100 Years Ago there was a Conspiracy to Murder Sarasota Mayor Harry Lee Higel on Siesta Key, newsman Rube Allyn and private investigator Noel A. Mitchell got away with it. My site covers unsolved crimes, everything from the murder of Sarasota mayor Harry Higel in 1921 to the 9/11 terrorists plot to kill Pres George Bush in Sarasota to thugs breaking into the cars of the sleeping citizens of Sarasota. The real Rube Allyn,
a veteran newspaperman and media darling who put himself in the
spotlight every chance he got, 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 and lead the crowd searching for Mr Higel's killer, he did not.
Harry Higel murder suspect Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy was mayor and private investigator 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.
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. 
UPDATE:
No Cold Case Begins With the Wrong Date of the Murder, Former Sarasota mayor Harry Higel was murdered on
Friday Jan 7th, 1921 (by newsman Rube Allyn) according to every
newspaper from the Tampa Daily Times that put out an EXTRA edition, to
the Ocala Evening Times, to the Miami Times to the Boston Globe, even
the AP Wire in New York City noted the Higel murder by Rube Allyn on
Friday Jan 7th, 1921.
Sarasota Times first edition on June 1, 1899, Rose Wilson was the publisher of the Times from 1910 until 1923 when the paper folded. The Sarasota Times newspaper was a weekly paper that came out every Thursday with ads for local merchants, which is the day BEFORE Mr Higel was murdered. Mr Higel was murdered on Friday Jan 7th 1921 and he was buried on Saturday Jan 8th 1921 in Sarasota according to his obituary penned by what appears to be his brother Frank Higel. News reporters in spring of 1921 influenced the outcome of the Manatee County Grand Jury by repeatedly reporting that Rube Allyn was just a "good ole boy and could have never murdered Higel".
It
appears that the Sarasota Times, which was published weekly on
Thursdays, had already had it's masthead dated Thursday January 6th,
1921 and had not gone out for delivery in the early morning hours
of Friday January 7th, 1921 when Harry Higel was murdered on Siesta
Key. It appears that Rose Wilson, the one woman editor and publisher of
the tiny Sarasota Times, had done a rewrite of the front page and
inserted the breaking news on Friday morn Jan 7th of the murder of Harry
Higel.
On
Thursday March 10th, 1921 the Sarasota Times published their newspaper
with a story about how respected newsman Rube Allyn was freed on March
9th from jail in the investigation of Harry Higel's murder that took
place on Friday, January 7th, 1921. Rose Wilson editor of the
Sarasota Times gleefully reported on how fellow newsman Rube Allyn was
let go as the Manatee County Grand Jury failed to return a True Bill to
indict Rube Allyn for Mr. Higel's murder on Siesta Key. Harry Higel was
murdered on Friday, January 7th, 1921
at about 8:25 a.m. there is no doubt. The misinformation of Harry
Higel's murder taking place on Thursday Jan 6th 1921 has been reprinted
in numerous books, magazines and newspaper publications for decades,
sorry to rewrite history but the facts are the facts! Unsolved murder
cases have to present hard and true facts, the date and time of the
unsolved murder is number one!
"Gun
Buried on Siesta Key": 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
buries a perfectly fine, loaded gun with a broken grip on Siesta Key
unless it was used in the bludgeoning murder of former Sarasota Mayor
Harry Higel on Friday January 7tth, 1921. The Colt revolver went into
the muck and mud of salt water wetland 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 bullets remained in the
cylinder of the Colt revolver, I have it on my desk.
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.
July
1st, 1921 birth of Sarasota 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 Harry 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, July 21st, 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 Sarasota County in July 1921, he had no prior law enforcement
background. On August 22, 1921, Sarasota City Marshal L.D. Hodges
became the Sheriff agency's first deputy. Sarasota City Marshal L. D.
Hodges was elected Sheriff and took office in December 1922.
photo credit Sarasota Times newspaper
Photo above Sarasota County Times Newspaper issue Thursday June 16,
1921 after vote to separate Sarasota from Manatee County. Sarasota
County Centennial will be July 1st 2021. Mayor Harry Higel Murdered on
Siesta Key He Pushed for Separation of Sarasota County From Manatee
County in 1920. Florida Governor Cary A. Hardee signs Special Act Senate
Bill 126 the creation of Sarasota County in June 1921. Harry Higel was
everywhere to be seen in Sarasota, prior to his murder Jan 1921, then
still a part of Manatee County but pushing hard to break away and chart
its own course. He pushed for the City of Sarasota to incorporate and,
when it did, Higel became mayor. Higel served on the town council in
1902, serving as Mayor of the City of Sarasota when it was incorporated.
Harry L. Higel 'Land Developer' served 3 terms as Mayor of Sarasota Fl
from 1911-1914. Harry L. Higel was using his influence and position to
push hard for Sarasota to break away from Manatee County through all of
1920, did this have anything to do with his brutal murder on Jan 7th
1921? But then after he was murdered on Jan 7th 1921 Sarasota council
members pushed even harder to separate itself from Manatee County,
sighting the ineffective investigation of Higel's murder by the Manatee
County Sheriff Dept and Bradentown Public Officials. It should have been
a slam dunk to indict murder suspect Rube Allyn but it turned out to be
a farce with the Manatee County Grand Jury issuing No True Bill after a 10 minute deliberation, a real 'Kangaroo Court'. 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.
photo credit Higel family Manatee County Historical Society. 100
Years Ago on 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.
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. 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
Allyn, Miss Eileen (daughter), teacher, h Siesta
Allyn, Mrs Evelyn (wife), dramatic reader, h Siesta
Allyn, Rube, editor The Sarasota Sun, h Siesta - phone 73-M
Allyn, Rubert (son) lino operator The Sarasota Sun, h Siesta.
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.
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, 1021. 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. 
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".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. 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 revolver with black hard rubber grips between 1907 to 1923. Colt revolver grips were hard black rubber from 1907 to 1923 then checkered walnut wood with silver medallions after that. The Colt revolver possibly was used in pistol whipping
murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel. The remains of the rusted .32
caliber 6 shot Colt Police 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.
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.
Dr Haldon'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. Higel wasn't supposed to survive. 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 Higel murder case never solved,
murder weapon never found, until very likely now. 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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Harry Higel along with local businessmen A. B. Edwards and R.W. Grinton from the Sarasota Trade Board were active in the 'Good Roads Movement' from at least 1913. Harry Higel was one of the "good roads" supporters in the construction of better roads between Sarasota, Venice, Bee Ridge and Fruitville. Harry Higel would have called out Rube Allyn when it was found that the Old Indian Trails Highway association was a scam, no such highway ever existed! As of June 1920 Harry Higel murder suspect Rube
Allyn, from his office in the Detroit Hotel St Pete, was the Director
of Publicity for the 'Old Indian Trails Association' that sought the
building of a highway from west coast seaport Vancouver in British Columbia Canada to Miami Fl with part going through Tampa, St Pete, Bradentown, Fort Myers, over 4,000 miles, NEVER HAPPENED
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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".
Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - Cheaters and Child Custody Cases at http://www.wbipi.com/
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photo credit Sarasota Times newspaper
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