent for the 3 time weekly steamship Mistletoe that ran from Tampa to Sarasota with goods and passengers. Harry L. Higel and his partners set up the Sarasota Transportation Company in December 1905. Later in 1910 Harry Higel had his own steamship the Vandalia which he used to ferry goods and passengers to Sarasota and then to Siesta Key and his HigelHurst Hotel in 1915, no bridge to the Key until April 1917.

        photo credit Tampa Tribune News Jan 8th, 1921 from Florida Historical
100 Years Ago on Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 Harry Higel was Beat to Death on North Siesta Key, Did Media Influence Grand Jury to Free Rube Allyn as Claimed by George Higel. Rube Allyn charged with murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl. Sarasota real estate mogul Harry Higel's grandparents were German immigrants to Pennsylvania in the 1830's. Harry's father, Francis "Frank" Higel Sr, was born in 1838 in Philadelphia where his German immigrant parents had settled. Pennsylvania has the largest population of German-Americans in the US. They were pulled by the attractions of land and religious freedom, and pushed out of Germany by shortages of land and religious or political oppression. After 1840, many came to cities, where "Germania"—German-speaking districts—soon emerged like in Philadelphia's Germantown. Francis 'Frank' Higel Sr married Adelaide (Addie) Kirchoff in 1863, Harry Higel was born in 1867 in Philadelphia. They all moved to Venice Fl in 1883 when Harry was 16 years old. Later in life Harry Higel was making a huge impact in the real estate and hotel business in South West Fla on an Island in the Gulf of Mexico that had no bridges to the mainland (Sarasota). Harry Higel had been Mayor of Sarasota 3 times and was drawing rich tourists and fishermen from New York City and Philadelphia to his Higelhurst Beach Hotel on Siesta Key from 1915 to 1917 and selling them beach front lots. Harry Higel's business competition in St Pete was losing sales and money. 

        PHOTO CREDIT BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS

WWI War Fever in Sarasota Fl was pivotal and part of the back story in the lead up to the murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl January 7th, 1921. On May 7, 1915, less than a year after World War I (1914-18) erupted across Europe, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner en route from New York to Liverpool, England. Rube Allyn's friend, idol and mentor Elbert Hubbard and his wife were onboard the Lusitania ship and perished when it sank. Rube Allyn hated Germans, he called them Prussian Savages. The US continued to avoid its involvement in WWI even after the sinking of the RMS Lusitania passenger ship torpedoed by a German U Boat killing 1,195 people including 128 Americans on board. On March 31st, 1917 Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel (named for Higel's German heritage) on Siesta Key was torched, Rube Allyn was suspected of the crime. Pres Woodrow Wilson was the father of America's modern foreign policy, for 125 years the U.S. clung on to its isolationism (but just two days after Harry Higel's German themed Hotel was torched) in a speech to Congress on April 2, 1917 he asked the legislature to declare war on Germany. "Two weeks later on April 14th, 1917 Pres Wilson officially declares war on Germany and America enters the fray against the Axis. Rube Allyn was ecstatic, Rube Allyn makes several attempts to signs up with the US Army to go to France and kill Germans, he was rejected as too old for the job. Harry Higel was of direct German heritage, Rube Allyn hated Germans. Since Rube Allyn was too old to sign up for the Army he went instead in October 1917 to the US Naval shipyard at Hog Island in Philadelphia PA to help build Merchant Marine ships for the war effort, he was 51 years old. While at Hog Island Rube Allyn's hatred for Germans escalated, he was arrested for attempted murder in late 1917 when he threw two German speaking Jews off the trolley on their way to work at the Hog Island Shipyard. Rube hated Germans.

                 photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources

First someone (Rube) burned down his German themed HigelHurst hotel near N Shell Rd on Siesta Key on March 30 1917, (just days before the US declares war on Germany) and when that did not slow him down someone (Rube) killed Harry Higel on Friday January 7th 1921 just days after his 53rd birthday. Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl at about 8:30 am. Harry Higel was bludgeoned to death, beaten repeatedly around the head with an unknown hard object. In 1921 there were only about 3 dozen (36) people living full time on Siesta Key Fl, Rube Allyn and Harry Higel were two of them. Rube Allyn was a tall man at 6' 2" with long arms and a powerful build, Harry Higel was much shorter at about 5' 6" tall. Wounds were found on the top, back, side and front (face) of Mr Higel's head, most likely from a pistol whipping. Newspaper front page headlines of the times screamed "A Tall Man Must Have Hit Harry Higel", Rube Allyn was a tall man. As you will see in this article Rube Allyn hated Germans just because they were Germans, like his neighbor Harry Higel. You will also learn that Rube Allyn was a violent and troubled man with connections to people in St Pete who could get away with Murder. Beach Campers Charles Rodman and Herman Rosener who had set up tents near the north end of Siesta Key and were able to see and identify Rube Allyn as the man they saw a few minutes before 8:00 am on Friday Jan 7th walking in the vicinity of Mangrove (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave where Harry Higel would be found at about 8:30 am in a pool of his own blood. Harry Higel was last seen alive and spoke to by one of his workers Manuel McMullen at 8:10 am Friday morn Jan 7th on Mangrove (Siesta Dr). Manuel was to deliver a load of wood to the Higel house on the north end of Higel Ave on Siesta Key at about 8:30 am.

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Harry Higel was found badly beaten around the head, bleeding and unconscious on Mangrove road (Siesta Dr) near Higel Ave at 8:30 am the morning of Jan 7th by Bert Luzier and his son Merrill as they were on the way to the shell pit. Bert was a long time friend of Mr. Higel but did not recognize the badly beaten man. The Luziers put Higel in their truck and took him to Dr Halton's office in Sarasota, who initially felt that Mr Higel had been hit by a car. Harry Higel was last seen alive at 8:10 am on Friday Jan 7th. Harry Higel spoke to one of his workers Manuel McMullen at 8:10 am Friday morn Jan 7th about a load of wood to be delivered to the Higel house. So, someone was able to ambush Harry Higel in broad daylight between about 8:12 am and 8:28 am (get away before 8:30 am) out in the open on Mangrove (Siesta Dr) near the intersection of Higel Ave, avoid detection during the brutal beat down and escape afterwards without being seen, all within a 16 minute window. According to Frank Higel Jr, Harry's brother, he surmised that Rube Allyn left the scene of the crime on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave at about 8:25 am and waded across Bayou Louise to his house at very north end of Siesta Key on what is now Gulfmead Dr washing out the blood stains on his canvas shoes and his trousers in the salt water.

                photo credit Tampa Tribune newspaper
Logic would tell us that the perp knew the area, that he was watching and waiting to ambush Harry Higel, that he knew what time Higel was out and about in the mornings, (Rube Allyn left his nearby house at 7:30 am) that he knew the best place to attack Higel, and that he knew how to get out of the area and avoid detection, (hide in his house). The perp would be a local who knew the area and all indications lead to the conclusion that Higel's murder was planned. Rube Allyn had lived on the north end of Siesta Key for about 8 years and was out and about by 7:30 am that day. Rube would have known all about the area where Higel was found and he had the opportunity, ability and motive to kill Higel. The murder weapon was never found at the crime scene or at Rube's house or at any other time and there was no direct evidence such as blood spatter on the suspect Allyn's clothes and shoes (fresh blood stains will disappear easily when immediately immersed in salt water). Rube Allyn apparently waded across Bayou Louise a salt water canal to get back to his house at the north end of Strand Rd (Gulfmead Dr) Siesta Key. So, no witnesses to Higel's murder, no dying declaration by the victim, no direct evidence to the crime, no murder weapon and a alibi conveniently provided by Rose Allyn the wife of Rube who claimed he was back and in the house at 8:00 am. Sort of the perfect crime if you believe Rose Allyn's timeline.

"I ain't lyin', I don't lie, Without an alibi": Rube Allyn could have attacked Harry Higel at about 8:12 am and then been back to his nearby house by 8:22 am on Jan 7th, 1921. Alibi? So was it exactly 8:00 am that Rose Allyn claims Rube was back in the house at the end of Strand Rd (Gulfmead Dr) Siesta Key or could it have been a few minutes later? Could it have been 8:16 am or maybe 8:20 am when Rube shows up, why is Rose Allyn so sure it was exactly 8:00 am when she was so busy making breakfast for the 6 kids. The cops did not get to the Allyn house till about 10:00 am Friday Jan 7th, lot of time to get stories straight and hide a murder weapon. Rube's wet trousers and wet canvas shoes were found in his house by Manatee County Deputy Sheriff D. R. Brown and Sarasota City Marshal L. D. Hodges also a Manatee County Sheriff Deputy.

                  photo credit Tampa Times newspaper.
Friday 8:30 am Jan 7, 1921, Harry Higel had been found mortality wounded at the corner of Mangrove (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave and died on the way to the hospital in Bradenton. Siesta Key was swarmed with men looking for Mr Higel's killer by 10:00 am. Veteran newsman Rube Allyn was at his house on the north end of Strand (Gulfmeade Dr) just a 6 min walk from the Higel murder scene at the corner of Mangrove (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave and yet Rube Allyn never came out of his house to see what all the commotion was about, Rube Allyn was hiding, he knew what happened to Mr. Higel, Rube did it.

       photo credit Tampa Tribune news

 Manatee County Deputy Sheriff D. R. Brown and Sarasota City Marshal L. D. Hodges a Manatee County Sheriff Deputy and also Chief of Police for Sarasota were at the Higel crime scene at about 10:00 am. Harry Higel had been found brutally beaten around the head lying in the road earlier that day at 8:30 am. Upon investigation Deputies Brown and Hodges found tracks in the sand leading from Rube Allyn's home on the Key near the Higel home towards the scene of the tragedy, and on the other side of the road tracks of the same size in the sand leading back in the direction of the Allyn home on Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921. Law Man L. D. Hodges had served as the town Marshall for Sarasota and then Police Chief from 1908 until 1921 when Higel was murdered. Sarasota was part of Manatee County in Jan 1921 when Higel was murdered, it was a Manatee County investigation, not the City of Sarasota Police Dept and there was no Sarasota County Sheriff Dept in 1921. In 1924 L. D. Hodge was elected Sheriff of Sarasota County. So someone burns down Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel in March of 1917 and Rube Allyn is nearby, fast forward to January 1921 and Harry Higel is beaten to death in what appears to be a very personal and vicious attack and Rube Allyn is there again. Rube Allyn hated and despised Harry Higel. Coincidental that Rube Allyn is always there when tragic events unfold with Harry Higel in 1917 and in 1921, not in a million years. Rube did it, and it was a pistol whipping that killed Higel.

          photo credit Colt firearm parts - PHOTO CREDIT GUN BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS
"DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER": "I am not the person who found the old, rusted, and corroded parts of an antique small frame Colt Police Positive revolver (over 100 years old) on Siesta Key in November 2019 buried near a salt water canal off of Higel Ave sometime in the 1920's. The firearm is a COLT POLICE POSITIVE .32 CALIBER REVOLVER with FANCY hard rubber grips and one grip that just happened to be broken. This particular firearm was manufactured from 1907 to 1927 by Colt. The Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver had a solid one piece steel frame with a swing-out-cylinder that rotated to the right. How the Colt .32 caliber revolver ended up buried with 6 live rounds on Siesta Key near Higel Ave is a mystery. The Colt .32 caliber Police Positive revolver incorporated Colt’s “Positive Lock” safety which prevented the firing pin from hitting the primer unless the trigger was deliberately pulled. Intended to address deficiencies of earlier models such as the Single Action Army. Colt's Positive Lock prevented an accidental discharge even if the lowered hammer was struck (or you hit someone) or the pistol was dropped, allowing the revolver to be safely carried with all six chambers loaded. Colt revolvers came with the Colt hard rubber grips from 1907 to 1923, walnut wood checkered grips began in 1924. 

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The Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver found on Siesta Key in Nov 2019 was buried loaded with 6 live rounds. This small frame model was first used in the early 1900's by Police agencies but later on in 1915 more often used by Railroad Detectives and Private Detectives as a concealed carry piece. Possibly the Colt revolver (steel) found buried on Siesta Key had been nickel plated. Nickel by itself is corrosion resistant in general so long as the plated nickel remains undamaged. Buried in sand near a salt water canal in Florida for 100 years, it is incredible that any of the metal parts of the Colt Pocket Revolver remained intact. The barrel and cylinder were still solid with the remains of 6 bullets inside the cylinder. Irregardless, no one buries a loaded gun with 6 bullets unless it was used in a crime. 

The rusted antique Colt revolver parts were passed on to me late in the day on Saturday Nov. 23rd, 2019 to figure out what it was, it looked like a Roy Rogers toy cap gun or an old BB gun. Cap guns were originally made of cast iron, but after World War II were made of zinc alloy or plastic. It took me 3 days until Nov. 26th, 2019 to determine just what the rusted gun parts were, it did look like a toy gun but it turned out to be a Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with hard rubber grips that would have been manufactured from 1907 to 1923. The hard rubber grips changed to wooden grips in 1924. Wooden grips would have never survived almost 100 years buried in sand next to a salt water canal and the October 1921 hurricane that covered all of Siesta Key with 7 feet of water. Sarasota in 1921 was primarily a fishing village with fish houses and piers lining the bayfront. Before the 1921 storm, the site and the smell of the Sarasota waterfront sent the tourists elsewhere. Afterwards, the city of Sarasota began to bill itself as a resort city.

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What it turned out to be was a COLT POLICE POSITIVE .32 CALIBER 6 SHOT REVOLVER NICKEL PLATED. I am the person who took the old, rusted, and corroded parts of the antique Colt revolver to the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept and turned them in on the morning of Tuesday Nov. 26th, 2019 and gave the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept all my information and details of the antique Colt pocket revolver parts as soon as I found out what they were and possibly linked to the murder of Harry Higel in January 1921. "Before Saturday Nov. 23rd, 2019 I had never heard of Rube Allyn Sr or the unsolved murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key. Everything in my investigation grew out of the discovery of the rusted remains of the 1920's era Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with FANCY hard rubber grips and one grip that just happened to be broken". It now is very apparent to me that Rube Allyn Sr was the proper suspect in the brutal beating murder of Harry Higel, there is no link to anyone in Law Enforcement in this investigation.

    photo credit Tampa Tribune news.. PHOTO CREDIT GUN BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS
UNSOLVED MURDER ON THE KEY: The Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver found buried on Siesta Key with 6 live rounds and a broken grip could very well have been used to pistol whip Harry Higel around his head and could very well be the murder weapon that was never found in this unsolved 100 year old cold case. I recently purchased a 1919 Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver to compare with the rusted remains of the Colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key and would say due to the size, weight and distinctive Colt hard rubber grips that it is the same make and model gun as the one frond on Siesta Key. This is a small frame model Colt revolver used by Railroad Detectives, Night watchman and Private Detectives as a concealed carry piece. Rube Allyn worked for a while at the Hog Island Shipyard as a night watchman.

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The death blow to the left side of Harry Higel's skull came from a high angle, swinging downward to the top of Mr Higel's head, from a tall man with long arms like Rube. The mark of the weapon was clearly shown with a hole in the skull made by the pointed end of the weapon, a depressed skull fracture, most likely from a pistol whipping. The remains of the Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver found buried on Siesta Key has a pointed end at the tip of the grip. The 1919 Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver that I recently purchased has a very pronounced pointed end at the tip of the grip, see photo above.

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MANATEE COUNTY GRAND JURY TANKS ON RUBE ALLYN MURDER CASE: Rube Allyn was arrested for murder of Harry Higel after Coroners Jury examines the evidence and Mr Higel's body on Jan 7th, 1921. At least 4 witnesses corroborated on the fact that Rube Allyn was near the murder scene on foot before 8:00 am. Rube Allyn was sent to County jail in Bradenton and spent 61 days there awaiting the Manatee County Grand Jury to Convene on Wednesday March 9, no bail was allowed. Grand juries have more of an advisory role to the prosecutor. They help to determine if there is enough probable cause in a case for an indictment for criminal charges. Grand juries do not determine guilt. They only ascertain if there enough evidence for a trial and a conviction. If you’ve ever sat on a grand jury, this may not be a surprise. The grand jury’s job according to prosecutors is simply to decide whether there is reason enough to bring an indictment, this includes any circumstantial evidence and witness statements. Jurors generally agree there is enough to indict. As the saying goes, "most grand juries will indict a ham sandwich". Yet in the case of Rube Allyn the Grand Jury deliberated for only 10 minutes after 6 1/2 hours of evidence put before them including witness statements and failed to indict with NO TRUE BILL. 

    photo credit Tampa Tribune news
Rube Allyn's alibi was that he was back at home the morning of the Higel murder by 8:00 am on Friday Jan 7 as confirmed by his wife Rose and could not have done it as Higel was killed sometime between 8:10 am and 8:30 am. Interestingly Rose Allyn did not show up Wednesday morn March 9th to be questioned by the Grand Jury, she sent a statement instead. Appears Rose Allyn was too busy getting Rube's 'Florida Fisherman Magazine' ready for press over in Tampa, what the hell? In 1921 a felony conviction for Murder in Florida meant the death penalty and the execution method was hanging. In 1923 a bill was passed in Florida and placed all executions under State control instead of County and changed the method from hanging to electrocution. It appears to me that this Manatee County Grand Jury was nothing more than a "Kangaroo Court", a court held by a legitimate judicial authority which intentionally disregards the court's legal or ethical obligations and evidence. According to the Tampa Tribune on March 9th, 1921 the Manatee County Grand Jury was made up of 19 men; M. C. Davis, George N. Brown, J. A. Howse, J. A. Henry, T. B. Gallup, C. A. Rowlett, C. F. Edwards, Carl Hendrix, Guy Jones, C. L. Davis, W. O. Edwards, H. T. Glazier, Iron Ross, E. P. Lloyd, H. D. Horney, E. J. Bright, James G. Foster and Frank Kennedy. J. A. Howse was chosen Foreman. The murder case of Harry Higel by supposed suspect Rube Allyn was not carried forth to trial due to a tainted Manatee County Grand Jury as claimed by (Harry Higel's brother) George Higel who said: One of the members of the Manatee Grand Jury investigating the murder of Harry Higel and the suspect Rube Allyn was a fellow newspaper man and personal friend of Rube Allyn.

       photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
In doing research for this article on the murder of Harry L. Higel information was obtained from vintage 'Sarasota Times' newspaper clippings, the 'Sarasota County Historical Resources', Articles by Sarasota historian Jeff LaHurd, the Colt Firearm Manufacturing Co. Also vintage newspaper articles from the Tampa Tribune, St Petersburg Times, Sarasota Sun, Tampa Times', 'Philadelphia Inquirer', the New York Times, the 'Alexandria Gazette Newspaper' Alexandria VA, the book “The Story of Sarasota,” published in 1946 by Karl Grimser, the 'Weekly Star' newspaper, the 'Der Deutsche Correspondent' newspaper Baltimore, the book "An Illustrated History of Siesta Key: The Story of America's Best Beach" by Thomas Philip Farrell and Philip M. Farrell, which I purchased at Barnes and Noble in Sarasota Fl. Information was also obtained from Newspapers where Rube Allyn Sr had worked or published. Rube Allyn Sr started in the newspaper business in the 1880's working as a apprentice type setter in Ontario Canada in the office of the 'Mount Forest Representative', later as editor at the 'Daily Times' Crookston, Minnesota in 1898, editor at the 'Reporter' in Rapid City Canada and editor and publisher at the Sarasota Sun in 1913 to 1916. Most important was Rube Allyn's racist bigoted testimony on February 20th, 1918 at the Hearings Before the 65th Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce, United States Senate Capital Building Washington DC concerning working conditions at the Hog Island ship building facility where Rube was working building docks and his views on the German speaking Jews working there and his admission of an 'Attempted Murder Charge' during a 'Hate Crime', CLICK HERE FOR LINK.

        photo credit screenshot Tampa Tribune Newspaper.
Above is the first published chart, by the Tampa Times Newspaper, put out on Jan 11, 1921 giving exact locations of the Harry Higel murder scene on Siesta Key Fl. Newspaper Headline accounts about the murder of Harry L. Higel all indicated he was found in the road or on a beach rd on Siesta Beach or Siesta Key Fl at 8:30 am on Friday Jan 7, 1921. No Newspaper article of the time ever claimed Harry Higel was found on 'Beach Rd' Siesta Key, this is patently false as "Beach Rd" is over a mile from Harry Higel's house. Harry Higel had been out and about, on foot, on the north end of Siesta Key when he was attacked Friday morning Jan 7th near his home, see #1 and #4 on map above. Harry Higel was found near the shell pit, #4 on the map, only a couple hundred yards from his home, #1 on map, on the very north end of Siesta Key. The crime scene, specifically, was at the corner of Mangrove (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave, see #4 on Tampa Tribune newspaper hand drawn map above. Various books and 21st Century Newspaper articles have incorrectly identified the crime scene and/or location of where Harry Higel was found. Harry Higel was never on "Beach Rd" on Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921, see map above and location #4. This information is important to link Rube Allyn to Harry Higel's murder as Allyn's house, #2 on the map, shows he was Higel's neighbor on the north end of Siesta Key. Rube Allyn was also out and about Friday morning Jan 7th on foot in the same area as Harry Higel. #1 on the map is Mr Higel's home at 3308 Higel Avenue on Siesta Key, originally built in 1917 by Harry Higel the former mayor of Sarasota. #4 on the map is where Harry Higel's body was found. Rube Allyn was seen by witnesses at around 7:30 am and then again a little before 8:00 am on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 near the Harry Higel crime scene on Siesta Key, #4 on the map. Rube Allyn's wife Rose confirmed that he had gone from their house, #2 on the map, early in the morn on Friday Jan 7th at around 7:30 AM. Rube most likely was walking south on Strand Rd from his house, #2 on the map, towards Siesta Dr (Mangrove on map), #4 see map above. Back in the day Strand Rd ran all along the beach front on Siesta Key. Nowadays Gulfmead is the road that runs to the tip of north Siesta Key parallel to Higel Ave where Rube Allyn's house, #2 on the map, would have been. Roads changed over the years since 1921 and so did the names of the roads.

The information that I have compiled concerning the murder of Harry Higel and the actions, statements and arrest records of Rube Allyn spans a 60 year period from 1887 when 22 year old Rube Allyn was in New York City to 1947 when 81 year old Rube Allyn died penniless and alone in Ruskin Fl. I have chronicled newspaper accounts of the time that show Rube Allyn as an extremely violent person, a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, an imposter, a con man's con man and a falling down drunk. It is my opinion based on all the evidence that I have compiled and the discovery of the broken Colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key, that Rube Allyn killed Harry Higel on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 near the edge of the shell pit at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl.

      photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
EARLY TRAGEDY IN HIGEL FAMILY 'ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE' WITH A REVOLVER IN 1892 PHILADELPHIA PA. Born in Philadelphia from German immigrant parents, Francis 'Frank' Higel Sr married Adelaide (Addie) Kirchoff in 1863, Frank would have been 24 years of age. Frank Higel Sr was a very short man at only 5 feet tall. Frank Higel was born on December 20, 1839. Frank Higel married 23-year-old Adelaide (“Addie”) Kirchoff, from another German immigrant family in 1863. Their son Harry L. Higel born in 1867 was of direct German linage. Francis "Frank" Higel (father of Harry Higel) was a skilled chemist and discovered a process by which starch could be obtained profitably from the roots of the cassava plant. This plant had been grown in the Venice area successfully by early pioneers. Frank Higel saw the money-making potential in this process and went looking for investors. Frank Higel arrived in Venice in 1883 with his wife Addie and six sons one of which was Harry Lee Higel. Frank Higel had six sons: Frank, Jr., Harry L, Ralph, Eugene, George and Wesley. Of these men, George and Harry became prominent residents of the Venice-Sarasota region. Francis 'Frank' Higel Sr did not see Venice grow because he died on a trip to Philadelphia in 1892, (he committed suicide with a revolver). 

By 1892 apparently the winters in Venice had been extremely cold and Addie Higel being a city girl did not like the rural and harsh lifestyle of early Venice Fl, she left Frank and returned to Philadelphia. Frank Higel was furious and found Addie on October 22, 1892 in Philadelphia and demanded she return to Venice, she refused so Frank shot Addie twice with a revolver, thinking she was dead he then shot himself in the head and died, as per his obit in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The attempted murder of Addie Higel was also reported in the 'Alexandria Gazette Newspaper' Alexandria VA, on October 24, 1892, Frank Higel of Florida, 53, shot his wife Addie in the head and neck in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was also reported in the 'Weekly Star' on October 28, 1892...Frank Higel aged 53 years of Florida shot his wife who is visiting here in Philadelphia. Francis 'Frank' Higel and his son Harry L. Higel both succumbed to violent deaths at the exact same age, 53. Frank Higel shot himself in the head with a revolver after trying to kill his wife Addie in Philadelphia and his son Harry Higel was beaten to death possibly with a revolver on Siesta Key Fl in January 1921. Rube Allyn Sr. was and remains the only suspect in Harry Higel's brutal murder on Siesta Key Fl, the murder weapon used to bludgeon Harry Higel to death was never found.

The attempted murder of Addie Higel and the suicide of Frank Higel was reported in the Baltimore 'Der Deutsche Correspondent Newspaper', in German, on October 24, 1892. Der Deutsche Correspondent was a German-language newspaper in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the most influential newspaper among Germans in Baltimore, lasting longer than any of the other German newspapers in Maryland. The paper closed April 28, 1918, due to anti-German sentiment resulting from World War I in America. There does not appear to be any reports of the attempted murder of Addie Higel by Frank Higel or the suicide of Frank Higel in Florida newspapers, wonder why? Addie Higel somehow survived the horrific shooting, a bullet in neck and one in her head, and eventually returned to Venice Fl where she died in 1928. The vicious attack on Addie Higel by Frank Higel in Philadelphia with a firearm on October 22, 1892 was verified from 4 different sources. Francis 'Frank' Higel and his son Harry L. Higel both succumbed to violent deaths at the exact same age, 53. 

    photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
Rube Allyn shows up in Sarasota in late 1911 with his traveling Chautauqua circuit vaudeville show modeled after activities at the Chautauqua Institution of western New York where Rube Allyn hung out with Elbert Hubbard in East Aurora NY (East Aurora is in Western NY near Buffalo). Rube was kind of minor celebrity whose act beame tired and he was on his way down in show business. Sarasota High school officially opened in early 1913, one of the first entertainers at the school hall was Rube Allyn the murder suspect in former Mayor Harry Higel's death on Jan 7th, 1921. In June 1911 Rube Allyn and his wife purchased property in Palmetto Fl. In October 1911, the Sarasota Times ran a notice that Rube Allyn, the "famous" humorist and impersonator, would be entertaining at the school hall. Tickets were 25 cents, 15 cents for children. On Nov 16th 1911 the "famous" Rube Allyn was in Lakeland at the school auditorium. On December 15th 1911 the Rube Allyn show was in St Pete at the auditorium. In the following year, 1912, Rube Allyn made known his plans to publish a second newspaper for the Sarasota community. During 1912 Rube published a semi-monthly called "The Bay of Sarasota". The Sarasota Sun finally debuts in Feb 1913, it bombed and shut down in early 1916. Rube Allyn was a bad guy, a drunk, he had multiple violent arrests after the Higel murder incident in 1921.

    photo credit Sarasota Historical society Sarasota Fl
In 1912 Sarasota was not big enough for Rube Allyn and Harry Higel who fought often and even ran against each other for Mayor of Sarasota Fl. Rube Allyn came to Sarasota in 1912 with his family, Higel was already there and well established. Rube Allyn and Harry Higel were about the same age. Harry Higel was born December 31st, 1867 in Philadelphia. Rube Allyn whose birth name was William James (Rube) Allen was born January 1st, 1866 in Mt. Forest, Ontario, Canada. Interestingly both men are Capricorns on the Zodiac chart and exhibited similar traits such as independence, intelligence, focused, determination, ambitious and able to lead, manage or control many people who work or associate with them at any time, that was Higel and Allyn, unfortunately Allyn also appears to be a sociopath. The first issue of Rube Allyn's weekly Sarasota Sun appeared on Saturday, February 6, 1913. In 1912 Higel quarreled with Allyn over an unpaid debt. Higel had issued a loan to Allyn, who was known for erratic behavior and a short temper, for a house on Siesta Key near H. L. Higel's Hotel Higelhurst.

Harry Higel served on the town council in 1902 and served as Mayor of the city of Sarasota when it was incorporated. In a 1912 memo as mayor of Sarasota, H. L. Higel encouraged more funding for Sarasota schools. It was in the elections of 1916 and 1917 that Harry Higel had a bitter battle for the office of Mayor against well-known editor Rube Allyn, who published the Sarasota Sun. Rube lost the Mayor race, Higel won. Rube Allyn's Sarasota Sun newspaper was short-lived 1913-1916. The Sarasota Sun Newspaper shuttered its door due apparently to a shortage of funds, a decline in ad sales and Rube Allyn's persistent battle with the whiskey bottle. Rube Allyn stopped publication of the Sarasota Sun newspaper in early 1916. 

     photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources

First issue of Rube Allyn's weekly Sarasota Sun appeared on Saturday, February 6, 1913. Rose Wilson, editor and publisher of the established Sarasota Times 221 Main, Sarasota, announced the advent of her competition on the bottom page of page 4 and opined that Allyn "is a good writer and has a newsy paper." Some time after Feb 1913, Rube Allyn Sr his wife and 6 children moved to Siesta Key from Palmetto and made a home in the old Sarasota Yacht Club building on the north end of Siesta Key on what is now Gulfmead Dr across Bayou Louise from Harry Higel's home on Higel Ave. Rube Allyn Sr had purchased his printing press from the White Springs Messenger (on credit) and moved it into the building at the end of a dock off North Gulf Stream Blvd Sarasota and later he moved the newspaper operation right next to Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel on Sarasota Key in 1915.  

TAMPA TRIBUNE NEWSPAPER AD above "Siesta on the Gulf" posted by Harry L. Higel on Jan 28, 1915. The ad boasted how Siesta Key was the finest winter home location in all of Florida with clean white beaches and the best fishing right at your door. "Wear a straw hat in Winter instead of ear-muffs". "Siesta on the Gulf", the Shell Pit, Shell Rd and Higel Ave and many other locations on Siesta Key Fl were platted in 1912 by H. L. Higel. In the early 1980s, amateur paleontologists discovered fossils at a commercial shell pit near Tampa. Shell pits were also located on Siesta Key and Sanibel Island near Fort Myers. Harry Higel, along with Captain Louis “Big Daddy” Roberts and E. M. Arbogast, platted the northern tip of what was known alternately over the years as Clam Island, Muscle Island, Little Sarasota Key, Sarasota Key, and finally Siesta Key. Higel and friends began promoting Siesta Key nationally as an “ideal spot for winter and summer homes.” Siesta Key was referred to as a tropical island in Sarasota Bay. In April 1917, Siesta became the first of Sarasota’s keys linked to the mainland by a bridge. Harry Higel, “Sarasota’s indefatigable booster” offered ferry service after his Higelhurst Hotel opened on Big Pass in 1915, noting, “It takes only 20 minutes to run from Sarasota [to Siesta] on a ferry.” The hotel burned to the ground on March 30, 1917 (Rube Allyn suspect, he was there) Higel vowed to rebuild, but never did. Harry Higel’s desire for Siesta Key was to “appeal to the well-to-do tourists who wish to leave the north and get down here for five or six months of continuous good weather.  

 

Harry Higel's Hotel HigelHurst on Siesta Key opened its doors on March 9, 1915, with more than 200 people attending the grand opening reception. Since the bridge to the key was not finished, ferry boats provided transportation to the hotel. The Hotel was burned down on Friday morn March 30th 1917, Rube Allyn was a person of interest in the arson. The caretaker Mrs Mueller left the Hotel on Thursday afternoon March 29th 1917 for Sarasota where she spent the evening with friends. The Hotel was empty and vacant, Rube Allyn lived nearby and hated Harry Higel. Rube was there on Siesta Key in the early morn of Friday March 30th 1917 when the hotel was torched.

 

 The Higelhurst Hotel and dock were burned down on Friday morn March 30th 1917, Rube Allyn was a person of interest in the arson of the Higelhurst Hotel that stood at the entrance of Big Pass and facing Sarasota Bay. Newspaper articles about the Higelhurst Hotel fire on March 30th, 1917 told of how Harry Higel was standing on the Bayfront where Marina Jacks is now and tears where running down his face as he watched his magnificent Higelhurst Hotel at the very north end of Siesta Key burn to the ground. A month later in April 1917, the north bridge to the key was completed, which may have allowed enough time for the fire department to save the building. Rube Allyn was there on the north end of Siesta Key in the early morn of Friday March 30th 1917 when the Higelhurst hotel was torched. Rube Allyn was also the one and only suspect in the brutal pistol whipping of Harry Higel on the north end of Siesta Key on Friday morn January 7th, 1921 that led to Mr Higel's death. Rube Allyn was arrested but a "kangaroo Grand Jury" made up of Rube's newspaper pals and drinking buddies, failed to indict on March 10th, 1021.

 

Former 3 time Sarasota Mayor Harry Lee Higel had his funeral and burial in Rosemary Cemetery on Central Ave the very next day after his attack and murder on Friday January 7th, 1921. Harry Higel died from his wounds at about 10:00 am on Friday January 7th, 1921, the following day, Saturday January 8th, after laying in state all day at City Hall for viewing, Mr. Higel was buried at 3:00 pm in Rosemary Cemetery Sarasota Fl. The Bantinarelli band at the Higel grave site played a funeral dirge as a closing song called "Flee As A Bird", CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO. From various news sources it appears the whole town showed up for Mr. Higel's funeral except of course the Allyn clan, Rube was in jail and Rose and Rube Jr where in St Pete working on the Florida Fisherman Magazine.

 

Harry Higel murder suspect Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy was Noel A. Mitchell in St Pete who had the exact same business plan as Harry Higel on Siesta Key. Noel A. Mitchell arrived in Florida in 1904 to enter the real estate game. Noel Mitchell was from Rhode Island, he relocated to St. Petersburg and purchased The Detroit, one of the largest hotels in town. Noel A. Mitchell also eventually had a beach front hotel, 'Mitchell's Beach Hotel' on Madeira Beach just like Harry Higel's 'Higelhurst Beach Hotel' on Siesta Key. "Sandman" Mitchell aggressively sold beach front lots near Maderia Beach just like Harry Higel did on Siesta Key Beach. From 1913 to 1924  Noel Mitchell developed the south end of Madeira Beach on John's Pass. Just like what Harry higel did on Big Pass Siesta Key Fl. As a realtor, Noel had it platted, as Mitchell's Beach Subdivision, just like what Harry Higel did on Siesta Key. Today’s deeds still refer to it as that, "Mitchell's Beach". Noel A. Mitchell became Harry Higel's arch rival, or was it the other way around, for the rich tourist trade and fishermen from the North East.  

Noel A. Mitchell promoted his Hotel and beach front lots nationally as an “ideal spot for winter and summer homes, just like Harry Higel did. To promote the sport fishing industry of the Gulf of Mexico, for instance, Noel hung 150-pound tarpon in front of his office at Fourth and Central avenues, a corner lot he owned in St Pete, which is now part of St Pete City Government facilities. He advertised to take the train from St Pete and we will pick you up in Bay Pines. The Fred Marquis Pinellas Bike Trail starts in downtown St. Petersburg and follows the old CSX railway right of way to Tarpon Springs. Noel was a party-going mayor (drinking buddy of Rube Allyn), Noel painted the town red at night, every night, period. Everything Harry Higel did on Siesta Key mimicked what Noel A. Mitchel did (except the heavy drinking) on and near the St Pete Beach area. It appears that Higel was cutting into Mitchell's business and bottom line. 

In Jan 1921 when Harry Higel was murdered Noel A. Mitchell was the Mayor of St Pete. Noel A. Mitchell was also a private detective he owned, the Noel Mitchell National Detective Agency in St Pete Fl, it was located at 557 Central Ave just two blocks south of City Hall. Noel A. Mitchell made his home in New Haven Conn during the hot Florida summer months. Mitchell is also linked to NYC and Hartford Conn where the Colt Firearm factory is located. In the 1890's Connecticut, New York and all of the North East were 'Colt Country'. The Colt New Police revolver was selected by New York City (NYPD) Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt in 1896 to be the first standard-issue revolver for NYPD. Noel A. Mitchell carried a Colt revolver, he had a concealed carry permit issued by the Pinellas County Sheriff. In 1924 Noel A. Mitchell's concealed carry permit for his revolver was revoked by the Pinellas County Sheriff. Later in 1930 Noel A. Mitchell was the prime suspect in the murder of George Council in St Pete who had been pistol whipped and set on fire. Council's revolver with a broken grip was later found in Mitchell's house. In Jan 1921 Harry Higel was found brutally beaten about his head and face at 8:30 am near the edge of the shell pit at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Friday Jan 7th, he died later same morning. Bert Luzier and his son Merle were loading and trucking shell from the shell pit on Siesta Key on Friday Jan 7th 1921 when they found Higel lying in the middle of the road, unconscious and so baldly beaten and bloody around his head that he was unrecognizable, most likely from a pistol whipping. Higel was moaning and making gurgling sounds. The Luzier's  loaded Higel into their truck and sped him to Dr. Jack Halton’s office at the foot of Main Street Sarasota where Higel later dies on the way to the hospital in Bradenton Fl. How the buried 1920's era Colt revolver found in Nov 2019 on Siesta Key off of Higel Ave, (in ground for 100 years), relates to the Higel murder is in the hands of the Sarasota County Sheriff who is doing testing on the rusted 1920's era Colt revolver remains. But no one in 1921 or today in 2020 would bury a revolver fully loaded with 6 live rounds in the cylinder, unless the revolver had been used to commit a crime.

    photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
In a Tampa Times article from December 4th, 1920 it a appears that Rube Allyn had been working on his monthly Florida Fisherman magazine in St Pete in the days and weeks before the murder of Harry Higel on Jan 7, 1921 on Siesta Key Fl. Rube came home to Siesta Key late on Thursday night Jan 6th 1921, driving his Ford Model T car (top speed 45 mph) over the 3 1/2 hour route, St Pete to Tampa to Bradenton to Siesta Key, no Skyway bridge back then and bad roads. Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy in St Pete was the very wealthy Noel A. Mitchell who was also the Mayor of St Pete in 1920 and 1921. Noel A. Mitchell (April 27, 1859 – October 6, 1936) born in Block Island, Rhode Island) was a businessman and advertiser who built considerable wealth through the sale of Atlantic City salt water taffy, and a burgeoning real estate business in St. Pete, Fl which would later fund his successful run for Mayor of St. Pete in 1920 with the help of newsman Rube Allyn.

ON JAN 11, 1921, just 4 days after the murder of Harry Higel, a reporter with the St Pete Times interviewed Rose Allyn the wife of Rube at the 'Hotel Detroit' where Allyn had made his 'Florida Fisherman' headquarters. Mrs Allyn was staying at Rube's room and working on the January edition of the Florida Fisherman Magazine with her son Rube Allyn Jr who was a type setter. Who was paying for the room and the office of the magazine at the Hotel Detroit, Rube was in jail and had made statements to the press that he was broke and could not afford an attorney. 

Rube Allyn's brother Dr Charles Allen of Tampa provided an attorney for Rube, different spelling of the brothers last names is correct. Rube's attorney was Col John B. Singeltary of Bradentown Fl. Rube Allyn had been staying at 'The Hotel Detroit' 215 Central Ave, St Pete's first and oldest hotel built in 1888. Rube's newspaper office was also located there. Rube had been staying at the Hotel Detroit on and off since he came back from Hog Island PA in late 1919, who was paying for it, Rube was broke? The Hotel Detroit was just a few blocks from Rube's best pal and drinking buddy Mayor Noel A. Mitchell and his City Hall office at 175 5th Street N St Pete FL.

Noel A. Mitchell appears to have owned the Hotel Detroit St Pete in 1920. Rube Allyn stayed there a lot, it appears free of charge. Noel A. Mitchell also owned the whole Durant block at the corner of 4th Street N and Central Ave in St Pete where he had one of his real estate offices specializing in the sale and development of beach property, just like Harry Higel in Siesta Key. Noel A. Mitchell and Rube Allyn were just about next door neighbors in the downtown central section of 1920's St Pete. Rube Allyn was staying at the luxurious Hotel Detroit in St Pete for most of the year in 1920 where he lives as high on the hog as he ever has while his wife a 6 kids are back at the house on Siesta Key eking out a meager existence. 

Somebody was fronting Rube Allyn's lifestyle, his 'Florida Fisherman' monthly newspaper was his only income and it paid out more than it took in, most likely his pal Noel A. Mitchell. How could Rube Allyn afford a private room and a separate office at the 'Hotel Detroit' for months on end and at the same time provide for his wife and 6 kids and the upkeep of his Siesta Key house where he was past due in money owed to Harry Higel and his monthly magazine the 'Florida Fisherman' was floundering?

      (Courtesy State Archives of Florida)
The Tampa Times article of December 3th, 1920 makes note of the full page ad on the back page of the Florida Fisherman about the 'Hotel ad' written by RUBE himself. Rube's best pal and drinking buddy Noel A. Mitchell appears to have owned the Hotel Detroit and Mitchell's Beach Hotel which boasts of the best Tarpon fishing on the west coat of Florida with daily fishing tours. It appears that Rube Allyn was in contact with Noel A. Mitchell in the days leading up to the murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key. Mayor Noel A. Mitchell's office at City Hall 175 5th St N, St. Pete was only a few minutes walk from the Detroit Hotel in St Pete where Rube had been staying and where he had his office. Over the years 1919 to 1921 it appears that Rube Allyn had been a part time resident of St Petersburg staying at the Hotel Detroit while his wife and children where back on the north end of Siesta Key Fl. Rube Allyn spent a lot of time during December of 1920 with his drinking buddy St Pete Mayor Noel A. Mitchell. This was just days before the murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Friday Jan 7th, 1921. Rube Allyn had returned to Siesta Key from St Pete very late on Thursday Jan 6th, 1920. The murder of Harry Higel, who Rube Allyn hated and owed money to, would have also removed the chief competition for the sale of beach front lots in south west Fl for Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy 'Sandman' Noel A. Mitchell. Mitchell's real estate business was not always a booming success but boomed after the murder of Harry Higel in Jan 192l. 

 

Noel A. Mitchell was St Pete Mayor, real estate mogul selling both commercial and beach front lots and owned the Mitchell National Detective Agency. Noel Mitchell would have carried a COLT POCKET POLICE POSITIVE .32 CALIBER REVOLVER. Noel Mitchell made his fortune in 'Mitchell's Original Atlantic City Salt Water Taffy'. Noel A. Mitchell the taffy man. Rube Allyn, the failed newspaperman, was his best pal and drinking buddy, both were hard drinking Irishmen with violent tempers. Both Allyn and Mitchell were suspects in different murder cases, later Rube Allyn was arrested for Attempted Murder in Ruskin. Both Allyn and Mitchell were involved in a conspiracy to kill a Tampa Tribune Columnist. Both Allyn and Mitchell had arrests for public drunkenness. Mitchell was kicked out of office for a drunken party at his Mayors office City Hall St Pete in 1921.  

Noel A. Mitchell was a extremely wealthy man, Rube Allyn was not. Noel A. Mitchell owned large blocks of valuable real estate in downtown St Pete and multiple beach front lots over on Madeira Beach and St Pete Beach. Failed newspaper guy Rube Allyn appears to have worked for Mitchel as some sort of a publicist, keeping the name of the very vain Noel A. Mitchell and his varied businesses in the news, Rube had media contacts and was savvy. Noel A. Mitchell owned the whole 400 block of Central Ave St Pete. Historically this site, 429 Central Ave, was home to the Pheil Hotel and Central National Bank. On some of Noel A. Mitchell's newspaper ads in the 1920's he would indicate his various business had the same office address, 429 Central Ave Pheil Block St Pete Fl. The Noel Mitchell National Detective Agency used multiples addresses, 429 Central Ave, 557 Central Ave and 201 Third St N in their ads. Mitchell also claimed to own a 'Collection Bureau' at the 557 Central Ave address. In Mitchell's Detective Agency ads he implied he had some pretty ruthless guys working for him, "armed to the teeth with shotguns loaded with buckshot ready to spring into action". Mitchell in his detective agency ads claimed "It is a well established fact that the majority of private detective agencies are crooked. We are on the level and on the square." Noel Mitchell would have carried a COLT POCKET POLICE POSITIVE .32 CALIBER REVOLVER.

     photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
According to the 1920 US Census 2,149 people were living in Sarasota Fl and Siesta Key was reported to have about 3 dozen people (36) living full time on the Island including the Higel Family and the Allyn Family who were all there on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 when Harry Higel was attacked, small world eh? During 1920 and 1921 there was a lot of pressure on Rube Allyn Sr to come up with the money he owed Harry Higel for the Allyn house loan on Siesta Key and back rent of the office for the Sarasota Sun newspaper office. Rube Allyn was responsible for his wife and it appears 6 children ranging in age from 11 to 21 living at the Allyn cottage on the north end of Siesta Key in 1921. Where would they all go if Harry Higel evicted them for Rube's non-payment of the house loan on Siesta Key? Rube Sr named one of his six children Rubert Royce (Rube) Allyn Jr ('Rube' after himself) the boy was born in 1902 Iowa. At the time of the murder of Harry Higel in Jan 1921 Rubert Royce (Rube) Allyn Jr was 19 years old and had been working with his father Rube Allyn Sr on the 'Florida Fisherman' magazine in St Pete Fl, he was a type setter. It appears that Rube Allyn Jr came back with his father from St Pete late on Thursday Jan 6, 1921 the night before harry Higel was murdered. It also appears that just four days after the murder of Harry Higel, Rose Allyn (Rube's wife) and 19 year old Rube Allyn Jr were back at the Hotel Detroit in St Pete working on the Florida Fisherman magazine publication while Rube was in the Bradenton Jail, odd? When Rube Allyn Sr went to work at the Hog Island Shipyard Philadelphia PA from late 1917 to late 1919, Rube Allyn Jr was with him working in the shipyard at age 16. When Rube Allyn Sr had his Sarasota Sun newspaper his son Rube Jr was learning his trade as a type setter, he would have been about 14 years old. It appears that everywhere Rube Allyn Sr goes to work from 1913 to 1921 so does his son Rube Allyn Jr.  Rubert Royce (Rube) Allyn Jr was a Navy vetren of WWII and long time editor for the St Pete Times and the Florida Fisherman magazine. Rubert Royce (Rube) Allyn Jr was killed in a car accident in July 1968 a memorial Reef was dedicated to him in October 1968 off of Clearwater. See more info on the mysterious Allen - Allyn family from Canada at bottom of this article.

      photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
The first time Rube Allyn Sr grew weary of the vaudeville stage he took over a newspaper in 1898 at about age 32, the Daily Times, of Crookston, Minnesota, in the western part of the state near East Grand Forks MN, an area rich in Canadian immigrants and railroad workers. The Crookston Daily Times is the smallest daily newspaper in Minnesota, and one of the smallest daily newspapers in the United States it was founded in 1891. Rube Allyn's  venture lasted from late 1898 to 1901. Related Titles: 'The Crookston Times' Crookston, Minn 1885-1914. Over his time, late 1898 to 1901 in Crookston, Minnesota, Rube Allyn Sr built on what he had learned at the Mount Forest Representative in Ontario Canada regarding the editing and publishing of a paper.

     photo credit archives Sarasota Sun newspaper. 1914
1916 Manatee County Fl City of Sarasota Directory: 
1). Mayor H.L. Higel, 
2). Chief of Police - L. D. Hodges. 
3). Harry L Higel (wife Gertrude), Mayor and home/office real estate, 107 N Gulf Stream Blvd Sarasota Fl.  
4). Higel-Hurst Hotel aka Hurst Inn, Siesta Key, H. L. Higel, proprietor. 
5). Rube Allyn Sr (wife Evelyn), editor office The Sarasota Sun 120 N Gulf Stream Blvd, phone 73-M, home Siesta Key, (Rube Allyn Sr had a phone in 1916). 
6). Street Address directory: 120 N Gulf Stream Blvd, Rube Allyn Sr, Sarasota Sun. 
7). Harry L Higel Land Developer home/office 107 N Gulf Stream Blvd Sarasota. 
8). Harry Higel was Mayor of Sarasota Fl from 1911-1914 and then again in 1917. Harry L. Higel, Land Developer, Sarasota mayor 1916-1917. 
It looks like everyplace Harry Higel shows up living or having a business in the Sarasota area Rube Allyn Sr was following close behind. Rube Allyn's Sarasota Sun newspaper at 120 N. Gulf Stream Blvd Sarasota first publication was Saturday Feb 1913. Rube Allyn Sr stopped the Sarasota Sun newspaper publication in early 1916. In 1914 Rube Allyn Sr ran a column that caricatured the political leaders and countries that contributed to the recent outbreak of World War I. Rube Allyn Sr put out a lively paper, but could not resist employing satire in many stories and poking fun at political figures. He was particularly fond of gossip and social items. Rube was pointedly harsh on European leaders and their conduct during World War I, Rube Allyn was a "War Hawk".

                   photo credit Sarasota Sun newspaper
Rube Allyn Sr was the Editor and Publisher of the SARASOTA SUN NEWSPAPER at 120 Gulf Stream Ave Sarasota Fl (1st issue Sat June 28, 1913) that came out every Saturday, it appears it was mailed via USPS. You could purchase a one year subscription to the SARASOTA SUN NEWSPAPER for just $1.00 as seen in the Saturday June 28, 1913 issue above, it only lasted a couple of years. Rube Allyn Sr would have been aware of the mass marketing of the Colt firearm company products via newspaper ads and sporting goods catalogs in the 1900's. The Lakeland evening telegram, March 10, 1914, Rube Allyn Sr. of the Sarasota Sun, attended the recent Gasparilla festivities in Tampa and for the first time met some of the big men of Florida. Rube was impressed and had this to say: "By the way, I cannot refrain from calling attention to the fact that Florida has for State officers some of the largest men physically of any state of the Union" A GRATUITOUS SLANDER. Rube could/would have placed Colt firearm ads in one of his many different newspaper publishing efforts in Canada and the USA. Rube started in the newspaper business working as a apprentice type setter in Ontario Canada in the office of the Mount Forest Representative in the 1880's, later as editor at the 'Daily Times' Crookston, Minnesota in 1898, the 'Reporter' in Rapid City Canada in 1902 as editor, Sarasota Florida the 'Sarasota Sun' in 1913 as publisher-editor and the 'Florida Fisherman' in 1920's St Petersburg Fl as editor, Rube would have known how to get a gun in the 1920's.

Hard drinking Irishman Rube Allyn claimed he had no hand in the murder of his neighbor H. L. Higel on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl at about 8:30 am on Friday Jan 7, 1921. Harry Higel was of direct German heritage, Rube hated Germans. Rube Allyn used a mocking affected German accent in most of his comedic routines on the Chautauqua circuit, in Tampa and St Pete. Rube Allyn classified the spoken German language as guttural and low class. In the early 1900's Rube Allyn performed on the Chautauqua Circuit well known for its summer arts programs. The original site in Chautauqua, New York, was near Jamestown. Elbert Hubbard met Chautauqua co-founder John Heyl Vincent and admired the Chautauqua program. Newspaperman Rube Allyn appears to have been a long time pal, follower, and exponent of Elbert Hubbard, a libertarian socialist philosopher. Elbert Green Hubbard (June 19, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. Rube Allyn idolized Elbert Hubbard, Rube wanted to be him, he wore his hair long like him and Rube dressed like him. Elbert Hubbard believed in social, economic, domestic, political, mental and spiritual freedom. As a youth, Elbert Hubbard worked as a cub reporter in Chicago at the Chicago Times newspaper. Hubbard became a famous writer and founder of the Roycroft Press that published many famous books.

In 1915 in order to accomplish his business of covering WWI Elbert Hubbard and his wife Alice booked passage on the Lusitania British passenger ship en route from New York to Liverpool, England. Part of his assignment was to interview German Kaiser Wilhelm whom Hubbard had disparaged in his writings, just like what Rube Allyn did in his Sarasota Sun newspaper. Elbert Hubbard was Rube Allyn's friend and the man who Rube emulated. Elbert Hubbard and his second wife Alice Moore Hubbard were murdered by Germans (Rube called them Prussian Savages) when the British passenger ship RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine. On the afternoon of May 7th 1915 a German U-boat torpedoed Lusitania 11 miles off the southern coast of Ireland inside the declared war zone. A second internal explosion sank her in 18 minutes, killing 1,198 passengers and crew. The sinking of the the Lusitania British passenger ship by the Germans caused a storm of protest in the United States because 128 American citizens were among the dead including Rube Allyn's pal Elbert Hubbard. This more than likely pushed Rube Allyn over the edge in his hatred of all Germans, Germans who murdered his friend Elbert Hubbard.

Rube Allyn became more of a 'War Hawk' after his friend Elbert Hubbard was killed by the Germans on May 7th 1915. Rube Allyn wrote disparaging and very critical articles about foreign governments that sided with Germany during WWI (1914 - 1918) in his Sarasota Sun newspaper that shuttered it's doors in 1916. World War I had a devastating effect on German-Americans like Harry Higel and their cultural heritage. German ancestry became a liability and gave rise to anti-German sentiment in the United States. On March 31st 1917 the Higelhurst Hotel on Siesta Key was burned down, it was owned by Harry Higel a man of direct German heritage who Rube Allyn had numerous violent arguments with. Rube Allyn was there on Siesta Key (when there was no bridges to the Island) and nearby when the Higelhurst Hotel was torched. Two days later on April 2, 1917, President Wilson went before a special joint session of Congress and asked for a declaration of war against Germany, America's entry into WWI.

After the US declared war on Germany in April of 1917, Rube Allyn at age 50 tried to join the Army so he could go to France and kill Germans. Rejected from service in the Army as too old (cut off age was 45). Instead Rube Allyn went to the Hog Island shipyard Philadelphia PA in Nov 1917 and worked for $.60 cents an hour building docks and eventually Merchant Marine ships during the war effort against Germany. In July 1918 Rube Allyn wrote an article that was published nationwide by the Associated Press (AP) newswire, see above. In the article "Rube claims he has a personal quarrel to adjust with the Prussian Savages (Germans) who massacred his friend Elbert Hubbard and his wife Alice as passengers on the British ship RMS Lusitania sunk by a German submarine." Rube stayed at Hog Island until late in 1919 enduring harsh winters and the Spanish influenza. Rube Allyn hated Germans, he called them Prussian Savages. As you will see with further reading here, information obtained from newspaper articles of the time will show that Rube Allyn was a bigot and a racist, he had an extraordinary hatred for people of German heritage, including Harry Higel.

Rube Allyn's actions and statements over a 60 year period, 1887 to 1947, indicate he was a violent far right extremest. Rube Allyn was a 'War Hawk' during WWI, he was so obsessed with killing Germans that he tried to join the Army in 1917 when he was about 50 years old. Rube Allyn made racist statements before a Congressional Committee in 1918, claimed he hated and despised the German speaking Jews that he worked with at the Hog Island Shipyard in Philadelphia PA. Rube claimed the German speaking Jews, who came from the slums of New York City and Philadelphia, were not equal as workers to him and other Americans or the Irish at the Hog Island Shipyard. Rube's statements before Congress resulted in 10,000 Jews being fired from the Hog Island Shipyard project. All this happened during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic in Philadelphia where more than 12,000 died. 

Rube Allyn denied killing his arch rival and neighbor Harry Higel. Rube Allyn was a pathological liar. Rube Allyn had multiple arrests for Attempted Murder before and after he was the suspect in the brutal murder of H. L. Higel on Siesta Key Jan 7th, 1921. Rube Allyn was banned and sent from St Pete in April 1930 for conspiring to murder rival Newspaperman James Ravenscroft over unfavorable articles written about Rube and his pal ex-St Pete mayor Noel A. Mitchell. Rube Allyn appears to have been someone with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Problems with alcohol often occur along with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (Rube often drunk).

Someone with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) and a heavy drinker like Rube Allyn could destroy property, react way out of proportion to things that happen and could attack or kill another person over nothing. Rube Allyn was a hot tempered, erratic, hard drinking Irishman whose eccentrics were condemned in Sarasota. Rube Allyn was known for fierce outbursts of temper. Rube Allyn was venomously bitter when confronted or disagreed with and frequently drunk in Sarasota. Rube had been in bitter disagreements with Harry Higel for years. Rube Allyn hated Germans, Harry Higel was of direct German heritage from Hurst GR. Rube Allyn was the correct suspect in the brutal beating murder of H. L. Higel on Jan 7th 1921, Rube did it.

The Shell Pit on Siesta Key. The Tampa Tribune newspaper posted an article on March 8th, 1921 with some key information about the murder of Harry Higel. Mr Higel was found brutally beaten about his head and face at 8:30 am near the edge of the shell pit at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave Siesta Key on Friday Jan 7th at 8:30 am. The Higel crime scene/murder location was at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave which is only 980 feet or a 3 min walk to the Harry Higel home at 3308 Higel Ave Siesta Key. Murder suspect Rube Allyn's cottage/house was adjoining the Higel house across Bayou Louise on the very north end of the Island and a 6 min walk from the crime scene. 

IN COLD BLOOD: The so called heavy iron pipe found 70 feet from the body of Harry Higel with blood on it turned out to be a rusted out 1/2 inch hollow galvanized gas pipe that had no connection to the Higel murder, the "blood was rust". The real Higel murder weapon was never found!

     story credit Tampa Daily Times Friday Jan 14, 1921
As per a Tampa Daily Times article written by J. R. Mickler Jr. on Friday January 14th, 1921, on site in Sarasota, new evidence appears to almost conclusively indicate that a very tall man murdered Harry Higel on Siesta Key. Rube Allyn was a tall man at 6' 2". The death blow to the left side of Harry Higel's skull came from a high angle, swinging downward to the top of Mr Higel's head. The mark of the weapon was clearly shown with a hole in the skull made by the pointed end of the weapon, a depressed skull fracture, most likely from a pistol whipping.

ACCORDING TO A TAMPA TRIBUNE ARTICLE PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 1921 THE MURDER OF HARRY L. HIGEL ON SIESTA KEY WAS DUE TO MULTIPLE BLOWS TO HIS HEAD AND FACE, AS IN A PISTOL WHIPPING. THE IRON PIPE FOUND NEARBY (1/2 INCH HOLLOW GAS PIPE BADLY RUSTED) WAS NOT THE MURDER WEAPON. THE MURDER WEAPON THAT BASHED IN HARRY HIGEL'S HEAD WAS NOT FOUND IN 1921 OR EVER, UNTIL POSSIBLY NOW.

   photo credit Colt firearm parts bill warner investigations
Harry Higel's face was unrecognizable he had depressed fractures on the top, side and back of his head, multiple wounds, as one would revive in a pistol whipping. Rube Allyn was a tall man at 6' 2" with long arms and a powerful build, Harry Higel was much shorter at about 5' 6" tall. The bottom of the butt of the Colt revolver found buried off of Higel ave on Siesta Key has a pointed edge. The buried revolver is a 1920's era Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with FANCY hard rubber grips and most likely a 6 inch barrel.

      photo credit screenshot Tampa Tribune News Jan 23, 1921
A lot of the things I have uncovered during my investigation and posted to this article were not in any of the books written about Mayor Harry Higel's murder on Friday Jan 7th, 1921. The discovery of a possible murder weapon, the rusted out Colt revolver with broken grip, was unknown until November 26, 2019. In fact a lot of the things written in certain books and current (1999 an on) media articles about Harry Higel's murder on Siesta Key are wrong. Most glaring is where they all say he died on Beach Rd, wrong. The murder weapon that bashed in Mr Higel's head was never located, until possibly now. My investigation spans 60 years from 1887 to 1947 and centers around Mayor Harry Higel and his violent adversaries Newspaper Editor Rube Allyn and Private Detective/Mayor Noel A. Mitchell. The investigation is based on actual and factual archived newspaper accounts from the time period and the discovery of a buried 1920's Colt revolver with a broken grip that could have been used in a pistol whipping. One of the first endeavors of the newly formed Sarasota County was a July 21st 1921 resolution offering a $1,000 reward for evidence leading to the capture of Harry Higel's murderer, more than $12,000 today, so far no takers. It appears Sarasota broke away from Manatee County in June of 1921 due in part to the mishandling of the Higel murder investigation.

Tracks in the sand near where Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key led in the direction of Rube Allyn's house. At about 10:00 am on Friday Jan 7th 1921 Manatee County Deputy Sheriff D. R. Brown and Sarasota City Marshal L. D. Hodges followed the tracks to Rube Allyn's house and called Allyn out of the house. "Did you know Higel had been murdered"? Marshal Hodges had asked the newspaperman. "No I didn't" Allyn said and went back in the house. Rube seemed reserved and did not question as to why the law was at his door, extremely odd for a newspaper man. Later that day at about 12 noon the two officers returned to the Allyn house with Harry Rigsby. Deputy Sheriff Brown asked Rube Allyn to return to the crime scene with them where they arrested him. Harry Rigsby stayed at the house with Mrs Rose Allyn. Mrs Allyn asked Harry Rigsby if they were going to arrest Rube for Higel's murder. Mrs. Allyn said "that Rube had not been himself this week, he had been out of his head and acting queerly for some time". Mrs. Allyn had provided a very weak alibi for Rube Allyn early that morning, saying he was out with his dog at the beach and back home by 8:00 am. Later the same morning Rose Allyn was over at the nearby Higel house and claimed that Rube was too sick to come out and speak with them. I ain't lyin', I don't lie, Without an Alibi.

   photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
Nothing in this article is meant to indict, implicate, disparage, accuse, or disrespect anyone in Law Enforcement in the unsolved murder of Harry Higel on January 7th, 1921. Manatee County Deputy Sheriff D. R. Brown and Sarasota City Marshal Leon Davis Hodges (L. D. Hodges) were first on the scene, they appear to have arrived at the Siesta Key crime scene at about 10:00 AM on Jan 7th. There was no Sarasota County Sheriff Dept or even a Sarasota County in January 1921. The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office was established in July 1921 upon the creation of Sarasota County from the southern portion of Manatee County that had been founded in 1855. Florida Governor Cary A. Hardee appointed Burna Dale Levi as the first Sheriff of Sarasota County in July 1921. On August 22, 1921, Sarasota City Marshal Leon Davis Hodges became the agency's first deputy. Marshal/Sheriff Deputy Leon Davis Hodges became Sarasota County Sheriff in 1922, he served between 1922 and 1929 and spent his tenure in office (prohibition) combating bootleggers. Back in the 1920's Law Enforcement was limited in available tools in proving a suspect guilty in a murder case. You had to have an eye-ball witness or a confession, you had to have the murder weapon, you had to have fingerprints or a blood match from the murder weapon or the suspects clothes to the victim.  

       photo credit SHOOTING TIMES colt police positive revolver. 
Why would anyone bury a Colt revolver with 6 live rounds in the cylinder unless it was used in a crime. The rusted .32 caliber Colt revolver (fully loaded) that was found buried on a street off of Higel Ave on Siesta Key November 26th, 2019 dates back at least 100 years. The rusted remains of the Colt .32 caliber revolver that had been buried on private property on Siesta Key for 100 years was identified from it's distinctive brown hard rubber grips and the word COLT circled high up on one of the grips typical to the time period of early and prior 1920's. The hard Colt rubber grips with the COLT logo were made from 1907 to 1922 and then changed in 1923 to Walnut wood stock grips .1907 saw the introduction of the Colt Police Positive revolver chambered for the .32 Colt and .32 New Police. Constructed on the medium-sized "D" frame, it was seen as suitable for both holster and concealed carry (private detectives). The "Positive" in the name refers to the Colt Positive Lock hammer-block safety, which interposes a steel bar between the hammer and the frame that prevents the hammer from going completely forward unless the trigger is pulled through a complete stroke (would not discharge if used to hit something or someone). At the time of the Police Positive's introduction, the American civilian revolver market was still dominated by .32-caliber revolvers, and the .38 Spl. cartridge did not catch on with civilians until well into the 1920s. Harry Higel appears to have been brutally pistol whipped and killed on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 on the north end of Siesta Key, almost 100 years ago.  

The rusted Colt revolver found on Siesta Key has been verified as a .32 caliber revolver. Available with 4-, 5-, and 6-inch barrels, the .32 caliber Police Positive Special was of compact dimensions and moderate weight (25 ounces with 6-inch barrel), and it was an immediate hit with American police. It was adopted by many agencies as it was thought to be the perfect size for both uniformed and plainclothes officers even when fitted with the 4-inch barrel. According to a 1916 Colt publication, the St. Louis, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Columbus, New York City NYPD and Chicago police departments all approved the Police Positive Special revolver as their issue sidearm. The only suspect in the murder of Harry Higel on Jan 7th, 1921 was Rube Allyn whose best pal and drinking buddy was private detective Noel A. Mitchell who possessed a revolver (Colt) and a carry permit.

Back in 1921 the blood match was limited to blood type only which was pretty vague. No murder weapon was ever found in Harry Higel's death. The butt of a gun like the rusted out 1920's era Colt Police Positive .32 Caliber revolver with a broken grip found buried on north Siesta Key in Nov 2019 could very well have caused the multiple depression fractures to the face and head of Harry Higel during a pistol whipping, it very well could be the missing murder weapon. The only suspect in the murder of Harry Higel was his neighbor Rube Allyn. In my opinion Rube Allyn was the correct suspect that is why he was arrested and spent 61 days in the Bradenton Jail waiting on the Grand Jury investigation. The Manatee County Grand Jury found there just was not enough direct evidence to proceed with a jury trial, they had no murder weapon, no murder weapon ever found. Rube Allyn got away with it.

Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy since at least 1916 was private investigator Noel A. Mitchell who owned the Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency in Tampa and St Pete. Mitchell was also Mayor of St Pete from 1920 to 1921. Rube Allyn and Noel Mitchell were drinking buddies who got in a lot of trouble between 1921 and 1930 with multiple arrests for violent crimes, Noel had money and connections. Noel Mitchell was Mayor of St Pete for only 1 1/2 years, kicked out of office in Nov 1921 for holding drunken parties in his office at City Hall during Prohibition. Noel A. Mitchell ran for Governor of Florida in 1916, he was not on the ballot, but he spent thousands on political ads and ended up with just 193 write in votes out of over 85,000 votes cast. Rube Allyn supported Noel A. Mitchell in news accounts in his Sarasota Sun. Noel Mitchell was a suspect in a 1930 St Pete murder where the victim was pistol whipped and then set on fire, the man's revolver was later found in a search of Noel Mitchell's house with a damaged and broken grip. Noel Mitchell in St Pete and Harry Higel in Siesta Key were rivals for the same beach front real estate business and the same type beach front Hotel business from rich north east tourists and fishermen since at least 1915 in South West Fla. Noel Mitchell was called the 'Sandman' for his aggressive approach to selling real estate lots on the beach. Noel Mitchell received a lot of competition for the same type of beach front real estate customer from Harry Higel and even more so for the same type beach front Hotel guest. Big money here.

According to an article originally posted in the Sarasota Sun by Rube Allyn and then reprinted by the Tampa Times on August 25th 1915, Tampa Mayor D. B. McKay was staying at Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel on Siesta Key for a few days. Tampa Mayor D. B. McKay raved about the Higelhurst Hotel as one of the most attractive and delightful resorts in all of Florida. Tampa Mayor D. B. McKay stated he would bring his whole family back for a nice rest  at the HigelHurst. Tampa Mayor D. B. McKay also viewed the famous fence dividing the Higel and Allyn properties that required by a special act of the Florida Legislature. The Allyn and Higel fence was up in August 1915. Noel Mitchell would have not liked this article about his competition harry Higel on Siesta Key. Noel Mitchel owned Mitchell's Beach Hotel on Johns Pass near Treasure Island St Pete and Harry Higel had his Higelhurst Hotel on Big Sarasota Pass on Siesta Key Fla. Both Hotels sought the rich fishermen from the North East to stay at their facility. Tampa Mayor D. B. Mc Kay publicly raved about Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel. Harry Higel was mayor of Sarasota 3 times and on the City Council he had a very successful political career and flourishing real estate business, he was connected. Higel could have run for the Senate or Governor if he had not been murdered. Noel Mitchell and Harry Higel were chasing the same dollar in South West Fla for at least 6 years before Harry Higel was murdered on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 and Rube Allyn was right in the middle of it all.

        photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
In 1921 there were 2,210 people living in the City of Sarasota Fl, on Siesta Key there were about 3 dozen year round residents, Harry Higel and Rube Allyn were two of them. In fact Harry Higel and Rube Allyn were just about next door neighbors on the very north end of Siesta Key, that was part of the problem as they both quarreled frequently. Rube Allyn lived all the way to the end of what is now Gulfmead Drive. Harry Higel lived directly across Bayou Louise from Rube Allyn towards the very end of Higel Ave. It appears Siesta Key was not big enough for these two Capricorns to coincide, Harry Higel just had a birthday on December 31st and Rube Hllyn had his on January 1st, both just days before the Higel murder on January 7th, 1921. Both Higel and Allyn in their own ways and worlds were ambitious, determined, overachieving workaholics who wanted to reap the rewards and benefits of success, such as fame, prestige and money, Harry Higel was on his way, Rube Allyn was not.

    photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
It was a typical winter day on Siesta Key and the surrounding areas on Friday Jan 7th, 1921, it was a nice day, it was not cold. The low last night was 51, today's high would be around 70, clear and sunny, low humidity, not raining and no sea fog, a perfectly clear day. That is why Charles Rodman and Herman Rosener who had set up tents near the Beach on the north end of Siesta Key were able to see and identify Rube Allyn as the man they saw a few minutes before 8:00 am walking in the vicinity of where Harry Higel would be found at 8:30 am in a pool of his own blood, just steps from his house on Higel Ave. Rube Allyn became the only suspect and the only person arrested in the brutal bludgeoning murder of Mr. Higel whose head was bashed in. No actual human blood was found on the supposed murder weapon, a 1/2 inch hollow rusted out gas pipe found some 70 feet from Harry Higel's body that was supposedly used to kill Mr. Higel, it was not. No blood was found on Rube Allyn's pants or Rube's shoes/sneakers linking him to the murder of Harry Higel whose body was found Jan 7th, 1921 at about 8:30 am on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl.

BACK STORY FOR MURDER MOTIVE OF HARRY HIGEL MAYOR OF SARASOTA BY RUBE ALLYN: Was Rube Allyn looking for Harry Higel the morning of Jan 7th, 1921 to kill him? Was Rube Allyn upset, again, about the fence across Higel Ave blocking the shortcut to his house on the north end of Strand (Gulfmead Rd) on Siesta Key? Rube Allyn lived right next to what was the old Sarasota Yacht Club, the very north end of Strand (Gulfmead Dr) on Siesta Key. Harry Higel had his house towards the very north end of Higel Ave. The plat map from 1907 Siesta Key changed somewhat with the completion of the north bridge in April 1917, but the terrain and streets and the bridge and the overall layout changed drastically after "The Tampa Bay Hurricane" of October 1921. (SEE MAP) There was a small bridge that connected the north end of Higel Ave on Siesta Key where Harry Higel lived to the small barrier island to the West and the very end of Strand (Gulfmead Dr) where Rube Allyn lived. The small bridge was there from from at least 1907 to the Oct 1921 Hurricane. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl. There were also small bridges at Mangrove, Ogden and N. Shell Rd/Roberts to the small barrier island to the West, this changed drastically after the "Oct 1921 Hurricane" that hit Siesta Key. Siesta Key became one of Harry Higel’s passions years before a bridge to the island was built in 1917. Harry Higel had put up a fence across Higel Ave on his property blocking access to the end of Higel Ave and the small bridge to the north end of Gulfmead Dr, Rube Allyn would not have liked that. The historic Harry Higel house at 3308 Higel Avenue on the northern tip of Siesta Key was built in 1915 before there was even a bridge to Sarasota. The Allyn and Higel fence was up in August 1915.

       photo credit Tampa Times News from Florida Historical 11 Jan 1921, Tuesday
Murder suspect Rube Allyn was living at the far north end of what was Strand Rd on the map above, across Bayou Louise from Higel's house. It appears Harry Higel was attacked sometime between 8:10 am and 8:30 am on Friday, Rube Allyn was in the vicinity on foot, most likely on Siesta Dr (Mangrove) near Gordon Ave as seen on map above. The battered body of Harry Higel was found in the road at 8:30 am at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl, marked #4 on the hand drawn Tampa Times Newspaper provided map above. 

The location on the 1921 Tampa Times hand drawn map marked #4 where Harry Higel was found is where you have to slow down to 25 mph as you come onto Siesta Key driving on Siesta Dr and make the big curve to the left that puts you on Higel Ave. There is a plaque in 'Galvin Park' that goes into some detail of Mr. Higel's murder. It was reported that Rube Allyn hated Harry Higel. During the Sarasota Mayor elections of 1916 and 1917 Harry Higel had a bitter battle against editor Rube Allyn who published the Sarasota Sun newspaper and who was also running for Mayor. Rube had violently argued with Higel during the mayoral elections. Rube Alllyn Sr was frequently drunk and generally hot-tempered and he owed Harry Higel money for the Allyn house and back rent on the office for his newspaper in Sarasota. 

Rube Allyn was living at the very end of of what is now Gulfmead Dr. Rube was able to see Harry Higel's house at 3308 Higel Ave directly across Bayou Louise on Siesta Key. Rube Allyn would know whenever Harry Higel left his house on Siesta Key Fl. During the Manatee County Grand Jury investigation in March of 1921 no direct evidence of Rube Allyn killing Harry Higel was presented, no witnesses, no murder weapon, all circumstantial. Apparently the stains on newsman Rube Allyn's canvas shoes (sneakers) were old printers ink stains. Any blood stains on Rube's pants or shoes was washed off from salt water when he most likely waded across Bayou Louise and went back to his home, (where his wet pants were found), on the north end of Siesta Key at about 8:25 am on Jan 7th. Rube Allyn lived right next to what was the old Sarasota Yacht Club at Fishery Point, the very north end of Gulfmead Dr on Siesta Key.

    photo credit Sarasota Times
A report by Dr. John Halton published in the Sarasota Times in early January 1921 went into some detail of the wounds Harry Higel suffered to his head and face during the fatal attack Friday Jan 7th, 1921 on Sarasota Key. Dr Halton made note of the wounds on the back of Harry Higel's head as well as his face and the top of his head. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl at 8:30 am and taken to Dr Halton's office. Dr Halton's office was located at 236 Main St Sarasota Fl (Halton, Dr John, eye, ear and nose specialist, office 236 Main, home 210 Coconut Av Sarasota Fl). The only way on or off of Siesta Key in Jan 1921 was the narrow north bridge (Higel bridge) that connected to Siesta Dr in Sarasota. According to the Sarasota Times article Harry Higel had an ugly cut over his right eye with the top of the skull being split open for about two inches and gaping apart. The wound on the left side of his head was equally dangerous, the skull crushed in BUT the skin not being broken. The multiple wounds on the back of the head indicated the head had been beaten with a club or some instrument (possibly a steel hardened revolver?).
Harry Higel appears to have had multiple depressed skull fractures according to a report from Dr. Joseph Halton on Friday Jan 7, 1921. A depressed skull fracture is a type of fracture usually resulting from blunt force trauma, such as getting struck with a hammer, rock or getting kicked in the head (or butt of a pistol). Harry Higel had a gash on his head exposing a crack in his skull above the right eye, multiple broken facial bones and several depressed fractures on the top, side and back of his head. These types of fractures—which occur in 11% of severe head injuries—are comminuted fractures in which broken bones displace inward. Depressed skull fractures present a high risk of increased pressure on the brain, or a hemorrhage to the brain that crushes the delicate tissue and results in death. The butt of a gun like the rusted out 1920's era Colt Police Positive .32 Caliber revolver with a broken grip found buried on north Siesta Key in Nov 2019 could very well have caused the multiple depression fractures to the face and head of Harry Higel during a pistol whipping. The Colt revolver was buried with 6 live rounds, who buries a gun with live rounds, who buries a gun unless it was used in a crime.

    photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
Dr. Joseph Halton was quoted in an article published by the Sarasota Times in January 1921 that went into detail concerning the wounds Harry Higel suffered to his head and face during the fatal attack Friday Jan 7th, 1921 on Siesta Key. In my opinion this was a pistol whipping of Harry Higel. Harry Higel was left for dead with head split open, he wasn't supposed to survive, but he did until mid-day on Friday January 7, 1921. The extensive and multiple brutal depressed fractures to the head and face of Harry Higel indicates great rage and some sort of personal vendetta from the attacker. It is my impression that Mr. Higel received multiple and extended blows to his head and face after he was already down on the sand and unconscious, way overkill, this was payback of some sort.

Why would anyone bury a Colt revolver with 6 live rounds in the cylinder and a broken grip and do everything possible to make it disappear when the cost of the Colt revolver ($25.00 in 1921 equal to $350.00 in today's money) was equal to a full weeks wages of $25.00 of a working man in the 1920's and it was easy to repair? Was it covered in blood? Was it the murder weapon used to beat Harry Higel to death? The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl. Photo above, left and right side of hard rubber grip of a rusted antique Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver found buried in a yard off of Higel Ave on north Siesta Key in late November 2019. Colt's Positive Lock prevented an accidental discharge even if the lowered hammer was struck or the pistol was dropped, (or used to hit someone) allowing the revolver to be safely carried with all six chambers loaded, the gun was ahead of it's time. "That Colt .32—you go out and hammer nails with it all day, come back and it will cut dead center on target every time. It's got a really nice action to it and a hell of a wallop."

      photo credit Colt firearm parts bill warner investigations
Harry Higel had a gash on his head exposing a crack in his skull above the right eye, several broken facial bones and several wounds on the top and back of his head. The butt of a gun like the Colt Police Positive .32 Caliber revolver could very well have caused the multiple depression wounds to the face and head of Harry Higel during a pistol whipping including the two-inch gash above the right eye. The murder weapon was never found, was it an axe, a shovel, a club or a hard steel revolver? Rumors had it that the murder weapon that killed Harry Higel was buried somewhere near what is now the Siesta Key Village on Beach Rd. When you look at a revolver for identification, the best place to locate latent fingerprints is on the smooth surface of the barrel, the cylinder or the ammunition. Conversely, DNA-containing material is best found on uneven or rough surfaces where cells have rubbed off or collected in low spots. The best place to locate DNA evidence on a gun is in the ridges of the grip, hammer or trigger. When DNA is analyzed for criminal-case purposes, the result is termed a “DNA profile.”The DNA profile can then be compared to known DNA profiles, commonly called standards, obtained from victims and suspects associated with the case.

Bloodhounds brought to the Harry Higel murder scene of the crime by Deputy Sheriff Brown initially picked up a scent on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave but soon lost it, most likely because Rube Allyn had waded into the salt water of Bayou Louise to get back to his house (where was his car during all this). If Rube Allyn was the murderer he would have been covered in blood and left a scent for bloodhounds but it appears Rube waded across salt water Bayou Louise to get back to his house. Fresh blood stains will disappear easily when immediately immersed in salt water. Interestingly Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy private investigator Noel A. Mitchell advertised that his detective agency used bloodhounds to track and catch criminals, Noel had the best manhunters. Did Rube Allyn's pal private detective Noel A. Mitchell tell him about law enforcement techniques and how to avoid capture. Like how to throw off the scent of bloodhounds by wading in salt water? Private detective Noel A. Mitchell claimed he had "secured some of the greatest Kentucky bloodhounds ever bred by the greatest American breeders of manhunters". Noel A. Mitchell would know how to throw bloodhounds off the trail.

     photo credit Colt Firearm mfg Hartford Conn
Seen above is what the rusted antique gun parts found on Siesta Key looked like when new, this is a 1919 production Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver chambered in Colt's .32 caliber Police cartridge. The Colt firearm was rugged and manufactured with a joint-less solid frame, one piece construction that would cause significant damage during a "pistol whipping". Harry Higel appears to have had multiple depressed skull fractures according to a report from Dr. Joseph Halton on Jan 7th, 1921. The firearm seen above is a 1st issue model Colt .32 caliber revolver with a 5" inch barrel. The 1st issue Colt Police Positive revolver was introduced in 1907 and remained in production until 1922 with the FANCY hard rubber grips seen above. It was a successful model for Colt, as it proved to be very reliable, well-made, and accurate, it featured a square-butt frame, and FANCY hard rubber grips with the Colt logo initially. The Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver would not discharge a round if dropped or used to hit something. Checkered American Walnut grips became standard in 1923 till 1945 and over 450,000 total units were sold from 1907 to 1945 to anyone and everyone.  

        photo credit Bill Warner Investigations
There is a plaque in a small park at the corner of Siesta Dr and Higel Ave on Siesta Key that commiserates the sad and unsolved murder of Harry Higel who was attacked on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 prior to 8:30 am. Rube Allyn was the only suspect in Mr Higel's murder. There was a great amount of favorable articles written about newsman Rube Allyn by his pals in the local media while he spent 61 days in the Manatee County Jail waiting for the the Grand Jury to convene. Obviously no fingerprints linking Rube Allyn to the iron pipe were found, the iron pipe was ruled out as the murder weapon. No murder weapon was ever found. But a rusted out Colt revolver with broken grip linked to the 1920's was found buried near a canal off of Higel Ave on north Siesta Key 99 years later in November 2019. Does the 1920's era Colt revolver link to the brutal bludgeoning murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel in January 1921? Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel had multiple depressed fractures all over his head and face that would usually indicate a pistol whipping, apparently no one looked for a gun as the weapon the caved Harry Higel's skull. Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel had no other injuries to his body, all the damage was to his head. Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl on January 7th, 1921 at 8:30 am. The 1920's era rusted out Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with fancy hard rubber grips, parts and broken grip were turned over to the Sarasota County Sheriff Department in late November 2019. 

   photo credit Bill Warner Investigations Sarasota Fl 
According to several books and news articles written about the unsolved murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel in January 1921, the murder weapon was never found. "Will the axe, shovel, handgun or whatever that took the life of Mayor Higel, possibly buried on Siesta Key, yet surface in an excavation? Maybe it did 99 years later with the discovery of a buried and broken but fully loaded 1920's era Colt revolver on Siesta Key off of Higel Ave in Nov 2019 that could have been used in a deadly pistol whipping of Harry Higel. Newsman Rube Allyn was known to own and carry firearms of all sorts, he was an angry outdoors man, he shot 19 year old Brooks Brewer with a shotgun in 1929 Ruskin Fl for walking near his cottage. Rube published a monthly magazine called the Florida Fisherman. Rube would have known where to get a gun in 1921, he had several. Rube's best friend was Noel A. Mitchell who owned a private detective agency that employed armed private detectives who would have carried the Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver in 1921.

The Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with fancy rubber grips one broken, as seen above, was buried fully loaded with 6 live bullets, who buries a loaded gun unless it was used in a crime. The .32 caliber Colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key in Nov 2019 must date from 1907 to 1921. The Colt Police Positive is a small-frame, double-action revolver featuring a six-round cylinder, chambered for either .32 or .38 caliber. Designed primarily for sale to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies, and private detectives (like Noel A. Mitchell's). The .32 caliber Police Positive was introduced into the firearms market by Colt's Mfg Company in 1907. First issue of the Police Positive ran from the revolver's introduction in 1907 sporting Colt's standard hard rubber grips as seen in photo above. Checkered Walnut grips became standard after 1923. The Colt Police Positive was an improvement of Colt's earlier “New Police” revolver, upgraded with an internal hammer block safety, that would not discharge a round (fire) if dropped or if you hit something with it, like Harry Higel's head. A nickel Police Positive with pearl grips & .32 caliber was used by Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey in Death Wish. The notorious American gangster Al Capone also used a Police Positive, a nickel .38 Police Positive with walnut grips and a 4-inch barrel, manufactured in 1929.

Harry Higel's body was found Jan 7th, 1921 at about 8:30 am on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl. The North Bridge (Higel Bridge) to Siesta Key was completed in April of 1917 and commissioned in May 1917. Construction of the Stickney Point Bridge, (South Bridge), was started on May 8, 1926. When Harry Higel was murdered on Jan 7th, 1921 there was only one way onto Siesta Key from Sarasota, the North Bridge. Rube Allyn owned a Ford Model T car, (he called it a tin Lizzie) that he had painted battleship gray when he was working at Hog Island PA, he drove it back to Sarasota in Sept 1919. Rube Allyn drove his Model T Ford back from St Pete on Thursday night Jan 6th, 1921, the night before Harry Higel was murdered. Rube had been working on his Florida Fisherman magazine at the St Pete Times office, in fact he had been living in St Pete since at least June of 1920 and coming home to Siesta Key on weekends in his Model T Ford. 

HARRY HIGEL MURDER TIMELINE: On Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921 at about 7:30 AM Bill Reed a carpenter driving to work on a Key house saw Rube Allyn near where Harry Higel's body was found on Siesta Key, he knew Rube. Rose Allyn, Rube's wife, later confirmed Rube was out of the house at 7:30 AM. Campers Charles Rodman and Herman Rosener had set up tents near the beach and were able to see and identify Rube Allyn as the man they saw a few minutes before 8:00 AM walking in the vicinity of where Harry Higel would be found at 8:30 AM. Campers Rodman and Rosener also spoke about a car parked in the vicinity near the beach. Manuel McMullen a worker at the shell pit near Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) spoke directly to Harry Higel at 8:10 AM, he was to deliver wood to the Higel house at 8:30 AM. On Friday January 1921 probably less that 80 people were on the whole north end of Siesta Key, working, tourists or residents. The actual crime appears to have occurred at about 8:22 AM. Harry Higel was found by Bert Luzier and his son Merle at 8:30 AM lying in the road (Siesta Dr), they had no idea who the badly battered man was, his face and head were savagely beaten. Harry Higel was found on a beach Rd (Siesta Dr) on Siesta Key, not Beach Rd as some books written on the subject have reported. The location of where Higel's body was found confirmed with a hand drawn map by a reporter actually at the the scene for the Tampa Tribune, see above.

The Luzier's loaded battered and dying Harry Higel into their work truck and took of for Sarasota and Dr Halton's office on Main Street, in 1921 there was no hospital in Sarasota. Harry Higel was found near the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Friday Jan 7th, 1921 at 8:30 AM. Rube Allyn was mobile on Friday Jan 7th, 1921, he had his Ford Model T car the day Harry Higel was murdered. Rube Allyn was able to be out and about for at least 1 hour after Harry Higel was found at 8:30 AM and before any law enforcement came to the crime scene on Siesta Key at about 10:00 AM, no sheriff patrols, no two way radios and poor roads. There was no way for Bert Luzier and his son Merle to notify anyone as they drove the barely breathing Harry Higel to Dr Halton's office in downtown Sarasota arriving at about 9:00 AM, they did not recognize him. Mrs Rose Allyn went to the Higel house at about 11:00 AM on Higel Ave to inquire about Harry Higel's injuries stating that she had just heard that he had been hurt. Mrs Rose Allyn said her husband Rube would have made the inquiry himself but he was home sick (she lied), not likely as she stated later to the sheriff deputy that Rube was out of the house at 7:30 AM. Rube Allyn was arrested at about 2:00 PM on circumstantial evidence and witness statements at his home on Siesta Key and initially brought to Sarasota on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 at about 2:00 PM. Rube was later transferred to the more secure Bradenton jail. There was an open window for Rube Allyn between the time Harry Higel's body was found at 8:30 AM and driven into town and when Deputy Sheriff D. R. Brown and Marshal L. D. Hodges arrived at the Siesta Key crime scene at about 10:00 AM to hide anything that might incriminate himself. For the first 1/2 hour or more after 8:30 AM the victim Harry Higel was unrecognizable, semi-conscious and unable to speak. Dr Halton one of his best friends did not recognize Harry Higel when he was first brought into his office in downtown Sarasota at about 9:00 AM. Dr Halton thought the unknown man had been hit by a car. Precious time had gone by to catch the murderer of Harry Higel who was later identified by his signet ring with H.H. inscribed. I feel very strongly there is a connection to the 1920's era Colt revolver with the broken grip found buried in Nov 2019 near a canal off of Higel Ave and Harry Higel's bludgeoning murder (pistol whipping). Nobody buries an easily repairable fully loaded gun unless it was used in a crime.

So if Rube Allyn had pistol whipped Harry Higel at about 8:25 am on Jan 7th, 1921 how did the supposed murder weapon, a Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with fancy hard rubber grips and one grip broken end up a little over a 1 mile away on a street off of Higel Ave just below the Out of Door Academy on Siesta Key. It is only a 3 min ride from where Harry Higel was killed on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave to where the Colt revolver with the broken grip was found in a yard next to a canal on a street just off of Higel Ave. The Colt revolver could have been thrown out of a vehicle (Rube Allyn's) in the vicinity of the canal and over time (99 years) sunk into the mud.

The Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with fancy hard rubber grips was made of carbon steel, and was finished with either a polished blued finish or nickel-plated. The Colt .32 caliber revolver was issued to law enforcement all over the USA and of course in South West Fla in 1921, it was also a favorite of private detectives who tended to have been prior law enforcement. Harry Higel was murdered on January 7, 1921 on Siesta Key, Rube Allyn was also on Siesta Key on January 7, 1921 and witnesses saw Allyn near the crime scene. On January 7, 1921 Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy was private detective Noel A. Mitchel. Noel Mitchell also happened to be the sitting mayor of St Pete on January 7, 1921. Noel A. Mitchell was a big time real estate mogul who sold beach front lots on Johns Pass St Pete, they called him the "Sandman". Mitchell was just like Harry Higel who sold beach font lots on Big Pass Siesta Key. The two were rivals for the rich north east tarpon fisherman who would stay at their respective beach front Hotels. Harry Higel and Noel A. Mitchell were rivals and competing for the same big dollars in real estate. Noel A. Mitchell had a Florida carry permit for a revolver in 1921, it was revoked in 1924. The First issue of the Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with hard rubber grips ran from the revolver's introduction in 1907 until 1923. Sporting Colt's standard hard rubber grips, it was offered with barrel lengths of 2.5, 4, 5, and 6 inches, and was chambered for the .32 Long Colt. Checkered Walnut grips became standard after 1923.

      photo credit screenshot St. Petersburg: An Oral History, book.
Noel A. Mitchell was a boom-time bad boy in St Pete Fl. Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy was Noel A. Mitchel who was a professional actor at one time and parlayed his theatrical expertise into his political career. Rube Allyn and Noel A. Mitchell were of direct Irish heritage and prone to drink too much. Noel A. Mitchell did dramatic readings of 'Irish Casey'. Rube Allyn was also a dramatic actor, vaudeville entertainer and newsman, he and his pal Noel A. Mitchell were one in the same. Noel Mitchell St. Petersburg developer, purchased everything from around 140th Avenue south to John’s Pass in 1914 and promoted riding the city streetcars out to the Jungle area next to Boca Ciega Bay where he had boats ready to take curious land dwellers out to the island. He later built a hotel on the north side of John’s Pass, Mitchell's Beach Hotel. Madeira Beach in 1914 was Mitchell's version of trying to build a Miami Beach 10 years before Miami Beach took off. He just had a couple of problems – there was no free bridge or toll bridge, and no fresh water.

    photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy since at least 1916 in St Pete and then again in early 1920 after Rube returned from Hog Island PA was private detective Noel A. Mitchell. Rube Allyn born January 1st, 1866 Mt. Forest, Ontario, Canada, deceased October 23rd 1947 Ruskin Fl. Noel A. Mitchell born January 9th, 1874 Block Island RI deceased October 6, 1936. Noel A. Mitchell owned the "Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency" in Tampa and St Pete, Noel and his detectives would have been armed with Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolvers. Rube Allyn's best pal private detective Noel A. Mitchell ran a very aggressive detective agency. Noel Mitchell's detective ads requested burglary victims to call his night phone office at 782-M and he would have his detectives respond to help, "armed to the teeth with shotguns filled with buckshot".  

Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy was Noel A. Mitchell of St Pete, they both had problems with Harry Higel. Noel A. Mitchell was one of the original snowbirds, when not promoting his beach Hotel or Real Estate business or private detective agency or running for political office during season he made his home in New Haven Conn during the summer months he was also known to frequent Hartford Conn. Noel A. Mitchell and was also known to visit New York City. The Colt Firearm Manufacturing Co is located in Hartford, Connecticut along the Connecticut River and has been there since 1855. Connecticut was Colt firearm country. Noel A. Mitchell was known to carry a revolver, he had a concealed firearm carry permit in Florida issued by the Sheriff of Pinellas County. Noel A. Mitchell aggressively advertised his private detective agency as an alternative to calling the police. Noel A. Mitchell even ran for the office of Pinellas County Sheriff, he lost, Noel A. Mitchell wanted to be a cop. Noel A. Mitchell would have carried a Colt revolver, much like the Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with fancy hard rubber grips found buried on Siesta Key in November 2019. Over the years Noel A. Mitchell racked up multiple arrests in St Pete; in January 1925 he was charged with Public Intoxication and Carrying a Concealed Weapon, 3 more Public Intoxication arrests over following years, an Assault and Battery charge he slugged St Pete Mayor Al Lang, Suspect in a plot to murder local newsman James Ravesncroft with Rube Allyn in April 1930, and two months later Suspect in the murder of George M. Council in St Pete June 1930. 

Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy was Noel A. Mitchell of St Pete, they both had problems with Harry Higel. Noel A. Mitchell was a suspect and linked to the murder of George M. Council in June 1930 whose body was soaked in gasoline and burned in an arson fire (pistol whipped first). St Pete Police Captain Lipphard believes that George M. Council's skull was crushed possibly during a pistol whipping before the fire. When George Council's charred body was lifted from the floorboards of his house parts of the skull dropped off where the skin had burned off. Large amounts of blood where found when the body was lifted up. George M. Council had to be unconscious or already dead as the fire was set directly on his body soaked in gasoline. Noel A. Mitchell was with George Council during the day and was in the Council house the night of the fire. Noel A. Mitchell somehow ended up with Council's revolver after the fire. Council's firearm had damages to the butt of the revolver, it had been used to hit something or someone. The Coroner's Jury found that George M. Council "Met death by fire and other causes by person or persons unknown, Murder. George M. Council's murder never solved, just like Harry Higel's.

    photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
From 1920 to 1924 Noel A. Mitchell never made mention of contacting the St Pete Police Dept or the Pinellas County Sheriff if you were robbed or the victim of a burglary in any of his private detective agency ads. Call Noel, We See All Hear All Know All. Noel A. Mitchell seemed to feel his detective agency was equal to or better than local law enforcement in Pinellas County, that would include the Sheriff Dept and the St Pete Police Dept. Noel A. Mitchell claimed "we have the best and most skilled detectives in the nation". Noel A. Mitchell ran unsuccessfully for the office of Sheriff of Pinellas County in June of 1924. Noel A. Mitchell had a deputy sheriff card that allowed him to carry a concealed revolver but that card was revoked in May 1924 due to prior bad acts and just before he ran for County Sheriff. Noel's private detectives would have carried the Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with fancy hard rubber grips from 1920 to 1924, it was the standard.

After unsuccessfully running for mayor of St Pete between 1912 and 1919 private detective Noel A. Mitchell would not be denied. Noel Mitchell was Mayor of St Pete for a short period of time, April 6, 1920 to November 15, 1921. Noel Mitchell was recalled for having a drunken party at City Hall during Prohibition, Rube Allyn was there. Rube Allyn and Noel Mitchell were drinking buddies who got in a lot of trouble between 1921 and 1930, Rube knew Noel Mitchell since at least 1916 when Noel ran for Governor of Florida. Noel A. Mitchell and his detectives at the 'Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency' would have carried Colt .32 caliber pocket police positive revolvers from 1920 to 1924. Most likely the men working for Noel Mitchell's Private Detective Agency were former law enforcement and the standard issued weapon of the time to police agencies was the "Colt .32 caliber Pocket Police Positive Revolver with Hard Rubber Grips". Just like the rusted out Colt .32 caliber Poclet Police Positive revolver with fancy hard rubber grips found off of Higel Ave on Siesta Key with a broken grip buried down about 3 feet in November 2019.

   photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy Noel A. Mitchell of St Pete who over the years racked up a number of criminal arrests, appears he had a fiery temper. On May 10th, 1919 Noel A. Mitchell was arrested on a charge of Assault and Battery after he slugged then St Pete Mayor Albert Fielding Lang (Al Lang) at a political rally that got out of hand on the corner of Forth St and Central Ave St Pete. Noel A. Mitchell was making a speech and had called out Mayor Lang. Mayor Lang responded by calling Noel Mitchell a "cur and a liar". The police initially refused to offer Bond for Mitchell's release. Noel A. Mitchell's $50 Bond was posted and he was let out of jail the same day, the case was dismissed and charges later dropped. Noel A. Mitchell the "Sandman" surely would have not liked Harry Higel cutting into his real estate empire of selling beach front lots in South West Fla taking sales away from Noel.

Harry Higel had his Higelhurst Hotel built on the Gulf side of north Sarasota Key overlooking Big Sarasota Pass in 1915, the hotel would have been on old Strand Rd, there would have been a road to the HigelHurst Hotel especially from Harry Higel's house just to the north on Siesta Key at the end of Higel Ave. The Higelhurst Hotel on N Siesta Key was overlooking Big Pass with an unobstructed view of the Gulf of Mexico directly across from Lido Beach. The Higelhurst Hotel was on the beach less than 50 yards to the Gulf and Big Pass waters. The very north end of Bayou Louise was behind the Hotel. Rube Allyn was the only suspect in the brutal murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key. Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy was Noel A. Mitchell of St Pete and Tampa Fla. Noel Mitchell was the former Mayor of St Pete from 1920 to 1921, he was a big time real estate guy known as the 'Sandman' who sold beach properties in St Pete Fla. Noel A. Mitchell was also well known for his Mitchell's Beach Hotel on John Pass St Pete Fl as a fishing and bathing headquarters since at least 1914. Harry Higel in Sarasota appears to have been Noel Mitchell's main rival in selling beach front properties in South West Fl and with the addition of his Higelhurst Hotel on Big Pass Siesta Key in 1915 Higel was able to pull Mitchell's Beach Hotel customers and fisherman to Siesta Key. Fishing was a big part of the HigelHurst Hotel's allure as it was with Noel A. Mitchell and his Mitchell's Beach Hotel on John Pass, big competition here. Harry Higel undercut Noel A. Mitchell's Hotel weekend rate of $2.75 a day at Mitchell's Beach Hotel. Harry Higel advertised a $2.50 a day rate, 7 days a week, at his Higelhurst Hotel with the same amenities as the Mitchell Beach Hotel, fishing, bathing, fine dining, etc.

     photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
In February 1914, St. Petersburg developer Noel A. Mitchell and his associates acquired lands north of Johns Pass from George Roberts. Noel Mitchell, often known as the "Sandman," developed plans for a community named "Mitchell Beach." Mitchell sent crews by boat to develop infrastructure such as sidewalks, built a hotel on the shore of what was then called Olive Island, and hired a "fine chef" with expertise in cooking seafood to serve meals to prospective residents and investors from the north east. Harry Higel did the exact same thing in 1915 on Siesta Key with his Higelhurst Hotel. Harry Higel's HigelHurst Hotel was on the beach just south of N. Shell Rd, built in 1915 and burned down in 1917. The Higelhurst Hotel was overlooking Big Pass with an unobstructed view of the Gulf of Mexico, the only way to get to it was by boat, (just like Mitchell's Beach Hotel in the beginning). No bridge to Siesta Key until May 1917. Mitchell's Beach Hotel on John Pass St Pete Fl was known as fishing headquarters since at least 1914. Noel Mitchell would not have liked the competition from the HigelHurst Hotel, which even copied the look of his hotel the Higelhurst opened in 1915. Noel Mitchell would not have liked the Higelhurt Hotel drawing away the well healed fisherman from the North East who spent big money at his Mitchell's Beach Hotel on Johns Pass Madeira Beach St Pete Fla. If the Higelhurst Hotel had not burned down (suspiciously) on March 30th 1917 and with the opening of the north bridge to Siesta Key in May 1917, Mitchell's Beach Hotel on Madeira beach would have had some very serious competition and loss of income.

Siesta Key became one of Higel’s passions years before a bridge to the island was built. In 1907 he formed the Siesta Land Company with two partners, Capt Louis Roberts and E.M. Arbogast. In 1915 Harry Higel in Siesta Key and Noel Mitchell in St Pete were competitors selling beach front property in South West Fla and owners of big Hotels on the Gulf of Mexico pulling in well healed fisherman from the North East. They both wanted the exact same thing from the exact same customer. Harry Higel's HigelHurst Hotel was burned down on March 30, 1917, just 1 month before the North Bridge to Siesta Key was completed in April of 1917 which would have allowed a big influx of tourists and fisherman to the HigelHurst Hotel by road. Harry Higel had just put under contact a 3 story addition to the Higelhurst hotel with contractor George L. Lysat that would have been all concrete block with an asbestos roof in early March 1917, the project was to start right away. The Higelhurst Hotel would have been the jewel of South West Fl on Sarasota Big Pass if it had not been torched. Rube Allyn was considered the person responsible for torching the HigelHurst Hotel, his pal Noel Mitchell would have been very happy with his competition Harry Higel out of the Hotel business. Also Rube Allyn hated Germans, Harry Higel was of German herituge. Rube Allyn's pal and the man he emulated Elbert Hubbard and his second wife, Alice Moore Hubbard, died aboard the RMS Lusitania when it was sunk by a German submarine off the coast of Ireland on May, 1915 during WWI. Additional reasons for Rube Allyn to hate Germans, the people who murdered his idol Elbert Hubbard.

Rube Allyn had stayed late in St Pete on Thursday Jan 6th 1921 to work on his 'Florida Fisherman' monthly publication before returning to Siesta Key, Harry Higel was murdered early the next morning on Siesta Key. Rube Allyn and his pal St Pete Mayor Noel A. Mitchell were also heavily involved with the start-up 'Florida West Coast Winter Baseball League' that played from Nov 18 to Feb 22 in 1920. Rube Allyn was the league Secretary per an article in the Tampa Times on December 24th, 1920. St Pete Mayor Noel A. Mitchell was the head of the St Petersburg baseball team. The Florida West Coast Winter Baseball League never made it past 1920. In one form or another, Spring Training baseball has always been a part of organized baseball. Major League Baseball spring training began in St. Petersburg on Feb. 27, 1914, with the St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles). New York Yankees held spring training in St. Pete beginning in 1925 and ending in 1961. MIAMI FIELD: After the Boston Braves came down in 1916 for the "first spring training in South Florida", the team stayed in South Florida for two more springs before moving out of the state. Sarasota entered the Spring Training Grapefruit League in Feb 1924 when Payne Park was built at 2050 Adams Lane in 1923. Carved out of a 60-acre plot, the park had seats for about 3,400 spectators and featured a center field fence that stood 500 feet from home plate. A little-remembered tenant of Payne Park in 1927 was Sarasota's first radio station WJBB. Newspapers were the only form of information in 1921 when Harry Higel was murdered.

Rube Allyn was spending a lot of time during September-December 1920 with his pal St Pete Mayor Noel A. Mitchell working on his Florida Fisherman Magazine and the schedule for the 'Florida West Coast Winter Baseball League' which ran from Nov 18th to Feb 22nd of which Rube Allyn was the league Secretary in St Petersburg. Rube Allyn and Noel A. Mitchell of the 'Florida West Coast Winter Baseball League' were trying to get NY Yankees icon Babe Ruth and Detroit Tigers star Ty Cobb to come down for the winter baseball season in Florida and play for their teams. Mayor Noel A. Mitchell was the head of the St Petersburg baseball team and Rube Allyn was the 'Florida West Coast Winter Baseball League' Secretary as per an article in the Tampa Times on December 24th, 1920. Two big league ball players will be allowed on each of the teams with the rest of the roster from minor league team players. The teams of the league are Tampa, St Pete, Tarpon Springs, and Sarasota Fl which was organized Sept 1920. White Sox slugger 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson offered to manage the St Pete team for $200 a month and future hall of fame inductee Rogers Hornsby agreed to play short stop for the Sarasota team for $200 a month.

  photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
On Feb 5th, 1925 the Tampa Bay Times published an article about former Mayor Noel A. Mitchell and his problems with alcohol that led to his arrest. Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy Noel A. Mitchell of St Pete was arrested in January 1925 on a charge of Intoxication and Carrying a Concealed Weapon. Noel A. Mitchell appears to have considered himself to be a badass just like his pal Rube Allyn. Noel Mitchell was arrested again in July of 1925 on a charge of public drunkenness and then again in April of 1930, this was all taking place during Prohibition times.

Newsman and outdoors-man Rube Allyn had a violent criminal history, he shot a young guy in the back with his shotgun just for walking too close to his cottage in Ruskin Hillsborough County Fl. It appears Rube liked to hurt people, there should be police records archived on microfilm in Pinellas and Hillsborough County for Rube Allyn's Attempted Murder arrests in 1929 and 1930 and another Attempted Murder charge in 1918 Philadelphia PA.
1). On Feb 20th 1918 Rube Allyn gleefully told a Senate Committee investigation of the US Naval shipyard at Hog Island where he was working that he threw two Jews off the trolley into the street on his way to work, he was arrested for Attempted Murder and what today would have been also considered a "HATE CRIME", outside Philadelphia PA, charges dropped, victims disappeared. 
2). On Jan 7th, 1921 Rube Allyn was arrested for the Murder of Harry Higel, the Manatee County Grand jury failed to indict, no "True Bill". A Grand jury indictment is a constitutional right in felony cases. It is an alternative means of prosecution in many states. In either system, the grand jury is the people’s panel (Rube Allyn pals). It stands as a group of randomly-selected members of the community, strategically placed “as a kind of buffer or referee between the Government and people.”
3). On May 22, 1929 Rube Allyn shot a young man, Brooks Brewer, 19, who was walking on the road near Rube Allyn's secluded cottage in Ruskin Fl. Rube was charged with Attempted Murder with a shotgun, Rube shot the young guy in the back. Charges eventually dropped by Brooks due to pressure from his father (somebody got to him), Dad said "Brooks wasn't hurt that bad, we need to get along in Ruskin", OMG what the hell? 

         photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
4). In April 1930 Rube Allyn was arrested again, this time in St Petersburg were he had been living at his mother-in-law's house. Rube plotted with ex-Mayor Noel Mitchell of St Pete to shoot and kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft with a shotgun blast. James Ravenscroft was a columnist for the Tampa Tribune. Rube had been living directly across the street from the Ravenscroft home. Rube was eventually released from jail on April 30th, 1930 and driven out of St Petersburg via the Gandy Bridge by former mayor Noel A. Mitchell to Ruskin Fl. Ruskin is where private detective Noel A. Mitchell aka 'Sandman Mitchell' and Rube Allyn owned land, they were followed out of St Pete by a police escort of two City detectives, Bob Black and J. B. King, don't come back Rube. 

     photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
An extensive search of news articles from 1918 to 1930 concerning newsman Rube Allyn reveals a very disturbing pattern of violence. Rube Allyn was a badass, don't cross Rube you'll end getting shot. Rube Allyn and Noel Mitchell were known to drink to excess in Ruskin and then return to St Pete during Prohibition times. Rube Allyn was kicked out of town in April 1930, don't come back to St Pete Rube, murder plot charges eventually dropped. Prior to this incident, Noel Mitchell was the mayor of St Pete Fl from April 6, 1920 to November 15, 1921 before he was kicked out of office for hosting a drunken party at City Hall during Prohibition, LOL. Noel A. Mitchell was very good friends with Rube Allyn (Rube of Siesta Key) they were drinking buddies since at least 1916 during Noel A. Mitchell's disaster of run for Governor of Florida, he got 193 write in votes (total) and spent thousands on political ads.

    photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
Rube Allyn and Noel A. Mitchell were best pals from at least October 1916, see glowing article above penned by Rube Allyn speaking about his drinking buddy Noel A. Mitchell on October 12, 1916 in the Tampa Bay Times St Pete. Rube goes on about how Noel A. Mitchell is the best friend of the newspaperman by buying thousands of dollars in political ads. Rube Allyn recommends that Noel A. Mitchell should be elected Governor of Florida if he had been on the ballot, he was not, he ran for write in votes. Noel A. Mitchell got 193 write in votes in the November 1916 election for Governor of Florida and spent thousands, he didn't even get 1% of the vote. 
Results for Governor of Florida November 1916 Election:
Sidney J. Catts (Prohibition) 47.71%.....39,546 VOTES
William V. Knott (Democratic) 36.61%..30,343 VOTES
George W. Allen (Republican) 12.47%...10,333 VOTES
C. C. Allen (Socialist) 2.98%....................2,470 VOTES
Noel A. Mitchell (Independent) 0.23%....... 193 VOTES

     photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
It appears that Rube Allyn was complaining about how the State press was having considerable fun at Noel Mitchell's expense because Noel referred to himself as "The Cyclone". Noel Mitchell spent thousands and thousands of dollars in his bid for Mayor of St Pete, 2 time loser, and in his bid for Governor of Florida which was a disaster. Noel finally bought the St Pete Mayor's job in 1920. The funny part of Noel A. Mitchell's platform for Gov. of the State of Florida was that he supported Prohibition on the State and Federal level and yet he was recalled from his position as Mayor of St Pete in Nov 1921 because he had thrown drunken parties in his office at City Hall 175 5th St N, St. Petersburg 'During Prohibition'. During 1916 newsman Rube Allyn was writing negative articles about Harry Higel in his bid for Mayor of Sarasota, Rube questioned Mr. Higel's character. Rube hated Harry Higel and it just got worse. Harry Higel and Noel Mitchell were big time rivals in the beach real estate business and in the Hotel business in South West Fla.

    
    PHOTO CREDIT COLT REVOLVER BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS
Colt Pocket Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with fancy hard rubber grips seen above, why would anyone bury such a gun? Harry Higel was murdered on January 7th, 1921, he was beaten to death. Rube Allyn had been in St Pete all that week with Noel Mitchell before returning to Siesta Key on Thursday night Jan 6th, 1921. Rube Allyn owned a shotgun and very likely other firearms, like handguns or rifles, did Rube Allyn own a Colt .32 caliber revolver with fancy hard rubber grips, one grip broken, that ended up buried 99 years ago? Or did Rube obtain a Colt revolver from his pal private detective Noel A. Mitchell. Noel A. Mitchell and his detectives at the 'Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency' would have carried Colt Pocket Police Positive .32 Caliber revolvers from 1920 to 1924.

     photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
Noel Mitchell former mayor of St Pete Fl from April 6, 1920 to November 15, 1921 was good friends with Rube Allyn (Rube of Siesta Key). It appears that Rube Allyn and Noel A. Mitchell hooked up in late 1916 and 'worked' together thru all of the 1920's into the 1930's. The Tampa Bay Times published an article in December 1921 concerning Mayor Noel Mitchell traveling to Tampa and then Ruskin Fl with Rube Allyn. The story goes on as how Noel Mitchell came back from Ruskin, and the author of the story, Frank Pulver found Noel Mitchell in the lobby at City Hall very drunk after being with Rube Allyn all day in Ruskin. Both Allyn and Mitchell were Liberal Progressives and known to be heavy drinkers with hot tempers, multiple violent arrests for both of them.

    photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
Rube Allyn was living on and off again in St Pete in 1920 starting up his Florida Fisherman magazine, he lived at his mother-in-law's house at 743 35th Ave South St Pete during different time periods and also at the Detroit Hotel. Rube Allyn's main residence was his home on the north end of Siesta Key. In 1921 it was at least a 3 1/2 drive from St Pete to Siesta Key. Rube Allyn's drinking buddy in 1921 was St Pete Mayor Noel Mitchell whose outward and friendly manner would bring an early end to his tenure as Mayor of St. Petersburg. Ever the socialite, Noel Mitchell loved throwing lavish parties for his friends and constituents. While throwing a party during the prohibition era was not illegal, drinking was. In November 1921, the local police raided a drunken party Noel Mitchell hosted in his mayoral office and later charged Noel Mitchell with public drunkenness. Rube often traveled with Noel Mitchell when he was Mayor of St Pete, Rube Allyn would have been at this party.

   photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
After Noel A. Mitchell's refusal to resign from office of Mayor due to his drinking, Noel A. Mitchell was recalled on November 15, 1921. Noel A. Mitchell immediately announced his intention to run again for the Mayor of St. Petersburg and later for the Governorship of Florida, he would never again attain office in the State of Florida or anywhere else. Later in June 1930 Noel Mitchell was the main suspect in the murder of George Council in St Pete and also he was implicated with Rube Allyn in a plot to kill St Pete newsman James Ravenscroft in April 1930. Noel A. Mitchell was the only suspect in the murder of Geroge M. Council in June 1930. Coroner's Jury found that George M. Council "Met death by fire and other causes by person or persons unknown, Murder. His murder never solved.

 photo credit screenshot St Petersburg Times newspaper.
Ex-Mayor Noel Mitchell of St Pete supported Rube Allyn when he was charged with the murder of Harry Higel in Jan 1921. Noel Mitchell and Rube Allyn were pals all during the 1920's and into the 1930's. Rube Allyn supported Noel Mitchell when he was a suspect in the murder of George Council in June 1930. It appears that Noel Mitchell was a heavy drinker just like Rube Allyn. In April 1930 Noel Mitchell and Rube Allyn were suspects in a plot to murder news editor James Ravesncroft in St Pete. Charges eventually dropped and Rube Allyn kicked out of town, Noel Mitchell drove Allyn back to Ruskin Fl under police guard in April 1930. Two months later in June 1930 ex Mayor Noel Mitchell was the only suspect in the murder of George M. Council who Mitchell was with the day Council was murdered, body was incinerated in an arson fire set using gasoline (pistol whipped first). George M. Council had to be unconscious or already dead as the fire was set on his body soaked in gasoline. Noel Mitchell had been in the Council house that evening according to eye-ball witness Mrs. V. W. Hicks St Pete. There does appear to be some link to organized crime and corrupt political bosses  in St Pete with Rube Allyn and ex St Pete Mayor Noel Mitchell.

    photo credit screenshot Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
According to Detective Captain E. E. Lipphard of the St Pete Police Dept they had sufficient evidence from the Coroners jury to charge Noel Mitchell who hurriedly left St Pete for New York City the night of the fire. Testimony of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Meredith indicates the Noel Mitchell was hiding in a rear room of their house when Detective Todd Tuucker was interviewing the couple about the George Council fire. Noel Mitchell had Council's .38 caliber revolver in his hand and claimed it was his and demanded transportation form the Meredith home that night, Mitchell had been drinking, he was drunk. There does appear to be some link to organized crime and corrupt political bosses in St Pete, Tampa and Hillsborough County with Rube Allyn and ex St Pete Mayor Noel Mitchell. During the 1920's and into 1930 Charlie Wall was the crime boss in the Tampa Bay area. In the 1920's there was not one single honest election in Tampa/Hillsborough County and also most likely in St Pete/Pinellas County that Charlie Wall did not control. Rube Allyn and Noel Mitchell were connected politically in Tampa and St Pete and most likely linked to Tampa crime and political boss Charlie Wall who ruled all from 1907 to 1930 and into the 1950's. Noel A. Mitchell ran for Governor and Mayor of St Pete it was all a disaster from 1915 to 1919 for him, he spent thousands and thousands of dollars on political ads and lost by landslides how did he get elected to the position of Mayor of St Pete in April 1920, who did he know?

"Rube" used at least 3 different variations of his name and it's spelling during his lifetime, he was Rube Allyn his stage name, Rubert Royce Allen and William James Allen his actual birth name, 1/01/1866, lot of deception here. Rube Allyn claimed during his lifetime that Minnesota was his home State even though he was born in Ontario Canada on Jan 1st, 1866, lot of deception here. Wonder what arrests and charges "Rube" picked up under the name William James Allen DOB 1/01/1866. Rube, a con man's con man, the ultimate scam artist. As you will see in the following newspaper articles and various reports, Rube Allyn exhibited all the traits of a person with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Rube was extremely violent in an instant over trivial incidents. Newsman Rube Allyn was egotistical and wanted the spotlight in everything he did, he was charming one second then violently explosive the next. "I think Rube Allyn was a psychopath". Psychopathy is traditionally a personality disorder characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, dis-inhibited, and egotistical traits. It is sometimes considered synonymous with a sociopath.

    photo credit Tampa Daily News from Florida Historical
Multiple news articles were posted immediately after the murder of Harry Higel who was found at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl January 7th, 1921 at 8:30 am. The news articles, indicate that Mr. Higel had multiple injuries to his head, all different sides of his head and face. The Tampa Daily Times put out an  EXTRA edition newspaper seen above late on Friday Jan 7th 1921 with pertinent information the same day of the Harry Higel murder. The Daily Times wrote that the Higel line fence blocking the north end of Higel Ave was part of the back story for Rube Allyn attacking Harry Higel.

The Tampa Daily Times wrote that Mr Higel had multiple wounds to his head, it appears he was hit at least 7 times on the top, front and back of his head with some sort of hard object. This was not a 'one shot deal' or 'one to the head' drive by mugging, the killer took pleasure in repeatedly and with great force bashing in Mr. Higel's head from different sides and from different angles, this was personal. It also looks like the beating continued when Mr Higel was unconscious and on the ground and unable to protect himself, his face was bashed in, he was totally unrecognizable when found within 10 minutes of the beating at 8:30 am. Mr Higel suffered no other wounds to his body, this was not an automobile 'hit and run'. It appears Harry Higel was attacked somewhere in the time frame of 8:10 am when he was last seen and 8:30 am when he was found at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl.

   photo credit Tampa Times News from Florida Historical
In the unsolved murder of Harry Higel on Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921 at about 8:30 am, two campers Charles Rodman and Herman Rosener who various newspapers had reported seeing Harry Higel on the morning he was killed, say the story was false, fake news. The man the campers saw on Siesta Dr was a tall man, over 6 feet tall, Harry Higel was a much shorter man. Private detective Fred Thomas from Tampa interviewed the two campers, Charles Rodman and Herman Rosener, who had set up tents on the Beach who might have information about the murder of Harry Higel, they didn't. The campers claim newspaper people made up the whole thing, they never saw Harry Higel they saw a tall, thin man. The campers said they did not see Harry Higel, given the description of Mr Higel as about 5' 6", the man they saw was much taller, more like over 6 foot tall, like Rube Allyn who was 6' 2' tall. "As for another man getting out a car and meeting Mr Higel and following him into the bushes we never said anything of the kind, said Rodman and Resener". It's tommy rot of the purest sort. If anything like that happened we never saw it". The false report of the two campers seeing Harry Higel with another man who got out of a car was just more favorable propaganda for Rube Allyn planted by his friends in the media. The factual information reported above about the campers true story was in the The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida) on Wednesday Jan 12th 1921.
   photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida HistoricalTALL MAN MUST HAVE HIT HIGEL. 'Rube Allyn' spent most all of his adult life using an assumed name while publishing exaggerated news stories and we're supposed to believe this eccentric newspaperman when he says he did not kill Harry Higel? Rube Allyn was a very tall man at 6' 2", long arms, lanky build, Harry Higel at about 5' 6" tall was much shorter that Rube. Harry Higel had wounds on top of his head. The Coroner's Jury heard witness testimony as to Rube Allyn near the crime scene early on Friday morn January 7, 1921. Bloody (ink stained) canvas shoes worn by Rube matched prints in the sand near where Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl at about 8:30 am January 7th, 1921.

  photo credit Tampa Times from Florida Historical
Frank Higel Jr the brother of murdered Harry Higel questioned why newspaper man Rube Allyn hid in his house for over 3 hours while several groups searched the north end of Siesta Key for Higel's killer on Friday Jan 7th, 1921? The whole Island buzzed with excitement, a crowd had gathered at the murder scene on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave and Rube stayed home? Frank Higel Jr said "a seasoned newspaper man as Rube Allyn was, with the instinct of his craft strong with him, could not have kept away from the place of the tragedy, UNLESS he did it". Where was this journalist and writer Allyn WHO HAD BEEN NOTIFIED THREE HOURS BEFORE OF HIGEL's DEATH, Rube Allyn never showed up at the crime scene? 

             PHOTO CREDIT BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS
Rube Allyn was a veteran newsman but seemed uninterested in the beating and eventual death oh his neighbor Harry Higel just a very short distance from his house, see map. Rube stayed home, he never came out until the sheriff went to arrest him. Newsman Rube Allyn was a media darling and put himself in the spotlight every chance he got and yet when Harry Higel the former Mayor of Sarasota and one of the most highly regarded and well known man in the area is found near death after a savage beating just a four minute walk from his house, Rube stayed home and away from the gaggle of reporters who had shown up, all of which he knew, what the hell? The real Rube Allyn would have set up shop on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave where Harry Higel was found and held a press conference declaring Mr Higel's murderer must be found and no stone will be left unturned and divert all the media attention to himself, that was the real Rube Allyn.

THAT WASN'T BLOOD IT WAS PRINTERS INK: Rube Allyn was a longtime newsman and fisherman he also ran his own monthly newspaper called the 'Florida Fisherman' in 1921. Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr plied his trade as a typesetter all over North America for decades. Rube had been in St Pete all during the week prior to Friday Jan 7th getting out his newspaper and working with a printing press, he would have had printers ink stains on his canvas shoes, he only had one pair. A search of Rube Allyn's house on Friday January 7th 1921 at about 11:00 am found a pair of trousers belonging to Rube Allyn Sr that had been recently washed and were still wet, possibly washing away any blood evidence. When examining Rube Allyn’s house the Deputy Sheriff noted a pair of wet blood-soaked (or printers ink) canvas shoes with a rubber sole that appeared to be similar to those that left tracks at the scene of the crime. This was enough evidence for Rube Allyn Sr to be arrested.

The Deputy Sheriff reported that the shoes had been covered in blood stains (or more likely printers ink stains) and they would have been shown at the Coroner's inquiry on Friday afternoon Jan 7, 1921 convened by County Judge Cary B. Fish in Bradentown Fl. According to Frank Higel Jr he surmised that Rube Allyn left the scene of the crime on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave at about 8:25 am and waded across Bayou Louise to his house at very north end of Siesta Key washing out the blood on his canvas shoes and his pants in the salt water. Fresh blood stains will disappear easily when immediately immersed in salt water. Bloodhounds brought to the Harry Higel murder scene of the crime by Deputy Sheriff Brown initially picked up a scent but soon lost it, most likely because Rube Allyn had waded into the salt water of Bayou Louise. Interestingly Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy Noel A. Mitchell advertised that his detective agency used bloodhounds to track and catch criminals, the best manhunters.

Did Rube Allyn's pal private detective Noel A. Mitchell tell him of law enforcement techniques and how to avoid capture. Like how to throw off the scent of bloodhounds? Private detective Noel A. Mitchell claimed he had "secured some of the greatest Kentucky bloodhounds ever bred by the greatest American breeders of manhunters". Noel would know how to throw bloodhounds off the trail. No blood trace would be found later on any of Rube Allyn's shoes or clothes by a Tampa lab, Rube washed it all off in the salt water of Bayou Louise. A fresh blood stain would disappear easily if it is immediately covered with salt and blotted with cold water, like in Bayou Louise. The stains on Rube's canvas shoes were old dried printers ink stains. There was no trace evidence high tech means of examining clothes and shoes for blood stains such as with luminol in 1921. Luminol is a highly sensitive blood reagent used to detect latent bloodstain evidence, usually associated with a clean up subsequent to a bloodletting event. A strong steady chemiluminescent (Low blue light production) reaction takes place when the luminol formula is applied to blood, even in "very trace amounts".

     photo credit SARASOTA TIMES NEWSPAPER.
In the Obituary for Harry L. Higel published in the Sarasota Times on January 13, 1921, the writer, who appears to be very close to Mr. Higel possibly brother George, strongly indicated that the murder of Harry Higel was planned, "Mr. Higel was struck down in a moment of insane frenzy or a deliberately planned and cruel murder, left bleeding and dying alone, only a short distance from those dearest to him, at his house." The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl on Jan 7th, 1921. In 1921 the Harry Higel compound was and still is in the 3300 block of Higel Avenue on the very north end of Siesta Key. Back in the day, old Beach Rd or Strand Rd ran all along the shoreline on Sarasota Key (Siesta Key) from where the Siesta Key Public Beach is at 948 Beach Rd Siesta Key all the way up to the north end of the Key. Harry Higel was not killed way down near the Siesta Key Public Beach at 948 Beach Rd Siesta Key which is a 1 hour and 10 min walk from his house, one way.

    photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical 
Newspaper reports on Jan 8th, 1921 and much later indicated that an iron pipe was found some 70 feet from the battered body of Harry Higel with stains on it that looked like blood (rust) and was entered into evidence at the Manatee Coroners Jury on Jan 7th, 1921 and the Manatee County Grand Jury investigation of suspect Rube Allyn that finalized on March 9th, 1921. No actual human blood was found on the iron pipe, or Rube's pants or Rube's shoes, (washed off in salt water) obviously no fingerprints linking Rube Allyn to the iron pipe were found. The murder weapon was never found. In 1901 American police departments adopted the same method as used in London UK in late 1880's and fingerprint identification became a standard practice in the United States. The Scheffer case of 1902 is the first case of the identification, arrest, and conviction of a murderer based upon fingerprint evidence.

    photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical 
ACCORDING TO A NEWSPAPER CLIPPING IN JAN 1921, The battered warm body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl on January 7th, 1921 at 8:30 am. In 1921, Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) was the main road from mainland Sarasota to Siesta Key over Higel bridge (north bridge). Rube Allyn the suspect in the murder of Harry Higel lived at the far north end of Gulfmead Dr where the Sarasota Yacht Club had been prior to 1913. At the time there was a land connection between north Gulfmead Dr and north end of Higel Ave. According to the article after Harry Higel's battered body was found footprints (tracks) were located near the body that led towards Rube Allyn's house at the end of north Gulfmead Dr.
COLD CASE HARRY HIGEL UNSOLVED MURDER: The only suspect in the January 1921 brutal murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl was Rube Allyn Sr. Harry Higel suffered multiple depressed fractures all over his head and face possibly from a pistol whipping on January 7th, 1921. A Manatee County Coroners Jury inquiry convened by County Judge Cary B. Fish in Bradentown Fl found probable cause to arrest Rube Allyn Sr for Harry Higel's murder on Friday Jan 7, 1921. At a Coroners Jury inquiry investigating the murder of Harry Higel several witnesses gave testimony as to have seen Rube Allyn Sr near the Higel crime scene. Manatee County Judge Cary B. Fish convened the jury at about 3:00 pm Friday Jan 7, 1921 in Bradentown Fl. The Coroners Jury viewed the remains of Mr Harry Higel at the morgue and returned to the Bradentown City Hall to take testimony.

      photo credit gun parts bill warner investigations 
Possible Break in 99 Year Old Cold Case Murder of Harry Higel With Discovery of a Buried Colt Revolver With Broken Grip That Could have Been Used to Pistol Whip and Crush Harry's Skull on Sarasota Key in January 1921. The Colt revolver had been buried with six live .32 caliber rounds and a broken grip, no one would have buried a gun that was easily repairable and cost about a full weeks working man's wages ($24) in 1921, unless it was linked to a murder. NOTE THAT ALL the information in this article was obtained from public records concerning the murder of Harry Higel on Sarasota Key in January 1921. Any items found that may be related to the murder of Harry Higel in 1921 were found on private property and given to me to identify by the property owner late on Saturday Nov 23rd, 2019. The Sarasota County Sheriff Dept was notified and all of the remains of a antique revolver (over 100 years old) were presented to them early on Tuesday morn Nov 26th, 2019.

     photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical 
According to the Tampa Tribune, Rube Allyn had been away from his Siesta Key home all week, he had been working late on Thursday Jan 6th, 1921 till about 9:00 in St Pete on his Florida Fisherman magazine put out by the St Petersburg Times newspaper. Apparently Rube drove to his Siesta Key home late that night, Thursday Jan 6th, after being in St Pete all week. It is almost 120 miles from the St Pete Times at 490 First Avenue South St Pete to north Siesta Key with bad roads in 1921 and no Skyway Bridge (opened in 1954) and no Ferry service (opened in 1925). Before the Gandy Bridge was built in 1924, it was a ninety-mile drive from St. Pete to Bradenton by way of Tampa and then from Bradenton to Siesta Key add another 30 miles or so for a total trip of 120 miles but Rube had a boat in Ruskin to get to St Pete. 

From information obtained from a Tampa Tribune article of Jan 16th, 1922 it appears Rube Allyn did not make the long trip from St Pete to Tampa To Ruskin To Bradenton to Siesta Key via car. Rube Allyn owned property and had a place on Ruskin Inlet where he could keep his Ford Model T car and his 17 foot boat. Rube Allyn made the trip from Ruskin to St Pete in his 17 foot launch across Tampa Bay thus avoiding the 45 mile trip via car feom St Pete to Ruskin. So it appears that on January 6th, 1921 after finishing work at his office in the Detroit Hotel in Downtown St Pete Rube simply walked over to the pier got in his 17 foot launch and made the short trip across Tampa Bay to his place on Ruskin Inlet, got in his Tin Lizzy and then drove home to Siesta Key.

 

Rube Allyn owned a Ford Model T, colloquially known as Tin Lizzie, he had made past reference to it when he was returning from the Hog Island shipyard in Philadelphia PA towards the end of 1919. The Model T Ford had a top speed of 45 mph in 1921 and the trip to Siesta Key from St Pete via Ruskin by Rube Allyn would have taken at least 2 hours. Rube Allyn would have got home to Siesta Key at about 11:30 pm on Thursday night Jan 6th, with luck. Harry Higel had his line fence on his property blocking the road on the north end of Higel Ave. The Allyn and Higel fence was up in August 1915. Rube Allyn would have gone up Higel Ave at about 11:30 pm to find a locked fence blocking the road, he was blocked from getting to his house. Rube Allyn would have had to turn around go back down Higel Ave turn right on Mangrove (Siesta Dr) go across the small bridge turn right on Strand (Gulfmead Dr) and then out to the north end of Strand (Gulfmead Dr) to his house at about 11:30 pm. Rube Allyn was hot tempered and most likely had Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), the line fence across the road on north Higel Ave blocking him from getting to his house at about 11:30 pm would have set Rube off.

    photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
Mrs. Rose Allyn claims in one news report that Rube Allyn got home at about 11:00 pm on Thursday Jan 6th and went right to bed as he was sick, but next day Friday Jan 7th, 1921 he was up and out of the house at 7:30 am. Mrs. Rose Allyn claims there was a gate in the Higel line fence across the road large enough for an automobile to get through if it was unlocked. Mrs Rose Allyn would also have had an attitude about the Harry Higel line fence blocking the road as she had opened their home to paying tourists as a retreat and now they had difficulty getting to the site thus losing much needed revenue for the Allyn family. A late night 120 mile trip from St Pete by way of Tampa to Siesta Key over bad roads, Rube apparently is sick, a fence across Higel Ave road blocking access to his house on tip of Siesta Key, creditors after him from his failed newspaper, Harry Higel looking to possibly foreclose on unpaid house loan that was now due, all in all a perfect storm for Rube Allyn in confronting Harry Higel Friday morn Jan 7th at about 8:20 am. 

NEWSPAPERS INFLUENCED RESULT WITH FAKE NEWS: A Manatee County Grand Jury failed to indict Rube Allyn on March 9th. No "True Bill" came down on Wednesday March 9, 1921 at 3:30 pm. No blood was found on Rube's shoes or pants (washed off in Bayou Louise salt water) or the iron pipe by labs in Tampa and Jacksonville, no murder weapon was ever found and there was never a trial. Doesn't mean Rube Allyn didn't do it! The quick decision by the Manatee County Grand Jury has been suspect ever since. Appears the jurors had their minds made up before the evidence was presented. There were multiple favorable news articles about Rube Allyn in last 60 days. According to the Tampa Tribune on March 9th, 1921 the Manatee Grand Jury was made up of 19 men; M. C. Davis, George N. Brown, J. A. Howse, J. A. Henry, T. B. Gallup, C. A. Rowlett, C. F. Edwards, Carl Hendrix, Guy Jones, C. L. Davis, W. O. Edwards, H. T. Glazier, Iron Ross, E. P. Lloyd, H. D. Horney, E. J. Bright, James G. Foster, Frank Kennedy, J. A. Howse was chosen Foreman.

  photo credit Tampa Daily Times News from Florida Historical
The Tampa Tribune wrote that Harry Higel had his house at 107 N Gulf Stream Blvd sold under the hammer by the sheriff, a foreclosure, in Sarasota and moved to the Island (Siesta Key) full time in 1920. "Harry Higel annoyed" the Rube Allyn family by various acts the last one was a line fence on Higel's property that cut off the Rube Allyn family in Jan 1921. The Tampa Trib wrote on how Harry Higel had put up a line fence at his property across the Higel Ave road and appeared to be cutting off Rube and his family at the north end of Siesta Key just as Mrs Allyn was endeavoring to operate a retreat for tourists. The fence was supposedly locked the night before the attack on Harry Higel that eventually caused his death, (motive?).

1921 Newspaper Fake News disseminated over 61 days by Rube Allyn's newspaper pals in the Forth Estate influenced the Manatee Grand Jury and led to the release of Harry Higel murder suspect Allyn. Harry Higel murdered Friday Jan 7, 1921 on Siesta Key by what every indication appears to be Rube Allyn. Newspapers were the only true form of information delivered to the public in 1921 South West Florida. In 1921 there was no TV, no internet, no local radio stations in Tampa, St Pete, Bradenton, or Sarasota Fl, newspapers were it for information. On May 15, 1922, WDAE first signed on at 833 kilocycles, as the radio outlet of the Tampa Times an afternoon daily newspaper. On Jan 31st 1921 Louise Edmondson the mother of Gertrude G. Higel, Harry's wife, wrote a scathing rebuttal to fake news put out by the Tampa Tribune concerning Harry Higel. Mrs Edmondson wrote that the story about the Higel house at 107 N Gulf Stream Blvd sold under the hammer by the sheriff during a foreclosure was an absolute lie, a newspaper fabrication. The Higel house on the Bayfront in Sarasota Fl was sold by Gertrude G. Higel and Harry L. Higel to certain northern parties at fair market price in Jan 1920 and the Higel's moved full time to Siesta Key. There were no legal proceedings taking place on the Higel Bayfront house property in Sarasota. Just one more example of Rube Allyn's newspaper pals in the Forth Estate trying to influence the Manatee Grand Jury by smearing the Higel family. The Manatee County Grand jury failed to indict Rube Alyn in the murder of Harry Higel. No "True Bill" came down on Wednesday March 9, 1921 at 3:30 pm after only a 10 minute deliberation.

 photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
Did the Media influence the Manatee County Grand Jury 99 years ago that failed to indict and then free Rube Allyn Sr in the murder of Harry Higel as claimed by brother George Higel. One of the members of the Manatee Grand Jury investigating the murder of Harry Higel and the suspect Rube Allyn was a fellow newspaper man and personal friend of Rube Allyn. Geroge Higel was killed in a hit and run incident in Vencie Fl Oct 29, 1938. Did Fake News help free a sadistic bigoted killer? It was suspected that one of Harry Higel’s known enemies Rube Allyn Sr, the former editor of the Sarasota Sun and editor of Florida Fisherman in the St Pete Times, was responsible for his death. While Rube Allyn’s eccentrics were condemned in Sarasota, co-workers who described him as a “story-book character” heralded him. The St Pete Times describes him as “a man of high romantic imagination, a philosopher, a poet in prose and a lover of nature (BULL CRAP).” Rube Allyn Sr was a man of moods-witty and charming one moment, and venomously bitter the next and known to drink to excess. Harry Higel died on Jan 7th 1921 from the brutal beating he took. George Higel wrote his concerns in a Sarasota County Times article that the media, Sarasota County Times, the Bradentown Manatee River Journal, the Tampa Tribune, the St Pete Times and others had influenced the members of the Manatee Grand Jury that set free Rube Allyn Sr the only suspect in Harry Higel's murder.

   photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
The Tampa Tribune wrote a favorable article about Rube Allyn Sr on Feb 27, 1921 while Rube was passing time in jail waiting for the Grand Jury to convene. The Trib wrote how there did not seem to be a motive for Rube Allyn Sr to kill Harry Higel as Rube was just a 'good ole boy' who would not hurt anyone. The Trib wrote of how Rube wired one of his reporter friends for $75 so that an 'Old Drunk' incarcerated with him in the Bradentown Jail could pay his fine and go home. The Trib wrote about how Rube Allyn Sr was holding meetings with his reporter friends at the jail and was in good humor and confident of acquittal in the Harry Higel murder. The Tampa Trib wrote about how the State has only circumstantial evidence against Rube Allyn Sr and that they knew Rube and Harry Higel had shook hands last year and Rube was just trying to get along with the Higels', OMG, what the hell?

The Manatee County Grand jury failed to indict Rube Alyn in the murder of Harry Higel. No "True Bill" came down on Wednesday March 9, 1921 at 3:30 pm after only a 10 minute deliberation. The news media in Tampa, Lakeland, Ocala, Bradenton, St Pete and Sarasota Fl were overjoyed at Rube Allyn's "NO TRUE BILL" by the Manatee County Grand Jury in the murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key.

        Ocala Evening Star Ocala, Florida 10 Mar 1921, Thu
MEDIA IN FLORIDA INFLUENCED RUBE ALLYN GRAND JURY IN MANATEE COUNTY. The Ocala Evening Star was overjoyed that Rube Allyn was set free in the murder of Harry Higel, see above. George Higel questioned as to why the Florida press wanted Rube Allyn freed as he was the only only legitimate suspect in the brutal murder of his brother Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl? George Higel wrote: "With the attitude of the Florida Press in general, preceding any trial and the Grand Jury, viewing reports in an unbiased manner, it seems to this writer that the whole trend of the press was to create sympathy and sentiment favorable to Rube Allyn Sr.". Everybody read the newspapers in 1921, it was the only form of information. Did 'Fake News' help sway the Manatee County Grand Jury and set Rube Allyn Sr free on March 9th 1921

ST PETE TIMES WROTE March 9, 1921: FLORIDA EDITOR ACQUITTED OF MURDER CHARGE. Rube Allyn, editor of the St. Petersburg 'Florida Fisherman' and former publisher of a Sarasota Newspaper was released from jail after the Grand Jury found insufficient evidence to support a true bill to indict. Rube Allyn is one of the best known paper men in Florida. I find it outrageous how the media in Sarasota, St Pete and Tampa wrote glowing and supportive articles about racist Rube Allyn Sr while he was in Jail awaiting the outcome of a Grand Jury investigation into the murder of his adversary Harry Higel on Siesta Key, but never wrote about Rube's racist hate filled testimony before the US Senate 3 years earlier. "Rube was just a Good Ole Boy who wouldn't hurt anyone", BULL CRAP. 

OLD INDIAN TRAILS MAGAZINE by RUBE ALLYN failed in early 1921 because promoter Chester Val-Rez had been arrested for fraud and bad checks in several southern states and the editor Rube Allyn had been arrested for the murder of former Sarasota mayor Harry Higel on Jan 7th, 1921. The Old Indian Trails Highway itself was a scam it never existed, it was perpetrated by Chester Val-Rez and Rube Allyn who both kept any of the cash payments for subscriptions.

      photo credit rube allyn Florida fisherman st pete times fl
RUBE'S BLOOD RED INK: It appears that "Rube Allyn Sr" aka William James (Rube) Allen Sr, was born in Canada, DOB 1/01/1866 Mount Forest, Ontario Canada to Alex and Anne Allen, Irish immigrants. After release from jail in March 1921 as the only suspect in the Harry Higel murder Rube Allyn Sr aka William James (Rube) Allen with his wife Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn and a son who the elder Rube Allyn Sr had named Rubert Royce (Rube) Allyn Jr moved to Ruskin Fl from Siesta Key Fl on June 2nd 1921. Rube's monthly Florida Fisherman was published in color, the same color that stained his canvas shoes on Jan 7th, 1921 that looked like blood. Rube Allyn claimed to speak Swedish, Norwegian, French and German. According to the 1920 US Census Sarasota Fl also moving from the Siesta Key 'Allyn Home' to Ruskin in June of 1921 were 5 other Allyn children, Charles L. Allyn age 18, Mary A. Allen age 23, George W. Allyn age 14, and Dorothy Allyn age 12, there was also another female by the name of Eileen Anita Taylor age 22. Most of the children's last name was Allyn but the oldest girl's last name was Allen. "Rube" used at least 3 different variations of his name and spelling during his lifetime, lot of deception here. Rube Allyn claimed during his lifetime that Minnesota was his home State even though he was born in Ontario Canada, lot of deception here. Later in life Rube Allyn committed more serious violent crimes.

In the 1920's Rube Allyn made his way to work at his office in Downtown St Pete from his home on Ruskin inlet by boat. According to a Tampa Tribune article published on Jan 16th 1921, rather than make the 45 mile drive all the way around from Ruskin to Tampa and then south to St Pete, Rube simply made the short trip across Tampa Bay from Ruskin Inlet in a 17 foot launch 2 passenger boat to get to the office of his Florida Fisherman Magazine at the Detroit Hotel in downtown St Pete.

One of the early characters of Ruskin Fl was Mr. Rube Allyn, Sr. who had property across the inlet/creek in back of where the Ruskin Chamber building is today. There was not a street there in those days, only a footpath that came from where the street ended that was in what is now Campus Shores. (It is about 12 miles to St Pete using a boat to go across Tampa Bay). The footpath ran along the S. side of Rube Allyn's property and was used by the folks that lived in the vicinity of the Council home and surrounding to get to US41 without going to College Ave and around. The youngsters of the area were reluctant to use the footpath except with company and during daylight. Rube Allyn shot one of the "yougsters", Brooks Brewer 19, in May of 1929 with a shotgun for walking near his shack, read on below.

 photo credit Tampa Times News from Florida Historical
RUBE ALLYN 1929 ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE: According to the Tampa Times on May 22, 1929 Rube Allyn shot a young man, Brooks Brewer, 19, who was walking on the road near Rube Allyn's secluded cottage in Ruskin Fl, Hillsborough County. This Attempted Murder Charge for Rube Allyn is 8 years after he was arrested and acquitted of the murder of Harry Higel on Brooks Brewer, 19Siesta Key Fl. Rube Allyn apparently felt it was no big deal to fire a shotgun at Brooks Brewer, he claimed he had problems with the 'young bloods' in Ruskin and you never know what they could be up to. Rube Allyn admitted to the Tampa Times that he fired his shotgun into the night to scare away the Ruskin boys. Brooks Brewer claimed that after Rube Allyn shot him in the back with the shotgun, from distance, Allyn came up to him as he was lying in the road, told him to get up with his hands held high and then Rube marched him off down the road. Brooks Brewer's 'bird shot' wounds in his back from Rube's shotgun were supposedly minor. Brooks Brewer dropped the charges 2 1/2 days later upon pressure from his father J.F. Brewer. The father, J.f. Brewer, said "Ruskin is a small place and we want to be neighbors there. Brooks was only peppered with a few bird shot in the back and not hurt much, we ask the court to drop the charges", what the hell? Rube was released from jail, Rube got away with it again.

  photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical

In April 1930 Rube Allyn was arrested again, this time in St Petersburg were he had been living at his mother-in-law's house. Rube plotted with ex-Mayor Noel Mitchell of St Pete to shoot and kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft with a shotgun blast. James Ravenscroft was a columnist for the Tampa Tribune. Rube Allyn also cussed out Mrs. Effie Ravenscroft, Rube was arrested on Disorderly Conduct charges he plead not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. Apparently Rube and Noel took offense to several articles written by newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft. Rube Allyn was displaying some severe mental problems over the years, most likely he had Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Someone with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) could destroy property, react way out of proportion to things that happen and could attack or kill another person for really no reason.

   photo credit Miami Herald from Florida Historical
True to form most local newspapers downplayed Rube Allyn's arrest for threatening to kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft in St Pete, but the Miami Herald laid it all out, see above. Apparently Rube Allyn and former Mayor Noel Mitchell had plotted to kill columnist James Ravenscroft. Mrs. Effie Ravenscroft had overheard Rube and Noel Mitchell planing to kill columnist James Ravenscroft who worked for the Tampa Tribune on the pretext of Rube Allyn shooting rabbits in his yard, which was directly across the street from the Ravenscroft house and "accidentally" kill James Ravenscroft with a shotgun blast. Rube was eventually released from jail and driven out of town via the Gandy Bridge by Noel Mitchell to Ruskin followed by a police escort of two City detectives. And Rube Allyn didn't plot to and beat Harry Higel to death on Jan 7th, 1921 on Siesta Key, sure he didn't.

 photo credit Tampa Bay times News from Florida Historical
Apparently Rube Allyn was re-arrested on a Failure to Appear on the Disorderly Conduct charge in St Pete where he had plotted to kill columnist James Ravenscroft. Rube Allyn was arrested for Failure to Appear by City detectives Bob Black and J. B. King. Mrs Effie Ravenscroft testified in court that she heard Noel Mitchell and Rube Allyn "plotting to get James Ravenscroft on 35th Ave South St Pete". Rube Allyn was living at 743 35th Ave South St Pete directly across the street from the Ravenscroft home. The address 743 35th Ave South St Pete was owned by the mother of Rube's wife, Rose Evelyn Knestrick. Rube Allyn was escorted out of town by City detectives on April 25th, 1930, don't come back Rube, Rube got away with it again. Rube Allyn was a loaded gun just waiting to go off, he was a very dangerous man. Another neighbor dispute gone bad just like Rube Allyn's dispute with Harry Higel in Siesta Key that led to Higel's murder, and Rube didn't do it, BULL CRAP.

   PHOTO CREDIT COLT REVOLVER BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS
WHO OWNS THE 1920'S ERA COLT REVOLVER FOUND BURIED ON NORTH SIESTA KEY WITH A BROKEN GRIP? The remains of a badly rusted Colt revolver traced to the early and prior 1920's era with a broken grip was found buried on north Siesta Key near Higel Ave in late November 2019. There was a lot of anti-German sentiment (like Rube Allyn Sr) resulting from World War I in America, Harry Higel was of direct German heritage, his grandparents on his father and mothers side were German immigrants to America. Rube Allyn Sr hated the Germans, he tried to sign up with the US Military in 1917 to go to the Western Front and kill Germans he was 50 at the time. At the time of his barbarous death Harry Higel had just turned 53 years old, he was Director of the Bank of Sarasota and the Seaboard Airline Railway. More on who "Rube Allyn Sr" really was at the bottom of this article, Rube used an assumed name for most of his adult life, the ultimate poser. A poser is someone who tries to fit into a profile they aren't, that's Rube.

    PHOTO CREDIT COLT REVOLVER BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS
Rube Allyn's anti-Semitism statements on Wednesday Feb 20, 1918 before a Senate Committee in Washington D.C.. Rube Allyn Sr admitted to an arrest for attempted murder during the commission of a Hate Crime on two German speaking Jews. Rube hated and despised (his words) the German speaking Jews at the Hog Island PA shipyard where he was working in 1917 to 1919. The remains of a Colt .32 caliber Police Positive revolver were found buried 98 years later with a broken grip and fully loaded on north Siesta Key Fl in late November 2019, it's owner is unknown at this point. The information that I have compiled in this article is based on facts that have been corroborated and published in various news articles and books on the unsolved murder of Harry Higel. The end result of this article is strictly my opinion that Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr. was the correct suspect in January 1921 for the murder of Harry Higel. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl.

WWI Jul 28, 1914 – Nov 11, 1918, America, the USA, entered the world war on April 4th 1917, Rube Allyn Sr tried to join the US Military to go to the Western Front and kill Germans, he was rejected as too old at 50. On February 13, 1918 President Woodrow Wilson called for a Congressional Inquiry into delays of construction of shipways and Merchant ship building at the U.S. Naval shipyard at Hog Island PA. Somehow the suspect in Harry Higel's unsolved murder, Rube Allyn Sr from Sarasota Fl, got right in the middle of it all. Rube Allyn Sr. testified before a Senate Committee Investigation on Wednesday Feb, 20 1918 at 2:00 pm about conditions at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA where he had been working as a dock builder while America and her allies were at war with Germany. Rube's testimony was about 3 years before the murder of Harry Higel on Jan 7th, 1921, and gives the reader an incite into Rube's mindset and bigoted prejudices against Jews and Germans and an admission of guilt to his violent tendencies. Rube blamed all the problems at the Hog Island shipyard on the German speaking Jews on the written record for the Senate Committee inquiry. Murdered Harry Higel of Sarasota Fl and his family were of German heritage. Harry Higel named his prized Hotel the 'Higel-Hurst' to recognize his German ancestry, Higel is the family name and it appears they were from Hurst Germany, somebody burned it down on March 31st 1917. There was a lot of anti-German sentiment (Rube Allyn Sr) resulting from World War I in America prior to Harry Higel's Hotel burning down on March 31st 1917.
   photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
Rube Allyn, super patriot during WWI, wanted a soldiers uniform to wear to make speeches as per the Tampa Times Tampa Fl, Wednesday May 16th, 1917. Rube Allyn has volunteered to go out and make the greatest patriotic speech ever heard in America provided Sgt. Parker McKinney will provide him with a uniform while he speaks. Rube's wife wants him to enlist in the Army as a General. Rube has been making an attempt to break in on the officers' reserve corps, but too late, all vacancies are filled. Later in life Rube Allyn wanted people to address him as "Colonel Allyn". Something wrong here with this guy.

  photo credit Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
America enters WWI on April 6, 1917 joining it's allies in the fight against Germany on the battlefields of France. Rube Allyn Sr, "the liberal newspaper guy", tried to join the US military to take up a rifle and kill Germans in France, he was rejected, he was too old at 50. Rube Allyn Sr then leaves his Siesta Key family of seven in the fall of 1917 to take a job at the US Naval Shipyard Hog Island Philadelphia PA building docks at .60 cents an hour. Rube Allyn Sr had a wife Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn and 3 daughters and 3 sons (one boy was disabled) at the time living at the Siesta Key house. Times were tough for Rube Allyn Sr his Sarasota Sun newspaper had failed, he had borrowed heavily to open and operate the newspaper and was being hounded by his creditors, he was doing odd jobs in and around Sarasota and writing articles for the St Pete Times but apparently he had to go and do his patriotic duty at the Hog Island shipyard and leave his family in Siesta Key, (this makes no sense). 

     photo credit American history museum Philadelphia pa
It appears Rube Allyn Sr gave up his newspaper gig in warm Sarasota Fl in November 1917 to build wooden docks and shipways for the US Government at Hog Island PA, about 12 miles from Philadelphia. Rube worked for 2 years outside in the dead of winter and the heat of summer at the Hog Island shipyard, eight hours a day for .60 cents an hour when he was in his 50's, why? Rube Allyn Sr was making about $25 to $30 a week at the Hog Island Shipyard, which was the average weekly salary in 1917 to 1919 for a working man, but not ideal for a guy living in Philadelphia PA and providing for a family of seven in Siesta Key Fl, 1,200 miles away. Rube choose his idealistic, obsessive "patriotic duty" and hatred of the Germans over the needs of his own large family.

    photo credit Philadelphia encyclopedia.org
Rube Allyn Sr claimed he was as good a man as any man with an axe or crosscut saw, he was a big strong man, he was in his 50's and willing to do hard labor. In 1917, as part of the World War I effort, the US government contracted American International Shipbuilding Corp to build ships and a shipyard at Hog Island PA. Apparently military aged men would receive a deferment from joining the military if they worked at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA in 1917-1918. Rube Allyn Sr was too old for military service in 1917 (50 years old), so he went to work in the mud and cold at the shipyard. Hog Island became the largest shipyard in the world, with 50 slipways. Rube Allyn Sr was working as a dock builder, working on a two man 65 inch crosscut saw (no power tools) to cut the huge lumber for the framework of the shipways by hand for .60 cents an hour, he was in his 50's and had been working as a newspaper guy. 

   photo credit Philadelphia encyclopedia.org
"Congress to investigate the goings on at Hog Island". Rube Allyn Sr indicated his permanent home residence as Sarasota Fla to the Senate Committee investigating the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA. Rube Allyn Sr came across as a white nationalist who hated the German speaking Jews working at Hog Island or anyone speaking German. Rube Allyn Sr testified that he was arrested for attempted murder after he threw two German speaking Jews off the trolley and into the street on his way to work at Hog Island PA, it was a 'Hate Crime'. Rube Allyn Sr testified he worked a bit as a night watchman at Hog Island PA and had a firearm, Rube claimed he had the authority to kill somebody. Rube testified he hated hearing the German language spoken at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA. Rube Allyn Sr testified to the Senate Committee in Feb 1918 that the German speaking Jews, the 'foreigners', who came from the slums of New York City and Philadelphia were not suitable or equals as workers for the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA, not like himself an 'American Patriot' and the 30,000 other men who Rube Allyn Sr felt should have been provided with uniforms much like the soldiers at battle in France during WWI, this was an odd statement.

   photo credit Philadelphia encyclopedia.org
Rube Allyn Sr was working on a two man 65 inch crosscut saw to cut the huge lumber for the framework of the shipways by hand, as seen above, he was in his 50's. Despite the rancor surrounding the shipyard’s construction and operation, the U.S. Naval Yard at Hog Island only existed because of the backbreaking labor of nearly 30,000 workers laboring throughout the cold winters of 1917-1918 and into 1919 when Rube Allyn Sr was there. Whether it was the poor conditions of the site or a tough winter or contractors’ graft, preparatory construction began to drag on interminably, leading Congress to investigate the goings on at Hog Island. By February of 1918, seven months after the issuance of Hog Island’s contract, a New York Times reporter touring the site was surprised to hear no sound of rivets on steel and only 12 of the planned 50 shipways completed and Sarasota's Rube Allyn Sr got right in the middle of the investigation. The Higel family in Sarasota Fl was of German heritage all the way back to the old country, Rube Allyn's testimony before a Senate Committee in 1918 indicates he had a big problem with the German speaking Jews or anyone speaking German at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island as America had been at war with Germany. Looks to me like Rube hated Germans.

    photo credit American history museum Philadelphia pa
After America entered WWI in April 1917 Rube Allyn Sr tried to register and join the US Military, he was rejected as he was too old (also possibly not a US citizen), he was in his 50's, cut off age was 45. Rube Allyn Sr was an extreme American Patriot he hated the Germans. Since Rube could not join the US Military in the fight against the Germans he traveled to Philadelphia in late 1917 during WWI and went to work as a dock builder at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA for .60 cents an hour, he stayed for 2 years doing his patriotic service, 'so say him'. Rube Allyn got involved in a US Senate Committee investigation into the slow progress in building Merchant Marine ships at Hog Island in February 1918. One of the Senators who heard Rube's racist testimony was future President of the USA Warren G. Harding who took office on March 4, 1921.

   photo credit American history museum Philadelphia pa
Article: New York Herald (New York, New York) 02 Jun 1918, Sunday Page 48. Photo above Sarasota's Rube Allyn speaking to the men of Group 2 Hog Island PA during Liberty Loan rally for war bonds, he was working there as a dock builder. Rube was responsible for over 10,000 German speaking Jews in getting fired at Hog Island. Rube claimed they were slackers and not equal to the Americans and Irish like him. 10,000 German speaking Jews from the slums of New York City and Philadelphia with families were out of a job at Hog Island after Rube Allyn's testimony before the the 65th Congress in Washington DC at a Senate Committee investigating delays in ship building at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA during WWI with Germany. Rube hated the German Speaking Jews, he claimed they were Bolsheviks slowing down any progress at the US Naval shipyard Hog Island PA building the Merchant Marine fleet to support WWI efforts, he got rid of them, Rube was a bigoted racist.

    photo credit library of congress the 65th Congress Washington. 
On Wednesday February 20, 1918 Sarasota's Rube Allyn Sr testified before the 65th Congress in Washington DC at a Senate Committee investigating delays in ship building at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA during WWI with Germany, Rube Allyn Sr blamed the German speaking Jews at the work site for all the problems, he hated them. Presiding was Senator Duncan U. Fletcher (D-FL), with Senator Knute Nelson (R-MN), Senator Morris Sheppard (D-TX), Senator James K. Vardaman (D-MISS), Senator John H. Bankhead (D-ALA), Senator William M. Calder (R-NY), with Senators, Martin, Johnson and Jones. Hiram Johnson had a stark evaluation, "Hog Island is the most reckless waste of public funds which has ever come to my attention," announced the Senator from California. On April 6, 1917 the Congress of the United States had declared war on Imperial Germany, in accord with the impassioned entreaties of President Woodrow Wilson. Barely five months after winning re-election, mainly on the slogan "He kept us out of war," the first of the great liberal heroes of the 20th century turgidly proclaimed the necessity of joining the great war now 2 1/2 years under way in the rest of the world. WWI lasted from July 28, 1914 to November 11, 1918. The entry of the USA into the First World War on the side of France and England immediately led to immense demands for men and materials to help them fight a successful war against the Germans.

   photo credit testimony rube allyn 65th Congress Washington DC
Rear Admiral Francis T. Bowles was Managing Director of the EFC with full responsibility for overseeing the work at Hog Island starting around February 7, 1918. On February 19, 1918 Attorney General Gregory announced in Washington that the Hog Island investigation ordered by President Wilson would "begin at once." The next day Rube Allyn Sr from Sarasota Fl testified on February 20th, 1918 at the Hearings before the Committee on Commerce, United States Senate Washington D.C. concerning conditions at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA ship building facility. Rube Allyn Sr was working as skilled labor making .75 cents an hour at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA building docks and had been there since at least November 1917. Rube Allyn Sr testified he was a dock builder able to work a crosscut saw or an axe and not afraid to get down in the mud or work near the pile drivers. Rube Allyn's testimony indicates he was a very strong individual working at a very hard, dangerous and difficult job when he was in his early 50's. Rube Allyn Sr was born in 1866 in Ontario Canada, his parents were Irish immigrants to Canada.

  photo credit testimony rube allyn 65th Congress Washington DC
Rube Allyn Sr testified before the Senate Committee that he had been a newspaper publisher prior to coming to Hog Island PA to work in the mud. Senator James K. Vardaman (D-MISS) a renowned racist questioned Rube Allyn Sr about his testimony concerning the German speaking "Jews" he worked with at the US Naval shipyard Hog Island PA. Known as "The Great White Chief", Sen. Vardaman had gained electoral support for his advocacy of populism and white supremacy, saying: "If it is necessary every Negro in the state will be lynched; it will be done to maintain white supremacy. But even racist Senator James K. Vardaman was taken aback by Rube Allyn's damming comments about the German speaking Jews at Hog Island. Sen Vardaman said to Rube Allyn Sr " I know that in the Civil War the Jew was a loyal soldier on both sides, I think it is hardly fair to make the fight against the Jew as a race." Racist Sen. James K. Vardaman was appalled at Rube Allyn's hate filled rhetoric about the German speaking Jews he had to work with at the US Naval shipyard Hog Island.

Rube Allyn Sr testified before Racist Sen. James K. Vardaman that he had serious problems with the Jews at Hog Island. The Jews who spoke German, the "foreigners" whom Rube designated as Jews. Rube Allyn Sr claimed they were Bolsheviks who delayed work on the ship building at Hog Island. Rube had what appears to be manic patriotism and Germanophobic sentiment and a bigoted, racist attitude toward Jews. Rube claimed he hated hearing the German language spoken at Hog Island, "not exactly a highly dignified language", Rube Allyn Sr was a bigoted racist. Murdered Harry Higel in Siesta Key was of direct German heritage. Rube admitted before the Senate inquiry that he had been arrested for attempted murder during the commission of a hate crime on two German speaking Jews on the way to the Hog Island shipyard. I find it outrageous how the media in Sarasota, St Pete and Tampa wrote glowing and supportive articles about racist Rube Allyn Sr while he was in Jail awaiting the outcome of a Grand Jury investigation into the murder of his adversary Harry Higel in Siesta Key, but the Media never wrote about Rube's racist testimony before the US Senate. "Rube was just a Good Ole Boy who wouldn't hurt anyone", BULL CRAP.
   photo credit testimony rube allyn 65th Congress Washington DC
Rube Allyn Sr testified before the Senate Committee in Feb 1918 that he was arrested for attempted murder after he threw two German speaking Jews off the trolley going to work at Hog island from his hotel in Philadelphia. Rube Allyn's testimony indicates he was a rough and tough guy in his 50's that took no guff from anyone at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA and he hated and detested anyone speaking German at the job site. Rube Allyn Sr was employed for a time as a night watchman at Hog Island it appears he was assigned a firearm for his night watchman work as the Hog Island shipyard was dangerous. Many men were robbed and murdered coming from the Hog Island shipyard at night after being paid in cash, claimed Rube Allyn Sr.  

In 1918 the Colt Police Positive Revolver .32 Caliber with hard rubber grips was used by watchmen. Rube Allyn Sr claimed he had the authority to kill somebody. Rube Allyn Sr comes across in his testimony as a extreme white nationalist who hated the German speaking Jews working at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA and anybody speaking German. Rube Allyn Sr came across in his testimony as a racist bigot who had tried to kill several Jews who spoke German at the Hog Island shipyard. Rube Allyn's racist testimony before the Senate Committee in Feb 1918 was never published in any of the newspapers in the Tampa Bay area or in Sarasota Fl, I wonder why?
photo credit testimony rube allyn 65th Congress Washington DC
In one statement made by Rube Allyn Sr in his Senate Committee testimony he claimed "the work at Hog Island was overrun with Russian Jews speaking the German language overrun to such an extent that he feels his life is in absolute danger of being smothered by them (Jews) in the the cars (trolley) going to and from work." In the movie 'Gangs of New York' Bill the Butcher is played by the Anglo-Irish actor Daniel Day-Lewis who rules the Five-Points NY. The character is a 'Nativist' and wants America to remain a white Anglo-Saxon country. He despises the recent and numerous foreign emigrants in the Philadelphia and New York City slums. Rube Allyn's rants against the German speaking Jews, the foreigners, at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA before Congress in February 1918 mimics "Bill the Butcher' In the movie 'Gangs of New York'. Rube Allyn Sr was a white nationalist who identifies with America even though he was born in Canada. Rube Allyn Sr spoke to the Senate Committee that the German speaking Jews, the 'foreigners', who came from the slums of New York City and Philadelphia were not suitable or equal workers for the U.S. Naval shipyard at Hog Island not like the Americans, the Italians and the Irish, not like him an American Patriot. The German speaking Jews were the cause of the ship building delays at Hog Island claimed Rube Allyn Sr in his testimony.
    photo credit testimony rube allyn 65th Congress Washington DC
In another statement by Rube Allyn Sr before the Senate Committee in Feb 1918 Rube further stated that the Jews were were slowing down progress at Hog island, quote Rube "the Jews were purposely lazy, the less you work the longer the job will last and the more money you can make." Rube also talked about how the Jews one day just disappeared from the Hog Island shipyard. Rube claimed he did not know where they went but was glad they were gone. Rube said "there was a migration of the (Hog Island) Jews, I do not know whether they (Jews) got acros the Jordan (river) or not but if so. I hope the waters closed on them (drowning the Jews)".

                  photo credit Philadelphia.com  
HATE CRIME: Was Rube Allyn's Jew hating bigoted testimony before the Senate Committee in Washington DC published in the Sarasota Times or by his pals at the St Petersburg Times in 1918, I doubt it. Rube's Senate testimony should have been a very big deal back in Sarasota Fl, front page news, it was but no mention of Rube's racist comments on the Jews. Rube was a news guy testifying before a US Senate Committee federal investigation of the Merchant Marine ship building facility at Hog Island during WWI. Rube Allyn Sr was a very dangerous man, he was no 'liberal' as portrayed in the Florida newspapers. UNSOLVED MURDER OF HARRY HIGEL: I wonder how the media in Sarasota and St Pete would try to spin the racist Senate Committee testimony of murder suspect Rube Allyn Sr who admits in his testimony to an 'Attempted Murder Charge' during the commission of what today would most assuredly be classified a 'Hate Crime'. Rube Allyn Sr threw two Jews off a moving Trolley Car and into the cobble stone street on his way to work at Hog Island PA just to make room for himself. Rube Allyn Sr came back to Sarasota Fl in late 1919 after working two years at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA with a hatred of German speaking Jews and anyone who spoke German. Rube Allyn Sr. "was a loaded gun just waiting to go off", see Rube's racist testimony CLICK HERE.

 

Newsman Rube Allyn was a racist who hated Jews, Germans and black people. Allyn published an article in his Sarasota Sun Newspaper in August 1915 about a black man he came across in Tampa on his way to a meeting at the South Florida Chamber of Commerce and had no problem calling him a "common nigger" in print.

RUBE ALLYN ARTICLE, NATIONAL PRESS: "BREEDING PATRIOTS in HOG ISLAND MUD". Rube Allyn got National Press coverage on his activites at Hog Island, he wrote the story as seen in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA July 21st, 1918, Sunday. Rube wrote extensively about himself and his testimony before the 65th Congress in Washington DC at a Senate Committee investigating delays in ship building at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA during WWI with Germany, but he left out all his bigoted, racist remarks about the Jews. All the National Press was extremely favorable of Rube Allyn's efforts at Hog Island, especially so as Rube was writing his own script, but left out gems like this "We American workmen have acquired a hatred for them (Jews), they are worthless" (the German speaking Jews)".

Rube Allyn claimed the Jews from the slums of New York City and Philadelphia who were not equal to Rube and the other Americans or Irishmen workers at Hog Island. Rube Allyn Quote " they, (the German speaking Jews) are an ignorant class of people, not equal in anyway. The Jews who he despised and hated, like the two Jews he threw off a Trolley car and into the cobblestone street on the way to work at Hog Island. The Jews who he wished were killed (drowned) when they left Hog Island in mass and "crossed the Jordan". Quote Rube "the Jews were purposely lazy, the less you work the longer the job will last and the more money you can make." Rube Allyn Sr testified before the Senate Committee in Feb 1918 that he was arrested for attempted murder after he threw two German speaking Jews off the trolley going to work at Hog island from his hotel in Philadelphia. Racist Sen. James K. Vardaman was appalled at Rube Allyn's hate filled rhetoric about the German speaking Jews he had to work with at the US Naval shipyard Hog Island. 15 years after Rube Allyn's racist anti-Semitic testimony before the Senate Committee investigating problems at the US Naval shipyard at Hog Island PA during WWI, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis rose to power in Germany in 1933 on a platform of German nationalism, racial purity and global expansion. Hitler, like many anti-Semites in Germany, blamed the Jews for the country’s defeat in World War I, and for the social and economic upheaval that followed. Adolph Hitler blamed the Jews for all the problems in Germany. Sarasota's Rube Allyn Sr blamed all the problems at the US Naval shipyard Hog Island on the German speaking Jews who he had to work with during WWI. Rube Allyn Quote " they, (the German speaking Jews) are an ignorant class of people, I am convinced from things I hear on trips to Philadelphia that those people, (the Jews), are disloyal to America. They are dangerous in every way and ought not to be associated with public work in anyway. We American workmen have acquired a hatred for them, they are worthless" (the German speaking Jew).

See Rube Allyn's billing above for his time and travel to Washington D.C.. On Wednesday February 20, 1918 Sarasota's Rube Allyn Sr. testified before the 65th Congress in Washington DC at a Senate Committee investigating delays in ship building at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA. Rube Allyn Sr blamed all the problems at the shipyard on the German speaking Jews. It appears that Rube Allyn Sr was in Washington D.C. for 3 days, Feb 19 to Feb 21, as per his billing at $3.00 per day for $9.00 and he charged $10.40 for round trip travel from Philadelphia PA to Washington D.C.. There was no explanation given as to why Rube Allyn Sr was chosen out of 30,000 workers at the Hog Island shipyard to testify before the 65th Congress in Washington DC at a Senate Committee investigating delays in the Merchant Marine ship building at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA during WWI with Germany. There did not appear to be any media coverage or mention in Sarasota or St Pete or Tampa of Rube Allyn's racist testimony before the 65th Congress in Washington DC about the Jews, 'it was kinda a big deal for Rube, should have been front page regional news in Florida with his racist tirade about the Jews', but it wasn't.

    PHOTO CREDIT COLT REVOLVER PARTS BILL WARNER INVESTIGATIONS
The 1921 Unsolved Brutal Murder of Harry Higel On Sarasota Key Fl, Was Harry Pistol Whipped with a Colt Police Positive .32 Caliber Revolver the Rusted Parts Found 98 years later in Nov 2019 on north Siesta Key with a broken grip? Harry Higel appears to have had multiple depressed skull fractures according to a report from Dr. Joseph Haldon on Jan 7th, 1921 which could have been caused during a pistol whipping. Did Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr kill Harry Lee Higel on north west Siesta Key in Jan 1921? The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl on Jan 7th, 1921. Rube Allyn was his stage name. Is it a Break in the Harry Higel 99 Year Old Cold Case With Discovery of Possible Murder Weapon on north Siesta Key? 

NOTE: Apparently there are no records of any kind at the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept or the Manatee County Sheriff Dept which actually investigated the attack and subsequent death of Harry Higel on Friday January 7th, 1921 on Siesta Key. The Sarasota County Sheriff Dept was not formed until July 1921, six months after Mr. Higel's murder. So who owned the 1920's era Colt Police Positive .32 Caliber revolver with FANCY grips found buried with 6 live bullets and a broken grip in November 2019 on north Siesta Key? Did Harry Higel run into Rube Allyn Sr on north Siesta Key, they both lived in the same area? Was there a confrontation between the two men? Did Rube Allyn Sr. a much larger and stronger man in a fit of rage beat Harry Higel to death? Did Rube Allyn Sr ambush Harry Higel when he was out for a walk and beat him to death with the Colt revolver? Ultimately Harry Higel was found by accident at about 8:30 am on Beach Rd on north west Siesta Key by a father and son going to work on Friday January 7, 1921.

    photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
At a Coroners Jury inquiry investigating the murder of Harry Higel several witnesses gave testimony as to have seen Rube Allyn Sr near the Higel crime scene. Manatee County Judge Cary B. Fish convened the jury at about 3:00 pm Friday Jan 7, 1921 in Bradentown Fl. The Coroners Jury viewed the remains of Mr Harry Higel at the morgue and returned to the Bradentown City Hall to take testimony. Sheriff Brown testified he found tracks at Bayou Louise that reassembled the tracks of Rube Allyn Sr. found near the crime scene. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl. Mr Reed who was doing work on a house of his on Siesta Key and two other men working for the Palmer Company claimed they saw Rube Allyn Sr in the woods at about 7:45 am Friday Jan 7, 1921. The last time Harry Higel was seen alive was at about 8:15 am Friday Jan 7, 1921 when he left the shell pit where he was working on the beach. The Manatee County Coroners Jury convened by Judge Cary B. Fish found probable cause to arrest Rube Allyn Sr for Harry Higel's murder on Friday Jan 7, 1921.  

A Manatee County Grand Jury later failed to indict Rube Allyn Sr on March 9th 1921, no murder weapon ever found and there was never a trial. After the arrest of Rube Allyn Sr for the murder of Harry Higel in Jan 1921, the Bradentown Manatee River Journal printed an article that was in strong support of Rube Allyn Sr. It stated, “There is not, we will be willing to take oath, a newspaper man in the state who knows Allyn, and that includes all of us, who believes he is guilty of murder.” Possibly if the boys at the Manatee River Journal knew of Rube Allyn's racist testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee 3 years earlier in Feb 1918 and his admission of an arrest for 'Attempted Murder' of two Jews on the trolley to the Hog Island work site they might think differently, or would they?

Map of Siesta Key as of 1916 that shows the Higelhurst Hotel towards the far north end of Gulmead Dr Siesta Key Fl. Higelhurst Hotel was on the beach at the entrance to Big Pass and 50 yards from the water. Harry Higel had his house located all the way to the very north end of Higel Ave on Sarasota Key. Harry Higel was attacked on Friday Jan 7th, 1921. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl, on north Sarasota Key and near where Harry Higel's house was located at the very north end of Higel Ave. Harry Higel was not found on Beach Rd below the Siesta Key village near what is now the Siesta Key Public Beach, he never would have walked that far. Mr. Higel's HIGEL-HURST HOTEL was on the north end of Siesta Key Fl facing Big Pass and the Gulf of Mexico. Platted in 1907, the subdivision where eventually Harry Higel lived was located on the north end of Siesta (Sarasota) Key and was two and a half miles across Sarasota Bay from the mainland. There was a small bridge that connected the tip of Siesta (Sarasota) Key where Harry Higel lived to the small barrier island to the West. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl. There were also small bridges at Mangrove, Ogden and N. Shell Rd/Roberts to the small barrier island to the West. Siesta Key became one of Higel’s passions years before a bridge to the island was built. In 1907 he formed the Siesta Land Company with two partners, Capt. Louis Roberts and E.M. Arbogast.

According to the Tampa Tribune Rube Allyn, originally from Ontario Canada, first landed in Palmetto Fl in November 1911 when he purchased land and a home there before he came to Sarasota and Siesta Key most likely in early 1913. Two different articles indicated that Rube Allyn was born in Ontario Canada, his parents were Irish migrants, his father Alex from Sligo Ireland and his mother Anne from Galway Ireland. Parents: Alexander "Alex" Allen 1827-1914 and Harriet "Anne" Thompson Allen 1835-1905. Rube Allyn was known to speak Swedish, Norwegian, French and German.

  photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
Harry Higel's Higel-Hurst Hotel was on on Gulf Ave from 1915 to 1917 overlooking Big Pass. There was a road at the time that went all along the shoreline of North Siesta Key it was called GULF AVE it was not paved it was rough, just crushed sea shells. At the time it was conceived in 1907, the only access to Siesta Key was by boat and that is why every homeowner owned the beach in front of their home to dock their boat, no bridge from Sarasota until May 1917.

    HURST INN WAS ON THE BEACH..  photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
It was always envisioned by Higel as part of a residential waterside development called Siesta on the Gulf and he unofficially gave the name of Siesta Key to the barrier island known as Sarasota Key. The land for the development (79 acres) was part of an inheritance that came to his wife Gertrude Edmondson, who was a granddaughter of the earliest Sarasota settlers William and Jane Whitaker. The murder of Harry Higel remains unsolved. He left a mother, wife and three children. Fishing was a big part of the HigelHurst Hotel's allure, it appears to have been built on the beach. Just outside the front door of the Hotel was a well known fishing spot just a 1/4 mile off the beach in Big Pass. Rumors have it Rube Allyn Sr was responsible for burning down the Hotel on March 39 1917. There was a lot of anti-German sentiment resulting from World War I in America. Harry Higel was found unconscious and severely beaten around the face and head on January 7th 1921 lying in the middle of the road. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl on north end of Siesta Key, he died later that morn, Rube Allyn Sr was arrested for the murder but never tried. 

Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking budy Noel A. Mitchell the former Mayor of St Pete ran a very aggressive Private Detective Agency. An ad posted in the Tampa Bay Times on Jan 14, 1922 claimed Noel A. Mitchell Detective Agency had armed men, "armed to the teeth" with shotguns loaded with buckshot and high powered rifles, ready to spring into action. "Crack shots that can hit a silver dollar at 30 paces". One of his detectives was Joseph Neil "the best shot in Florida with a revolver", "Joe was a sharpshooter in France and what he did I will tell you not", WOW this guy Noel was way out there. Two years later he lost his permit to carry a firearm. Rube Allyn's best pal Noel Mitchell had access to multiple weapons of all kinds, most likely they carried "Colt .32 caliber Police Positive Revolvers with Hard Ruber Grips". Standard issue during this time frame.

Former Mayor of St Pete was running a private detective agency called "The Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency" providing protection for home owners who go North during the summer months. Noel A. Mitchell Detective Agency, " We Hear All See All Know All". It appears to have started operation in 1920.

May 24, 1924, Unfortunately for Noel A. Mitchell he was not allowed to carry a firearm to accompany his private detective license. Apparently private detective Noel A. Mitchell the former Mayor of St Pete was denied the right to carry a pistol in May 1924 by George M. Coslick St Pete Chief of Police after Mitchell's Deputy Sheriff card had been revoked by Pinellas County Sheriff Lindsey due to prior bad acts. Detectives at Noel Mitchell's Private Detective Agency would have carried Colt .32 Caliber revolvers from 1920 to 1924. Most likely the men working for Noel Mitchell's Private Detective Agency were former law enforcement and the standard issued weapon of the time to police agencies was the "Colt .32 caliber Police Positive Revolver with Hard Ruber Grips". Just like the rusted out Colt .32 caliber revolver found off of Higel Ave on Siesta Key with the broken grip buried down about 3 feet in November 2019. The Colt .32 Police Positive Special incorporated Colt’s “Positive Lock” safety which prevented the firing pin from hitting the primer unless the trigger was deliberately pulled. Colt's Positive Lock prevented an accidental discharge even if the lowered hammer was struck or the pistol was dropped, (or used to hit someone). In April 1930 Rube Allyn was arrested again, this time in St Petersburg were he had been living at his mother-in-law's house. Rube plotted with ex-Mayor Noel Mitchell of St Pete to shoot and kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft with a shotgun. Charges eventually dropped, Rube kicked out of town.

    photo Image: Wm. Hartman Gallery
Harry Higel was known to always be a dapper dresser and dress for any occasion with his ever present bow tie, even fishing with the Bay Island Hotel gang on Sarasota Key, see photo above. Harry Higel was not a tall man, he is seen in the photo above and appears to be the shortest man out of the 13 fishermen, he is probably around 5' 6" tall. Rube Allyn was much taller at 6' 2' tall. Apparently Harry Higel was murdered along the stretch of Siesta Dr somewhere near Higel Ave on the north end of Siesta Key, he was out walking by himself. Harry Higel was found on Friday Jan 7th at 8:30 am, on north Siesta Key which was a very sparsely populated area back in 1921.

     photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
The north bridge to Sarasota Key was completed in May 1917, it was first known as Higel Bridge. Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel aka HigelHurst Inn had burned down (suspiciously) just one month before the bridge was completed. Everybody now wanted to visit Sarasota Key by car. During the 1920's the car to have for the 'everyman' was the Ford Model T, it appears from old photos that the car was very popular in Sarasota Fl. Between 1908 and 1927 the Ford Motor Company made about 15 million cars with the Model T engine, Rube Allyn had a Model T. In the 1920s, according to some estimates, every other car on the road was a Model T. Harry Higel and Rube Allyn Sr, who both lived on north Siesta Key, would have had a car most likely a Ford Model T to get back and forth to Sarasota by the north bridge starting in May 1917.

   photo credit Colt firearm parts bill warner investigations
The remains of a rusted antique Colt revolver were found in late November 2019 buried on the north end of Siesta Key off of Higel Avenue with a broken grip. Nothing in this article indicates that anyone linked to Law Enforcement was involved in the murder of Harry Higel. The sidearms chosen by law enforcement agencies usually mark the next stage of handgun innovation, when police departments start carrying a new type of handgun civilian ownership is often not far behind. This is the case of the rusted remains of a antique Colt Police Positive .32 Caliber Revolver found buried on Siesta Key in November 2019. By 1921 over 150,000 of the mass marketed Colt revolvers were on the streets of the US, the gun was first manufactured in 1907, everyone had one.

    photo credit Colt firearm parts bill warner investigations.
The remains of the antique Colt Police Positive .32 Caliber Revolver found buried on Siesta Key in November 2019, apparently the gun was buried with 6 live rounds in the cylinder. The Colt revolver had at least one live round still visible in the #1 cylinder before it fell out. As this firearm was made to rotate to the right the next time the trigger was pulled a live round would have fired back in the day, see photo above. No one buries a firearm with live rounds unless it is linked to a crime.  As it was in 1921, the main suspect in the brutal bludgeoning murder of Harry Higel was and is Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr who had been Mr. Higel's adversary and antagonist since 1911 when Rube shows up in the Sarasota Palmetto area. Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr was an Irishman 'through and through' with all the baggage from heavy drinking, he was married to the long suffering Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn.

Sometime during the morning of Friday January 7th, 1921 between 8:15 am and 8:30 am Harry Higel was severely beaten around the head and face, falling limp by the side of the road on Siesta Key. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl on January 7th, 1921. Harry Higel had a gash on his head exposing a two-inch wide crack in the top of his skull above the right eye, several broken facial bones and several wounds on the top and back of his head according to a report from Dr. Joseph Halton. Harry appears from the description of the wounds to have had severe brain damage from the beating. Harry Higel was found Friday January 7th, 1921 at 8:30 am laying in a pool of blood, but still alive.

Apparently Harry Higel did not have any injuries to his body below his neck, he was not hit by a car, no broken arms or legs, no mention of defensive wounds on his arms or shoulders, some investigators have indicated he was hit with a shovel but if he was, there most likely would have been other wounds to the body like his shoulders and neck, there were not. When someone is pistol whipped it is up close and personal. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl.

In a pistol whipping the victim usually is held by his shirt collar and blows are reigned down on the head and face area with the revolver and as the victim falls to the ground more blows can be inflicted on the face and head fracturing the skull, breaking teeth, breaking nose, fracturing the eye orbits, breaking jaw, making the face unrecognizable, just like the skull fractures in the simulated skull in the photo above.  One detail accurately portrayed in Movies and TV is "Old West" Marshal Wyatt Earp's Dodge City KS method of administering an NFL-style concussion through a practice known as pistol-whipping. Earp was renowned for this brutal and debilitating technique. It involved slamming his long-barreled Colt revolver into the side of a misbehaving cowboy’s head with such force that the victim was knocked unconscious, if not permanently comatose.

    photo credit Harry Higel Sarasota County Historical Resources
Photos above of Harry Higel and Rube Allyn Sr when both men were in their 20's. Harry Higel was born 12/30/1867 in Philadelphia PA. Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn was born 1/01/1866 in Canada as per all indications (Ohio as Rube indicated on the 1940 Census). Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr grew up in the small town of Mount Forest, Ontario Canada. Rube Allyn has a history with Philadelphia PA, Hog Island PA, Crookston, Minnesota and New York City NY. Harry Higel and Rube Allyn Sr were both born after the end of the US Civil War that wrapped up in 1865, sort of war babies, both men were Capricorn's on the Zodiac table. Harry Higel is of direct German heritage while Rube Allyn Sr was an Irishman 'through and through' with all the baggage from heavy drinking. The portrait photo of Rube Allyn Sr on the right above was taken in New York City sometime between 1889 to 1890 when Rube Allyn Sr would have been in his 20's. Rube Allyn Sr from all accounts was a tall man at 6' 2', apparently much taller than Harry Higel. Rube Allyn's real name is Rubert Royce Allen he grew up in Mount Forest, Wellington County Ontario Canada. Rube Allyn was his stage name. Rube Allyn aka Rubert Royce Allen's parents were Irish refugees to Ontario Canada from the potato famine in Ireland, Rube was born in Canada. 

The Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg Fl on Sunday September 11th 1927 published an interview with Rube Allyn at his cottage/shack in Ruskin Fl. During the interview by conducted by reporter Tom Haaris,  Rube Allyn came clean on his actual name at birth in Canada on Jan 1st, 1866, his true name is William James Allen. Rube Allyn was just his stage name as an actor and he contiued to use it as he leagl name for most all of his adult life, even when he married his wife Rose Evelyn he gave her the last name Allyn. Rube Allyn aka  William James Allen Born January 1st 1866 - Mt. Forest, Ontario, Canada. Deceased 23 October 1947 Lot of deception here.

According to the Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida) article above in 1927, Rube Allyn Sr was a bigamist. Rube supposedly had a wife Laura Huffline Allyn in Alliance Ohio who he married in 1891 that he supposedly forgot about and left 37 years ago. Rube Allyn married wife #2 Rose Evelyn Knestrick (Allyn) also in Ohio in 1897 and Rose moved with Rube to the Sarasota Fl area in 1911, and yet supposedly Rube married another woman in Newark NJ. Supposedly there was an $80,000 inheritance up for grabs if Rube had married Laura. During this fiasco in Feb 1928 wife #2 Rose Evelyn Knestrick (Allyn) was in New York City, she is a playwright and had sold several of her plays for Broadway. Lot of deception here with Rube Allyn, this was all a lie. This is probably why Rube Allyn listed himself as widowed on the 1940 US Census in Ruskin Fl where he appears to have been living alone. 

The whole story about the forgotten wife Laura Allyn in Ohio was a scam perpetrated by Rube Allyn whose real true name is William J. Allen, he was never married to Laura Huffline Allyn and he never had any sister named Susie. Rube never got the MONEY, Rube Allyn sure could spin a tale. Rube was a con man, liar and fraud, he was never related to the people in Alliance Ohio.

TAMPA BAY TIMES ARTICLE MARCH 21st 1928: JUDGE DECLARES RUBE ALLYN OF RUSKIN FL A LIAR AND A FRAUD. RUBE TRIED TO CLAIM $80,000 ESTATE IN ALLIANCE OHIO, CLAIMED HE WAS THE LONG LOST BROTHER NAMED 'REUBEN ALLEN'. RUBE ALLYN IN RUSKIN FL GIVEN BIRTH NAME WAS WILLIAM JAMES (RUBE) ALLEN. RUBE ALLYN WAS A FRAUD AND A CONVICTED LIAR, HE ALSO CLAIMS HE DID NOT MURDER HARRY HIGEL ON JAN 7 1921, BULL CRAP.

      photo credit Florida fisherman magazine
Photo above on left shows Rube Allyn Sr in later life, photo appears to be from the 1930's, he died in 1947 at 81 he had been living in Ruskin Fl. Rube Allyn Sr appears to be a rather large man, well over 6 feet tall with long arms. Harry Higel was a much smaller man, at most he was 5' 6" tall. Rupert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr aka William James (Rube) Allen died in October 1947 he was 81 years old. After Rube Allyn Sr. went to drama school in Philadelphia in 1887 and in New York City in 1889 he eventually became a vaudeville actor and at one time lectured on the Chautauqua circuit all around the north east. 

   photo credit Colt firearm parts bill warner investigations
When not on the stage, Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr plied his trade as a typesetter. Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr worked in the Mid West, all over the East Coast and over time eventually covered much of the United States on travels as far west as Nebraska, Iowa and Crookston, Minnesota in the late 1890's and early 1900's. Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr would sometimes pause on his travels for a year or more in a town but never really settle down. Over the years, 1890 to 1910, Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr became increasingly eccentric and combative. He wore his hair long, and bore a resemblance to his fellow Irishman, Oscar Wilde, in appearance, mannerisms, and wit. He had frequent bad moods, often drunk and a fierce Irish temper flared up when anyone disagreed with him. In 1911 he landed in Sarasota Fl and decided to stay. By then Rube was married, and he and his wife, the long suffering Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn had reconciled again, they had separated several times over the previous 15 years most likely due to his heavy drinking. Rube Allyn Sr started a newspaper in Sarasota called the 'SARASOTA SUN' in 1913 that eventuality failed in early 1916, just like others he had started in Canada. Rube was supposedly liberal and progressive but unstable and not dependable, most likely linked to his heavy drinking. Rube Allyn Sr appears to have been someone with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). 

Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr left Sarasota and his family of 7 on Siesta Key in Nov. 1917 and found work in the U.S. Navel Hog Island PA shipyard until after the end of World War I in 1918 and then into 1919, the shipbuilding continued until 1921. Rube was making .60 cents an hour as skilled labor with Board and Lodging advanced against wages, he would have been in his 50's at this time. After the war and the eventual shipyard layoffs he returned to Sarasota Fl in late 1919. Rube began publishing the 'Florida Fisherman' in August 1920 with help from his pals at the St Petersburg Times. During the travels of Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr all over the US were Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr plied his trade as a typesetter, it is my opinion that at one time or another he obtained a firearm for protection, very possibly the remains of a Colt .32 caliber Police Positive revolver found buried 98 years later with a broken grip on north Siesta Key in November 2019.

      photo credit Colt firearm parts bill warner investigations
Photo above of the front and back of loaded cylinder of the remains of a Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver found buried on Siesta Key in late November 2019, it had been in the ground for at least 90+ years, with a broken grip and 6 live rounds in the cylinder. In late November 2019, I was made aware of a rusted out antique gun found buried off of Higel Ave just south of the 'Out of Door Academy' on north Siesta Key. The rusted remains of the antique gun turned out to be a Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with one live round still in the six shot cylinder, the other 5 bullets had rusted out. The gun appears to have been fully loaded when it was buried 90+ years ago, it has a broken hard rubber grip on the right side of the gun. The metal on the remains of the rusted antique Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver has oxidized quickly since pulled out of the ground. 

        photo credit Harry Higel Sarasota County Historical Resources
Many small parts of the Colt revolver found buried near Higel Ave have already turned to dust since the homeowners found the gun during some excavation work in their front yard. I came in contact and possession of the Colt gun late on Saturday November 23rd, 2019 and it wasn't till Monday evening November 25th, 2019, after a lot of research with the Colt Mfg company and every printed article concerning the murder of Harry Higel and deep background on Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr aka William James (Rube) Allen did I understand that the antique firearm could be linked to Mr. Higel's death. I took the old rusted Colt firearm remains, parts and pieces, to the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept 6010 Cattleridge Blvd the morning of Tuesday November 26th, 2019 and explained it's origin on Siesta Key and that I had the permission from the property owner to deliver the remains of the revolver to the Sarasota County Sheriff.

     photo credit Colt grips bill warner investigations
The rusted remains of a Colt .32 caliber revolver that had been buried on private property on Siesta Key for 90+ years was identified from it's distinctive brown hard rubber grips and the word COLT circled high up on one of the grips. Typical to the time period of early and prior 1920's. The hard Colt rubber grips with the COLT logo were made from 1907 to 1922 and then changed in 1923 to Walnut wood stock grips. If the Colt gun found buried had wooden grips they would have been long gone and made identification of the revolver very difficult as any serial number or identification on the barrel was corroded. The live round was identified as a .32 caliber long, it was not operable. The area where the gun was found on north Siesta Key is near salt water canals, it is surprising that anything at all remains of the Colt revolver.

Read more here: https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article149809234.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article149809234.html#storylink=cpy The Manatee County Deputy Sheriff, thinking that he remembered tracks on the scene that could have been made by the shoes, arrested Rube Allyn Friday January 7th 1921 and took him to the City of Sarasota’s small jail.

     photo credit Sarasota Times newspaper
Photo above Sarasota County Times Newspaper issue Thursday June 16, 1921. Harry Higel was everywhere to be seen in Sarasota, then still a part of Manatee County but pushing to break away and chart its own course. In June of 1920 Higel had the idea to hold a mass meeting in Sarasota to initiate the county separation effort. He arranged to advertise the event in the Sarasota Times. Higel was later named to the General Committee on County Division but brutally murdered six months later on Jan 7th, 1921. The Sarasota County Sheriff's office was established in July 1921 upon the creation of Sarasota County's break from the southern portion of Manatee County. This was 6 months after the murder of Harry Higel, some speculate the break from Manatee County was the result of the poor handling of Mr. Higel's death investigation. One of the first acts of the Sarasota County Commission, which was formed in June 1921, was a July 21, 1921, resolution offering a $1,000 reward for evidence leading to the capture of Harry Higel’s murderer — more than $12,000 today. But since that day there have not been any new leads in the murder mystery. Florida Governor Cary A. Hardee appointed Burna Dale "Heinie" Levi as the first Sheriff of Sarasota County in July 1921, he had no prior law enforcement background. On August 22, 1921, Sarasota City Marshal L.D. Hodges became the agency's first deputy. Sarasota City Marshal L. D. Hodges was elected Sheriff and took office in December 1922.

       photo credit Harry Higel Sarasota County Historical Resources
The Sarasota Times reported on September 17, 1914, "that plans have been drawn by a local architect and the Higel-Hurst Hotel aka Hurst Inn was assured. The hotel will have 20 bedrooms and a dining room large enough to accommodate 100 people." The estimated cost would be between $10,000 and $15,000. Work on the hotel began immediately. The contract for the foundation was awarded within a week. Plans were also drawn up for several guest bungalows to be built close to the hotel. Higel's plan included streets along which the bungalows would be built and sidewalks to the hotel from Higel Ave. His idea was to make Siesta Key a settlement where every comfort would be provided. Higel believed that this type of plan would be popular with tourists. Hotel Higelhurst opened its doors on March 9, 1915, with more than 200 people attending the grand opening reception. Since the bridge to the key was not finished, ferry boats provided transportation to the hotel. In Higel's promotional brochure, Siesta on the Gulf, he claimed that his hotel was on of the most modern in Manatee County. The daily rates were $2.50 and up. The hotel had hot and cold running water in every room, large baths, gas and electric lights and telephones. Also, the  Higel-Hurst Hotel aka Hurst Inn was less than 50 yards to the Gulf Pass (Big Pass). The Higel-h-Hurst proved to be very popular and was a success for Higel. For some reason Rube Allyn Sr. put up a ramshackle house/office near the Higelhurst Hotel aka Higel-Hurst Inn. In 1917 Harry Higel was planning an expansion when the hotel caught fire on March 31st, Rube Allyn Sr was nearby that night. Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel aka Higel-Hurst Inn on the Gulf located on north Siesta Key at Big Pass burnt to the ground on March 31st 1917. Harry Higel's son, Gordon Higel, a retired postmaster, recalled that tears ran down his father's face as they watched the hotel burn to the ground from the mainland. Although he announced plans to rebuild, there was very little insurance on the building. Higel never rebuilt the hotel.

     photo credit Harry Higel Sarasota County Historical Resources
In 1920 and 1921 Harry Higel quarreled with Rube Allyn Sr over an unpaid debt after he’d lent Rube Allyn money for a home on the north end of Siesta Key. The Higel-Hurst Hotel overlooked Big Pass and suspiciously burned down in March 1917. Rube Allyn Sr and his family lived near the Hotel on Siesta Key. Rube Allyn Sr printed the Sarasota Sun newspaper inside a dockside office at 120 N Gulf Stream Blvd Sarasota. Harry Higel Land Developer office/home was at 107 N Gulf Stream Blvd Sarasota. A mention in the 1917 Sarasota City Council minutes stated that Rube’s building at 120 N Gulf Stream Blvd was declared to be a menace and he was ordered to remove it. Harry Higel's home loan to Rube Allyn was coming due just before Higel was murdered in January 1921. Rube Allyn was known for erratic behavior, bad moods, drinking, combative nature, and a fierce and short Irish temper. Often a donkey-drawn cart carrying Rube Allyn’s disabled son would pass through Higel’s property on north Higel Avenue and the gate to a chicken coop was often left open further inciting Harry. In 1917, the Higelhurst Hotel mysteriously burned down one month before the bridge to Sarasota Key was completed in May 2917. Higel suffered a major financial loss. No one knew whom or what was responsible for the fire, but many folks believed it was Rube Allyn, mostly because of his close proximity to the property and his assertiveness toward Higel. During the 1916 local elections, Allyn is said to have criticized Harry Higel’s character in his newspaper. 

      photo credit american history museum philademphia pa
Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr was born in 1866 he grew up in Ontario Canada where his Irish immigrate parents had settled, he also has early links Philadelphia in 1887 and to New York City in 1889 and Crookston, Minnesota in 1901 and Philadelphia again from 1917 to late 1919. World War I lasted from July 1914 to November 1918. Rube Allyn Sr. worked at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA building docks for the Navy Contractor from November 1917 to late in 1919, the shipbuilding continued until 1921. Rube Allyn Sr. was making .60 cents and hour for a 10 hour day with Board and Lodging advanced against wages. Rube would have been in his 50's at this time working at a very dangerous, hard and dirty job for .60 cents and hour, many men were killed during the shipbuilding. During his time at Hog Island, about 12 miles from Philadelphia, Rube voiced a strong hatred for the German speaking Jews who worked with him. He admitted to having been arrested for attempted murder when he threw two German speaking Jews off the trolley on the way to Hog Island in 1918.  

     photo credit american history museum philademphia pa
The U.S. Naval Yard at Hog Island: In early September 1918, hundreds of cases of the Spanish Influenza pandemic were reported at the hog Island Naval Yard and began to spread. Mortality on some days at Hog Island was several hundred people and, by the time the pandemic began to subside in October 1918, more than 12,000 people had died. Rube Allyn Sr from Sarasota Fl was at the U.S. Naval Yard at Hog Island from November 1917 to late in 1919 and somehow survived all of this.
    photo credit american history museum philademphia pa
Rube Allyn Sr was toiling away outside in the heat or freezing cold at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA for .60 cents an hour from November 1917 to late in 1919 when he was in his 50's. Back in Sarasota Harry Higel was the king of Sarasota and Siesta Key, he was very influential in the booming City of Sarasota while Rube was working in the mud at Hog Island. Rube Allyn Sr returned to Siesta Key in late 1919 and set up the Florida Fisherman magazine in August 1920 with the help and financing of the St Petersburg Times. Did Rube bring a gun back with him? The Colt Police Positive would have been used by the police department in Philadelphia in the 1900's and by night watchmen like Rube at the Hog Island shipyard. Did Rube Allyn Sr 'pick up' a Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver while he was working at the Hog Island Philadelphia shipyard as a night watchman. In 1917, as part of the World War I effort, the US government contracted American International Shipbuilding Corp to build ships and a shipyard at Hog Island. At the time Hog Island became the largest shipyard in the world, with 50 slipways. The shipbuilding continued until 1921, after which the facility was rapidly demolished. 

      photo credit Sarasota County Historical Resources
In "The Story of Sarasota," Karl Grismer wrote after returning to Sarasota from Philadelphia, Rube Allyn Sr. began publishing the Florida Fisherman in August 1920, four months later on January 7, 1921, Rube Allyn Sr was arrested for the brutal bludgeoning murder of Harry Higel, a respected community leader and three-term mayor of Sarasota. When the announcement of Higel’s murder was made, Rube Allyn Sr was the focal suspect. “All the fingers were pointing at him,” LaHurd said. In 1921 only about 3 dozen people actually lived on Sarasota Key, Rube Allyn Sr was one of them and he was there on Friday morn January 7th 1921. Rube Allyn Sr traveled to Sarasota later on Friday morning January 7th 1921 crossing the north bridge from Sarasota Key. According to Grismer’s book, an enraged mob captured Rube Allyn Sr in downtown Sarasota on Friday afternoon and draped a noose around his neck before authorities interrupted and transported Rube Allyn Sr to Bradenton in Manatee County for the trial. Sixty-one days later, a grand jury failed to indict Rube Allyn of the murder, because the evidence presented was circumstantial, including reported sightings of Rube Allyn Sr in palmetto plants near the crime scene Thursday night. Rumors by locals in Sarasota had it that Rube Allyn Sr confessed to murdering Harry Lee Higel while in the Sarasota jail but Rube later took it back. There was never a trial for Rube Allyn Sr, nor enough evident at the time.

       photo credit Harry Higel Sarasota County Historical Resources
Why would someone/anyone bury a Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver with 6 live rounds in the cylinder and a broken grip that dates to 1907 and the early 1920's in a field, just south of where The Outdoor Academy is located now off of a street that runs west from Higel Ave on the North end of Siesta Key. Was the antique Colt gun with the broken grip, loaded with 6 rounds the Harry Lee Higel murder weapon? A $1,000 reward was offered for the murderer of Harry Higel, but no one else was ever arrested other than Rube Allyn Sr.

According to Colt literature of the 1920s, the .32 caliber Police Positive Special was, "Adopted as standard by many large and hundreds of smaller city Police Departments due to its rugged, sturdy frame, accuracy and hard-hitting qualities. During the early 1900's the Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver was very popular among just about everyone who wanted a reliable firearm, Express Messengers, Paymasters, Watchmen, and Special officers. The Colt Police Positive .32 caliber revolver was also the choice for Home, Store, Motoring and Beach/Camping protection. Rube Allyn Sr. took his show on the road for over 20 years. Rube Allyn Sr traveled all over the US, apparently traveling by train and car from at least the late 1890''s to 1906 and then again from about 1917 to 1919, it is not a reach by any means to think he 'picked up a gun' somewhere in his travels. 

It is my opinion that Rupert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr ambushed Harry Higel while Harry was out for a walk near his house on the north end of Higel Ave on Siesta Key. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl. A planed and calculated attack on Friday January 7th, 1921 that resulted in Mr Higel's death the same day. In my experiences with physical confrontations, if a person is hit with a shovel or a lead pipe or even a baseball bat the assailant is standing about 2 to 3 feet from the victim to be able to swing down on the victim. Usually one or two whacks to the victims head quickly ends the confrontation with the victim experiencing a fractured skull and lying unconscious or dead on the ground. Most likely the blows to the victims head will be in the same general area, the right side or the left side of the head, because once you get hit you go down. In the brutal murder of Harry Higel, Mr. Higel had multiple depressed skull fractures on the top of his head, the side of his head and several more on the back of his head along with his face beat in. 

PISTOL WHIPPING: Which in my opinion indicates Harry Higel was held up by one hand of the assailant, (grabbing a shirt collar), while multiple blows were reigned down to Mr Higel's face and head from all sides with the assailants free hand holding a hard object, up close and personal, a pistol whipping? Rube Allyn was 6' 2' tall with long arms, Harry Higel much smaller man at most 5' 6" tall, lots of deadly wounds on top of Harry Higels' head. Rube Allyn Sr did the dastardly deed, he murdered Harry Higel in my opinion during a pistol whipping. Rube Allyn Sr. had motive (default on loan to Mr Higel and he hated Germans), opportunity (lives near Mr Higel and was there Thursday night) and the physical ability (big strong man) to beat Harry Higel to death most likely with the loaded Colt revolver with the broken grip found 98 years later in November 2019 buried on the north end of Siesta Key. PRIOR BAD ACT: Rube Allyn Sr admitted in sworn testimony before a Senate Committee in Feb. 1918 that he had been arrested for 'Attempted Murder' during a Hate Crime at the Hogs Island PA shipyard, he hated German speaking people, he hated Germans.

    photo credit Harry Higel Sarasota County Historical Resources

Rube Allyn Sr. was a big man well over 6 feet tall and very strong, Harry Higel was a much smaller man, most likely in the 5' 6'' tall range, which would explain all the damage to Harry Higel's head, multiple depressed skull fractures on the top, sides and back of his head from what appears to be a pistol whipping. Blows appeared to have rained down on Harry's head from the much taller Rube Allyn Sr. It is my opinion that Rube Allyn Sr buried the murder weapon, a Colt revolver with a broken grip, that was found 98 years later on north Siesta Key. I am convinced that Rube Allyn Sr confronted Harry Higel and beat him all over his face and head and into a bloody pulp and left him for dead on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl. I am also convinced that Rube Allyn Sr burned down Harry Higel's prized Higel-Hurst Hotel on March 31, 1917, he was there on the Island that night and he despised Harry and Germans. There was a lot of anti-German sentiment resulting from World War I in America (Jul 28, 1914 – Nov 11, 1918). Rube Allyn Sr identified as an 'America Patriot' who worked hard labor at the US Naval shipyard Hogs Island PA as his patriotic duty. Harry Higel was of direct German heritage. The Hurst part of the Higel-Hurst Hotel name appears to link to Hurst Germany. Rube Allyn Sr. was a newspaper guy and linked to the St Pete Times in March of 1917 he would have been well aware of the "Zimmerman Note" and the German plot in America. On March 1st, 1917, an explosive story hit the front pages of major U.S. newspapers about a German telegram that had fallen into the hands of the American government. By then, the United States was already on its slow and inexorable path to WWI with Germany. Curiously 30 days later on March 31st, 1917, Harry Higel's prized Higel-Hurst Hotel was burned down. Rube Allyn Sr was a self proclaimed "American Patriot" and had extreme Germanophobic sentiment, there are no coincidences here. Four days later, after the Hotel was burned down, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany on April 4, 1917. Congress quickly complied by a wide margin, and the United States joined the carnage of World War I. Just a few months after Harry's Hotel burns down in March 2017 Rube Allyn Sr leaves Sarasota and is off to the U.S. Naval Shipyard at Hogs Island PA for two years of hard labor at .60 cents an hour sawing timber and building docks, big change for a newspaper guy in his 50's. Rube claimed in testimony before a Senate Committee that he was an "American Patriot" and hated Germans, there are no coincidences here.

    screenshot 1940 census Ruslin Fl
1940 US CENSUS: Rube Allyn Sr had moved to Ruskin Fl in Mach 1921 with his wife Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn and 6 children after his release from jail as the suspect in the January 1921 murder of Harry Higel. In the 1940 US Census Ruskin Fl, Rube Allyn Sr whose birth name is William James (Rube) Allen and appears to have been born in 1866 in Ontario Canada to Irish immigrant parents Alex and Anne Allen, indicated that his name was Rube Allyn Sr and he was born in Ohio and that he was 73 years old. Rube also indicated that he was retired newspaper publisher on the 1940 Census. Rube's wife Rose Evelyn Knestrick (Allyn) was born in Ohio. Rube Allyn was the stage name of William James Rube Allen which was his birth name. Rube Allyn Sr died in October 1947 he was an self proclaimed "America Patriot" to the end. The Social Security number ( SSN ) was created in 1936 when Rube Allyn was 70 years old for the sole purpose of tracking the earnings histories of U.S. workers, for use in determining Social Security benefit entitlement and computing benefit levels. It does not seem possible that Rube Allyn was receiving any Social Security benefits of any kind from 1936 when Social Security started to 1947 when he died at 81, as he had long since retired. Rube died penniless in Ruslkin Fl on October 23rd, 1947. Rube Allyn indicated on the 1940 Census that his Marital Status was Widowed, but Rube's wife Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn (1868–1957) did not die until 17 years later (after 1940 census) in 1957? Rube's wife Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn (1868–1957) was born on April 2nd 1868 in Wayne County Ohio, she was born in Ohio not Rube. In the 1900 US census Rube and his wife Rose Evelyn were living in Richland, Saunders County, Nebraska his son Rube Allyn Jr was born in 1901 in Iowa.Lots of deception here. "Rube" used at least 3 different variations of his name and spelling during his lifetime, he was Rube Allyn, Rubert Royce Allen and William James Allen his actual birth name, lot of deception here. Rube Allyn claimed during his lifetime that Minnesota was his home State even though he was born in Ontario Canada, lot of deception here. Rube, a con man's con man, the ultimate scam artist.

    photo credit screenshot Wellington Advertiser Ontario Canada 
RE: Rube Allyn Sr aka Rupert Royce Allen, Newspaper account, Among the notable people who grew up in Wellington County, Ontario Canada was a fellow named Rubert Royce Allen. He was born in 1866. His parents, Alex and Anne Allen, were Irish immigrants. The family, with young Rubert Allen and two sisters, eventually settled in Mount Forest, Canada where the father Alex Allen found employment at his trade as a shoemaker. Young Rubert Allen spent most of his childhood and youth in Mount Forest Ontario Canada. Rubert Allen moved to the Midwest (Ohio), traveling for a few years as a performer under the name of Rube Allyn. William James (Rube) Allen Sr kept the stage name 'Rube Allyn' as his own 'true name' till his death in October 1947 and even passed it on to his son Rubert Royce Allyn Jr. During the early years of Rube Allyn's Sr career the Mount Forest newspapers in Ontario Canada had carried occasional reports of his activities. The Mount Forest Confederate newspaper published a full obituary a few weeks after Rube Allyn Sr's death in 1947. The Mount Forest Confederate newspaper was first printed in 1867.

Information obtained on January 18th, 2020 further indicates contiued deception into the true identity of Rube Allyn from Canada. It appears that "Rube Allyn Sr" real true name was William James (Rube) Allen, DOB 1/01/1866 in Mt Forest Ontario Canada:
William James (Rube) Allen Born January 1st, 1866 - Mt. Forest, Ontario, Canada. Deceased 23 October 1947 - Bradenton, Florida, aged 81 years old.
Parents: Alexander "Alex" Allen 1827-1914 Harriet "Anne" Thompson 1835-1905
Spouses and children. Rube Allyn Sr (age 31) married in 1897 to Rose Evelyn Knestrick (age 29) who lived from 1868-1957 they had six children:
Mary Aileen Allen 1898-1972
Eileen Anita taylor 1899-1972
Rubert (Rube) Royce Allyn Jr. July 1902-July 1968, St Pete Times.
Charles Llewellyn Allyn 1903-1928
George Wayne Allyn 1907-1985
Dorothy Allyn 1909-2001
Siblings, 9 brothers and sisters of Rube Allyn Sr. big Irish family,
Mary Ellen Allen 1855-1936
George Littleton Allen 1857-1942
Harriet Allen 1859-1957
Alexander Hildane Allen 1861-1948
John Thompson Allen 1863-1953
Charles Derondo Allen 1868-1946
Elizabeth Allen 1871-1945
Marcella Allen 1876-1959
Edward Allen 1876-1876

According to an article published in the Tampa Tribune on September 9th, 1945 Rube Allyn lived out his final years in a hermit like existance/lifestyle in poverty at his shack in Ruskin Fl. Rube Allyn's appearance had changed dramaticaly, he now sported and full, long white beard down to his chest. Rube had no automobile, no telephone, no electric lights and no refrigarator. Rube Allyn had no mortgage to worry about, as his shack and 40 acres are his, all his. He claims to have bought the acreage in 1921 (after the murder of Harry Higel in Siesta Key). It was a long way from anything or anybody to Rube Allyn's shack in Ruskin Fl where he lived all alone, no wife to deal with. In the 1945 Tampa Tribune interview, Rube Allyn would not give his place of birth to reporter J. A. Murray, Rube was born in Ontario Canada and does appear to have ever become a US citizen. Rube Allyn, 79, told Tampa Tribune reporter J. A. Murray in the 1945 interview at his shack in Ruskin Fl that he had written a book, in his head, he called it "Little Willie Allyn" by Rube Allyn. Rube Allyn said they used to call him "Willie" when he was a boy. Rube's actual birth name was Willaim James (Rube) Allen.

Rube Allyn Sr died in October 1947 after a brief illness he was survived by his long-suffering wife Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn, his 2 sons and 3 daughters, and a sister in Mount Forest Ontario Canada. Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr was born in 1866 in Ontario Canada and died in 1947 in Florida, he had been living in Ruskin Fl, he was 81. Rube is buried in Manasota Memorial Park, Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida, USA. Rube Allyn Sr Family Members include Spouse Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn 1868–1957.

Rube Allyn Sr started a newspaper in Sarasota called the 'SARASOTA SUN' in 1913 that eventuality failed in early 1916, just like others he had started in Canada. Rube was supposedly liberal and progressive but unstable and not dependable, most likely linked to his drinking. Rube was a bigoted racist who hated the German speaking Jews he had to work with at the Hog Island PA shipyard from 1917 to 1919. Rube Allyn was a self proclaimed "American Patriot" and had extreme Germanophobic sentiment.

Harry Lee Higel was born December 30th, 1867 in Philadelphia and died January 7th, 1921 in Sarasota Fl he had just turned 53. The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl. Harry Higel and several members of his family are buried in Rosemary Cemetery Sarasota on the Central Ave side. Francis 'Frank' Higel and his son Harry L. Higel both succumbed to violent deaths at the exact same age, 53. Harry Lee Higel and his family members are buried in Section C, Lot 14 which as you face the Cemetery standing on Central Ave is to your left. Lot 14 – The Higels: Gertrude E. Higel, Harry Lee Higel, H. Gordon Higel, Louise K. Higel and Marcia Rader Higel.

   photo credit screenshot The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida) Aug 1921, Sun
August 18th, 1921..One of the first official acts of the Board of County Commissioners of the 'New County of Sarasota' after breaking away from Manatee County in July 1921 was to offer a reward in the unsolved murder of former mayor Harrry L. Higel. Sarasota County offers a $1,000 reward for information as to who murdered Harry L. Higel. The Sarasota County resolution included a provision that the governor of Florida Gary Hardee be requested to offer a similar amount of $1,000 for a total of $2,000 (equates to about $30,000 today). Rube Allyn's Sun Newspaper in Sarasota failed after just 3 years, creditors were after him for non-payment. Rube Allyn and Harry Higel were bitter political adversaries. Harry Higel was mayor of Sarasota 3 times, Rube Allyn never was. Rube Allyn owed money to Harry Higel for his house and could not pay. Could violent Rube Allyn Sr have beaten his adversary Harry Higel to death on Siesta Key, what do you think? The battered body of Harry Higel was found on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 at 8:30 AM. The murder of Harry Higel remains cloaked in secrecy and always will be one of Southwest Florida’s greatest mysteries, until now.

 

If a Movie was ever cast for the Unsolved Murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl, Leonardo DiCaprio would be a shoe in for the tall, erratic, hard drinking Irish newsman Rube Allyn character. Dirty Politics, Anti-German Sentiment in America, Passenger Ship Sunk by German U Boat in Atlantic, Higelhurst Hotel Arson on Siesta Key, America in WWI against the Germans, Prohibition, unsavory Private Investigators in St Pete, Unsolved Harry Higel Murder on Siesta Key, Rigged Manatee County Grand Jury, and finally a Buried Loaded Gun with a broken grip Found Buried 100 Years Later on Siesta Key That Appears to Link to Higel's Murder. You can't make this stuff up, it all really happened. 

HERALD TRIBUNE JAN 7, 2021...The Herald Tribune Newspaper in Sarasota did an article about the Higel murder, "100 years later, the murder of popular Sarasota mayor Harry Higel remains unsolved", by Billy Cox, Jan 7th, 2021. The Herald Tribune pointed out that Harry Higel was murdered on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 and on March 9, 1921, Rube Allyn was released after a grand jury deliberated for 10 minutes. Sarasota private investigator Bill Warner claims on his website the jury was filled with Allyn’s “newspaper pals and drinking buddies.” Bill Warner says Higel’s injuries are consistent with a pistol-whipping; in fact, he says rusted fragments of a .32 caliber pocket Colt revolver – manufactured between 1907 and 1922 – were recovered near a Givens Street canal in November 2019. He says the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the make and the approximate time range of its manufacture. “You’d never throw away a revolver like that with six live bullets in it unless you’d committed a crime,” Bill Warner says. Like I said this story looks like a script for a block buster movie. see https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2021/01/07/sarasota-mayor-harry-higels-murder-remains-unsolved-100-years-later/6564394002/

 

 

Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - Cheaters and Child Custody Cases at http://www.billwarnerpi.com/