Colt Revolver Buried on Siesta Key by Givens St Bridge Verified by Sarasota County Sheriff as Link to Former Mayor Harry Higel 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. Sarasota private investigator Bill Warner's results of a year long investigation into the unsolved pistol whipping murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel. "Gun Buried on Siesta Key in muck near Givens St Bridge", 1920's Era Colt Revolver Found Buried on Siesta Key Verified by Sarasota County Sheriff Cold Case Detective as Possible Link to Murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel. Get real here, nobody tosses a perfectly fine, 1900's era Colt revolver with a broken grip into a Bayou on Siesta Key unless it was used in the bludgeoning murder of former Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel Friday January 7tth, 1921. The Colt revolver went into the muck and mud of salt water Bayou on Siesta Key in 1921 looking real shiny and pretty as seen in the top photo and came out of the ground 100 years later a rusty mess, but 6 live .32 caliber bullets remained in the cylinder of the Colt revolver.

WHO THREW THE BLOODY COLT REVOLVER OFF THE GIVENS STREET 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.

According to a Tampa Times news article of Jan 11, 1921, a chart with information on the murder of Harry Higel was published on Page 1. The Tampa Times reported that it appeared that witnesses saw Rube Allyn walking through some woods in the direction to where Harry Higel's body was found (4). It appears that at the site of Harry Higel's murder tracks were discovered in the sand (size 13 shoe) leading in the direction of Rube Allyn's home (2). The tracks ended at a point in Bayou Louise some 200 yards south of Rube Allyn's home (2). Rube Allyn wore a size 13 shoe, no other homes were at the end of Strand (Gulfmead Dr) than Rube Allyn's in 1921. Manatee Grand Jury did not post a TRUE BILL and Rube Allyn was released form jail in March 1921.

Colt .32 caliber Police Positive Pocket Revolver with a broken hard rubber grip that I provided to the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept for examination in Nov 2019 and I then published numerous article about the weapon since Dec 2020. Oh by the way, the Colt Police Positive Pocket Revolver does not have a safety, Colt pistols do. You do know the difference between a revolver and a pistol, don't you?

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.

Information that I am providing in the investigation of the unsolved murder of former Sarasota Mayor Harry L Higel that took place on the north end of Siesta Key Fl on Friday January 7th, 1921 sometime between the hours of 8:10 am and 8:30 am when Mr Higel was found bleeding profusely from his head at the corner of Siesta Dr and Higel Ave is true and factual without embellishment. REPORTS have been obtained from written interviews of Mr Higel's brothers George Higel and Frank Jr Higel taken by crime beat reporters who were on the ground in Siesta Key on the day he was murdered and in the days following. Sarasota County Centennial 100 Years is July 2021, mishandling of unsolved murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel by Manatee County Grand Jury caused split form Bradentown Politicians.

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 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.

WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO: 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), take a look at the outtake of a segment from HOMELAND where a bad guy is beat to death with a handgun by Quinn and his face is made unrecognizable just like what happened to Harry Higel back on Friday Jan 7th, 1921.

The crime beat reporters were from well known and established newspapers like The St Pete Times, The Tampa Daily Times, and the Tampa Tribune and the Miami Herald. All of the newspapers were published daily with morning and evening editions and provided updated information on the Higel murder case and the process of arrest, incarceration and Manatee Grand Jury investigation of the only true suspect in Mr Higel's murder, newspaperman Rube Allyn.

FLORIDA NEWSPAPER DELIVERY SYSTEM IN 1920's WAS HANDS ON: In the US the heyday of print newspapers was during the early 20th century, (1920's). The 'paperboy' was often a young person's first job, perhaps undertaken before and/or after school. Most large newspapers like the Tampa Tribune and St Pete Times had an early AM delivery and an evening PM delivery directly to your house. There was also the newsboy or newspaper hawker who would sell newspapers to passersby on the street in urban areas, like in Tampa or St Pete in 1921, with very vocal promotion. 'Newsboys' were common when multiple daily papers in every city and as many as 50 in New York City alone competed in the 1920's. The number of 'Daily Newspapers' in Florida was 33 in 1921. The St Pete Times was/is the largest daily newspaper in Florida it began publication as a twice daily in 1920. In 2012, the St. Petersburg Times changed its name to the Tampa Bay Times to more accurately reflect the geographical area it served. Then, in 2016, the Tampa Bay Times bought its long-time rival, the Tampa Tribune, which then ceased publication. The Sarasota Times newspaper in 1921 was a weekly published on Thursdays and then mailed by USPS to your house with subscriptions of $2.00 per year, not very timely news reporting.

"The Smoking Gun Buried on Siesta Key", Colt Revolver Verified by Sheriff as Possible Link to Murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel. As in other kinds of pistol-whipping, the scalp wounds may be associated with fractures of the skull and even with brain contusions. Twelve Months ago on November 26th, 2019 I turned into the Sarasota County Sheriff Department a loaded gun that appears to have been buried for decades on Siesta Key Fl. I have reveled the results of the Sheriff Departments investigation concerning the old, rusted, and corroded parts of an antique small frame Colt Police positive revolver (over 100 years old) on Siesta Key buried near a salt water canal off of Higel Ave sometime in 1921.

   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, Friday January 7th, 1921, reporting that Rube Allyn was arrested for Higel's murder. 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. Information obtained from the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept in an official report, (see below), indicates that the date, time, location, circumstances and possible murder weapon used to kill Harry Higel align directly with my reports. 

Large newspapers in Tampa and St Pete had daily editions and often had morning and evening editions. The Sarasota Times was a weekly newspaper published only on Thursdays. When a big story broke over the AP newswires in New York City, like Harry Higel's murder on January 7th, 1921 (see above), an extra edition was printed that day Friday Jan 7th 1921 by the Tampa Daily Times and delivered to your house and to the corner newsstands. Sarasota Herald Tribune historian Jeff LaHurd in a Trib article dated Sept 27th this year verified that Harry Higel was killed on Friday January 7th, 1921, "Higel did not live long enough to see the transformation of Siesta Key. On January 7, 1921, his body was discovered in the middle of the road, his head and face too badly battered that he was unrecognizable—identified through his signet ring".

I have not indicated the exact address off of Higel Ave on Siesta Key where the broken Colt revolver was found as the homeowner had his house up for sale and I did not want to create undo attention to the address. The Sarasota County Sheriff report 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 revealed today 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 further 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 (Bill) Warner, these parts are to a Colt revolver produced in the early 1900's".

I am not the person (my client) who found the old, rusted, and corroded parts of an antique small frame Colt Police positive revolver 1900's era on Siesta Key buried near a salt water canal off of Higel Ave sometime in early 1921. The firearm is a COLT POLICE POCKET POSITIVE .32 CALIBER REVOLVER with FANCY hard rubber grips and one grip that just happened to be broken, six live bullets could be seen in the rusted cylinder. This particular firearm was manufactured from 1907 to 1922 by Colt, it was a concealable small pocket revolver, very popular in it's day for home owners, shopkeepers, nightwatchmen and private detectives. The rusted 1900'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.

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. 

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. Does Colt Revolver with Broken Grip Found Buried on Siesta Key Link to Pistol Whipping Murder of Mayor Harry Higel. Mr Higel was beat to death on Friday Jan 7th, 1921, his battered body found in the road at about 8:30 am, (corner of Mangrove and Higel Ave) just a short distance from his house. 

Sarasota Fl Jan 7th, 1921, Dr Halton's medical report on murdered Harry Higel indicates at least 5 blows to his head from a heavy solid object, most likely a pistol whipping. Harry Higel was not hit by a car, he was targeted by what appears to be Rube Allyn, his neighbor. Wounds were found on the right side of the head above the eye and on the left side of the head also above the eye indicating Mr Higel was facing his murderer (Rube Allyn) when struck. Multiple wounds were also found on the top and back of Mr Higel's head indicating he most likely was hit when he was on the ground. The multiple wounds on Mr Higel's head appear to be depressed fractures from Dr Joseph Halton's report, possibly caused from a pistol whipping. I contacted the District 12 Medical Examiner Office that covers Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto County to try and obtain an autopsy report and/or more detailed information on Mr. Higels head wounds, their response, "our office has no records or reports that go back to 1921".

Dr 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. Mr. Higel suffered multiple depressed fractures all over his head as per Dr Halton's report. "The mark of the weapon was clearly shown with a hole in the skull made by the pointed end of the weapon". The holes in Mr Higel's skull are called depressed fractures. Mr Higel's injuries, that led to his death, most likely would have been caused by a pistol whipping, the butt of the Colt revolver has a pointed end, see photo above.
photo credit screenshot Tampa Tribune newspaper. 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! Rube Allyn never went to trial. There is a huge difference between a Grand Jury failing to indict a suspect and a Criminal Court Trial where the suspect is tried and a jury finds him guilty or innocent. Rube Allyn's case never went to trial he could have been re-indicted for Harry Higle's murder if further evidence was discovered like the murder weapon used to batter Higel's head in what appears to be a pistol whipping, it was never found.

photo credit screenshot Tampa Morning Tribune. Rube Allyn was arrested after circumstantial evidence indicated he was the correct suspect in Mr Higel's murder. Sarasota Dr 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 his skull, multiple broken facial bones, and at least one compound skull fracture. 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 7th, 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.

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 "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/

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.

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. 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".

For a fictional quasi historical book telling the story about the murder of Harry Higel based on a 100 year old .32 caliber Colt Police Positive Pocket revolver just like the one I described in all my articles and actually found on Siesta Key, see Tony Dunbar's The Story of the Sarasota Celery Fields & Other Mysteries, Blind Pass Publications" https://blindpasspublications.com/Books/index#celery The FBI or “Bureau of Investigation” should have been contacted by the remaining Higel brothers in Sarasota to investigate the very obvious rigged Manatee County Grand Jury that allowed newsman Rube Allyn to get away with murder on Siesta Key Fl in Jan 1921.

Leonardo Dicaprio and Martin Scorsese block buster new movie 'Killers of the Flower Moon' takes place in the same time period as the unsolved murder of Sarasota mayor Harry Higel, the 1920's. Martin Scorsese's attempts an epic Western and ends up with a violent, riveting crime story. “Killers of the Flower Moon,” starring Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, tells the real story of the brazen murders of Indigenous people of Osage County, Okla in the 1920s to rave reviews. In the 1920s, members of the Osage Native American tribe of Osage County, Oklahoma, are murdered after oil is found on their land, and the FBI decides to investigate. Killers of the Flower Moon is a New kind of Scorsese masterpiece. The Osage Indians lack political and social power—or more accurately, the freedom to exercise that power, since many holders of underground mineral rights, including Mollie and her family, require white “guardians” to access their own money. Partly as a result of this legal setup, marriages between Osage women and white men in the territory are not uncommon. Two of Mollie’s sisters already have white husbands, so it’s no family scandal when Mollie marries her hired driver, Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), newly arrived in town, 1917, after military service in World War I. Late in the film, an officer from the United States’ newly formed “Bureau of Investigation” (FBI) shows up at the Burkharts’ door to ask questions about the unsolved murders in Osage country, and what has for two-plus hours been a love story embedded in a portrait of organized crime suddenly morphs into a heart-pounding courtroom drama, as the weak-willed Ernest flails between his fear of his powerful uncle and his real, if twisted, loyalty to his broken, bereaved, but still trusting wife.

 

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