Sunday, October 15, 2023

100 Years Ago Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel Was Murdered on Siesta Key Fl Case Remains Unsolved But Murder Weapon Found Basis for a Movie

photo Manatee County Historical Society. 100 Years Ago on Friday Jan 7th 1921 Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel Was Murdered on Siesta Key Fl, the Case Remains Unsolved. Local newspaperman Rube Allyn was the one and only correct suspect in Mr Higel's murder, Rube hated Harry. In the early 1900's photo seen above are Harry Higel and his wife Gertrude (Edmondson) Higel, his daughters Genevieve Higel born 1896, and Louise Higel born 1899, a son Gordon Higel was born in 1908. Harry Higel was born to Frank and Adelaide Higel in 1867 in Philadelphia PA. In 1884 Harry Higel moved to Venice, Florida with his parents where he and his brothers helped his father start a canning business. He moved to Sarasota in 1890 and became an entrepreneur/developer. He purchased the dock at the foot of Main Street that had been built by the (Scottish) Florida Mortgage and Investment Co. and had the first gasoline and kerosene tanks installed. Higel operated and docked his boat, the "Nemo here", and later he bought and operated the steamer "Vandalia" and was the local agent for John Savarese's Tampa steamship line. 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.

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.

A Minneapolis Journal newspaper columnist wrote a piece about Rube Allyn on September 10th, 1906 after viewing one of his "shows", Rube was 39 1/2 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. 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 salt lake herald-republican
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 30, 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 bridge open 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. 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.

photo credit Manatee County Historical Society. In 1912 Harry Higel instituted the first fire department in Sarasota. Photo above Town of Sarasota's first fire station and firemen, they were organized in 1912. Mayor Harry L. Higel is in the middle. The others, from left to right, are J.K. Hill, H.P. Bacon, Ben Hill, Frank Roberts, Cy Byrd, Ben J, Seale, Myron Spencer, Rube Hayes, Leonard Rudd, Bill Adams, and George Willis. Harry Higel installed tanks of gasoline and kerosene on the Sarasota pier and was the local agent for Gulf Oil. Higel worked to bring a telephone line to Sarasota. In 1899 Sarasota had two phones, one in Higel's office and another in the post office.

photo credit Higel family Manatee County Historical Society Harry Higel's daughter Genevieve Helen Higel was a stunning beauty, in March 1916 she was the first queen of the Sara de Sota pageant in Sarasota Fl. The premiere event drew several thousand out-of-towners, making it a rousing success.  


photo credit Higel family Manatee County Historical Society. Manatee County, FL Town of Sarasota 1916 City Directory: 

HARRY HIGEL CLAN
Higel, Miss Geneieve, h 107 n Gulf Stream Blv'd Sarasota Fl
Higel, Harry L. (Gertrude wife), Mayor & real estate, h 107 n Gulf Stream Blv'd
Higel, Miss Louise, student, h 107 n Gulf Stream Blv'd Sarasota
Higelhurst Hotel, Siesta Key, H L Higel, proprietor

RUBE ALLYN CLAN: Rube's birth name William James Rube Allen.
1). Allyn, Miss Eileen (daughter), teacher, h Siesta. Eileen Anita Allyn was born on 25 September 1899, her father, William James Rube Allen.
2). Allyn, Mrs Evelyn (wife), dramatic reader, h Siesta. Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn. Birth 2 Apr 1868. Wayne County, Ohio, USA. Death: Jan 1957 (aged 88). Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, USA
3). Allyn, Rube, editor The Sarasota Sun, h Siesta - phone 73-M. William James Rube Allen was born in January 1867, in Canada. He married Rose Evelyn Knestrick, he died October 23rd 1947 Bradenton Fl.
4). Allyn, Rubert (son) lino operator The Sarasota Sun, h Siesta. Rubert Royce Allyn was born on 6 July 1901, in Beloit, Lyon, Iowa, United States, his father, William James Rube Allen.
5). Charles Llewellyn Allyn 1903 - 1928 born in North Dakota Deceased, father, William James Rube Allen.
6). George Wayne Allyn was born on 24 April 1907, in Canada, his father, William James Rube Allen.
7). Dorothy Evelyn Allyn Female born 1910–Deceased, father, William James Rube Allen.

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 Gulmeade 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.


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 sometime before 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, that most likely belonged to Rube Allyn. 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 Friday January 1921. Rube Allyn most likely murdered Harry Higel during a pistol whipping with his Colt revolver and then drove down to the Givens Street bridge and threw the bloody Colt revolver into Bayou Louise and then returned home.
The 100 year old Colt revolver found buried in the mud on Siesta Key that most likely links to the pistol whipping murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel on Jan 7th, 1921 had deep gouges and scratches and a piece missing on the bottom of the hard rubber grips. The deep gouges and scratches and the missing piece would strongly indicate the Colt revolver was used to hit a hard, sharp, jagged object like the skull and teeth of Sarasota mayor Harry Higel. According to Dr Halton's medical report the multiple blows to Harry Higel's head fractured the bones in his head thus most likely leaving marks on the weapon, especially if it was the hard rubber Colt revolver's grips.

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. The crime beat reporters were from well known and established newspapers like The St Pete Times, The Tampa Daily Times, 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.

Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy in 1920 was St Pete Mayor Noel Mitchell. Often drunk Rube and Noel had a lot in common including a blinding hatred of Harry Higel. Noel A. Mitchell was a licensed private detective and owned the  "Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency" in St Pete Fl. Noel Mitchell had a concealed carry permit issued by the Pinellas County Sheriff. Noel Mitchell carried a Colt .32 caliber pocket positive revolver. If Noel carried a Colt revolver so did his best pal Rube Allyn. In May 1924 Noel A. Mitchell's right to carry a concealed weapon was denied by St Pete Chief of Police George M. Coslick. 
 
Harry Higel murder suspect Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy was St Pete mayor Noel A. Mitchell who also owned and operated the Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency in St Pete. Mr Mitchell was a Florida licensed private investigator with a concealed weapon permit from the Pinellas County Sheriff. Private eye Noel Mitchell carried a Colt revolver. The Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency in St Pete advertised that one of their agents was Joe Neil the best shot in Florida with a revolver, a crack shot that can hit a silver dollar at 30 paces. The Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency in St Pete also advertised that citizens with a burglar in the house should call Neil at 1228 and he would send men armed with shot guns loaded with buck shot to your house. Don't call the police, call The Noel A. Mitchell National Detective Agency in St Pete at 1228.
 
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 the 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 Sarasota Herald Tribune 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".
Rube Allyn murdered Harry Higel in cold blood, I have no doubt. Photo above: loaded Colt revolver found buried with 6 live bullets on Siesta Key Fl it had one broken grip, found buried on Siesta Key in Nov 2019. Nobody buries a loaded gun unless it was used in a crime. I have traced the manufacturing date of the Colt .32 caliber Police Positive Pocket revolver with black hard rubber grips to etween 1907 to 1923. Colt revolver grips were hard black rubber from 1907 to 1923 then checkered walnut wood with silver medallions were installed after that. The Colt revolver found on Siesta Key was most likely used in pistol whipping murder of former Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel. The remains of the rusted .32 caliber 6 shot Colt Police Positive Pocket 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, you 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.
 
The 1907-1923 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 Colt revolver grips of the Colt .32 caliber Police Positive Pocket revolver (photo on R) that I purchased July 1st, 2020 for $641.99 from Cabela's Bass Pro shop Triadelphia WV for comparison. The 1907-1923 era Colt grips found on Siesta Key were stained from being in the ground for 100 years. The original color of all Colt revolver hard rubber grips is BLACK. The 1907-1923 era Colt revolver rubber grips were well worn, it appears the Colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key 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 1907-1923 era Colt revolver found buried on Siesta Key were 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 of Harry Higel made by the pointed end of the weapon, said Dr Halton in Sarasota Fl on Jan 7th, 1921. 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

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. Harry Higel wasn't supposed to survive the pistol whipping which clearly indicated rage from the perp. 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. 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. 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 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 Harry Higel murder case was never solved, the murder weapon never found, until very likely now.

Whomever owned the 1915's era Colt .32 Caliber Police Positive Pocket revolver, whether it was murder suspect Rube Allyn or his best pal and drinking buddy Noel Mitchell the St Pete private detective known to carry a Colt revolver, the gun got a lot of use as seen on the grips. It appears the revolver was used for other purposes rather than just firing the weapon. It would take an awful lot to mark up the base of the hard rubber grips on the Colt revolver as seen above. Intended to address deficiencies of earlier models such as the Single Action Army, Colt's Positive Lock on double action revolvers manufactured between 1907 to 1922 prevented an accidental discharge even if the lowered hammer was struck or the pistol was dropped, allowing the revolver to be safely carried with all six chambers loaded. You could actually hammer nails with the Colt revolver and it would not discharge.
photo credit Tampa Daily times via associated press newswire
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 by the Tampa Daily Times 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. 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. The media continued to support newspaper editor Rube Allyn from the day of his arrest Jan 7th to the day the he was released 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.
 
"The Smoking Gun Buried on Siesta Key" Colt Revolver Verified by Sheriff as Possible Link to Murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel.
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 SEEN ABOVE  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 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 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 John 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, until now.

     photo credit Sarasota Times newspaper
Photo above Sarasota County Times Newspaper issue Thursday June 16, 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 in today's money. 

But since that day in 1921 there have not been any new leads in the Harry Higel murder mystery. Florida Governor Cary A. Hardee appointed Burna Dale "Heinie" Levi as the first Sheriff of the new 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 for the New Sarasota County.

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. 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.

 

Copyright Protection: Bill Warner Investigations Sarasota Fl Original Articles Published on This Website Using Proprietary Research.

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