SARASOTA COLD CASE FILE: Unsolved Murder of Mayor Harry Higel on Siesta Key Found With Skull Crushed In Friday Jan 7 1921 Basis for a Movie

UPDATED Jan 7th, 2023: Most historians in the Sarasota area got the timeline and information about the murder of former mayor Harry Higel all wrong and went ahead and published the wrong day Jan 6th and the wrong location where he was actually found in articles and even in books. The day he was murdered there was a special edition published by the Tampa Daily Times with the date, Friday Jan 7th 1921, and the time he was found, 8:30 am, and the location where he was found at the turn in the road from Siesta Dr onto Higel Ave. Anybody who lives in the Sarasota area knows this curve with the big yellow signs telling you to slow down to 20 mph, well that is where Harry Higel was murdered. His house at the far north end of Higel Ave was only a couple hundred yards form the murder scene, I know this for a fact as I walked it!

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.

MR HIGEL WAS NOT FOUND ON 'BEACH RD' ON JAN 6 AS SO MANY HAVE CLAIMED, HE WAS FOUND ON 'A BEACH RD' ON JAN 7 1921 as multiple regional daily newspapers and the Associated Press (AP) had reported. There is a plaque on the corner of Siesta Dr and Higel Ave commemorating Harry Higel and his contributions to the area. These are the facts of the case, folks. Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 Newsman Rube Allyn Pistol-Whips and Fractures Skull of Mayor Harry Higel on the corner of Sieeta Dr and Higel Ave 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 102 years ago? Rose Allyn's alibi for husband Rube on Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 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" at the far north end of Gulfmead Dr. 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 towards the end Gulfmead Dr. at Big Pass on Siesta Key Fl.

On Thursday Jan 6th, 1921 Rube Allyn came home late from St Pete were he had been working on the Florida Fisherman magazine at the Detroit Hotel. 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 Allyn went ballistic, he had a terrible temper fueled by excessive drinking. 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. 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, at the curve. Local Newspaper Sarasota Times was a weekly published on or near every Thursday. On Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 when news of Mr Higel's death spread like wildfire through the community the Sarasota Times re-wrote their Front page cover story with the news of Mr Higel's murder, they did not change the Masthead date of Thursday Jan 6 1921, see more below.

In the complete Higel murder article, seen above, that was written by the Sarasota Times Editor Mrs C.V.S. Wilson, she makes references to the story being written on Friday. Quote: "just before we go to press on Friday". Friday would have been Jan 7th, 1921. Mrs. Wilson held up publication of her weekly Sarasota Times newspaper until later in the day on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 to include information that Mr Higel died before they could get him to the Hospital in Tampa. Quote: Just before we go to press information has come that Mr Higel died on his way to hospital". Harry Higel died on Jan 7th 1921. Mrs Wilson re-wrote the Front page and inserted a two column story about the Higel murder on Friday Jan 7 1921. Mrs Wilson also makes note of the fact that Rube Allyn was arrested for the murder of Harry Higel later that same day, Friday Jan 7 1921.

The very tiny Sarasota Times newspaper was no competition for the two very large newspapers in the area, the St Petersburg Times and the Tampa Daily Times, both newspapers were dailies with a morning edition and an evening edition. The Sarasota Times went out of business in June 1921, Rose Wilson sold the newspaper, too much to do for one person. The St Petersburg Times and the Tampa Daily Times were staffed with a full complement of reporters in the field who would track down a story in real time with a report for the evening edition. 

The Tampa Daily Times was known to STOP THE PRESSES and run a 3rd or EXTRA edition during the day for big, breaking news which they did on the day Harry Higel was murdered, Friday Jan 7th, 1921. Sarasota Times Editor Mrs C.V.S. Wilson was the only newspaper person in the whole state of Florida and on the AP wire in NYC to publish the wrong date when Harry Higel was murdered on Siesta Key Fl. Local historians and book writers all followed suite. Did anyone really take the time to read the whole Sarasota Times article that went to press on Friday?

Former 3 time Sarasota Mayor Harry Lee Higel had his funeral and burial in Rosemary Cemetery on Central Ave on Saturday Jan 8th, 1921 the very next day after his attack and murder on Friday January 7th, 1921. Why was Mr Higel buried so soon, about 28 hours, after he was found and died on Friday Jan 7th. Harry Higel died from his wounds at about 10:00 am on Friday January 7th, 1921, the following day, Saturday January 8th, after laying in state all day at City Hall for viewing in closed casket, Mr. Higel was buried at 3:00 pm in Rosemary Cemetery Sarasota Fl. The Bantinarelli band at the Higel grave site played a funeral dirge as a closing song called "Flee As A Bird", CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO. From various news sources it appears the whole town showed up for Mr. Higel's funeral except of course the Allyn clan, Rube was in jail and Rose and Rube Jr where in St Pete working on the Florida Fisherman Magazine.

Herald Tribune newspaper does update on unsolved murder of mayor Harry Higel on Jan 7, 2021 and verifies information and the research I have compiled over the last 3 years on this cold case. The Tribune makes note of the correct date of the murder of Mr Higel on Friday Jan 7, 1921 and also notes that newspapers of the time were quoted as saying that Mr Higel was found on a beach road and not 'Beach Rd" on north Siesta Key Fl. Mr Higel was found nowhere near the Siesta Key Village and not on Thursday night Jan 6, 1921. The Tribune notes that a Tampa Tribune story of the time notes that multiple blows to the top of Mr Higel's head contributed to his death, and that blows to his head came from a tall man, like Rube Allyn at 6'2" tall, Higel's neighbor.

Rube Allyn Sr. was a big, dangerous, violent man at 6' 2" tall and wearing size 13 shoes, he was farm tough. He towered over Harry Higel who at most was 5' 5" tall. Rube Allyn had a lengthy violent criminal history over the course of his life. Rube knew his way around bar and street fights and was proficient in the use of firearms. Rube Allyn worked as an entertainer and story teller all around the north west in the 1890's to 1906. When a heckler would get under Rube's skin during his show, Rube would come down from the stage and beat the tar out of the man, no matter how big he may be, the audience loved it. Rube Allyn worked at the Hog Island Shipyard outside of Philadelphia during WWI as a dock builder from early 1918 to Sept 1919. One day on the trolley ride to the Hog Island work site, Rube was incensed by the Russian Jewish immigrants packed onto his trolley car, so he threw two of the Jews off the moving trolley car onto the cobblestone street, Rube was charged with attempted murder. Rube's charges were dropped when the Jewish victims disappeared. 

On Nov 26, 2019 I filed an Incident report with the Sarasota County Sheriff Dept concerning the Colt revolver gun parts that were found buried near the Givens St bridge on north Siesta Key Fl. The Colt revolver gun parts were verified as manufactured sometime between 1907 and 1922 that would place the Colt revolver on Siesta Key sometime before Harry Higel was murdered.

Remains of 1900's era Colt .32 caliber Police Positive Pocket Revolver seen above. The Sheriff Dept also verified that the murder weapon used to kill Mr Higel was supposedly buried somewhere on Siesta Key and that it had never been found until this gun was discovered buried on Siesta Key. The Sheriff Dept also verified the correct date and time that Mr Higel was found in the middle of Siesta Dr and Higel Ave (the curve) on North Siesta Key Fl at about 8:30 am on Friday Jan 7, 1921.

Rube Allyn was a bigamist, he got caught in 1906. Rube had a first wife who he married in 1890's Newark, New Jersey, Rube later claimed she died. Rube Allyn was in the New York metro area in the 1889 working on an acting career. Rube Allyn married Rose Evelyn Knestrick in 1897, his legal name at the time was William James (Rube) Allen on the marriage certificate. Rube Allyn was in the New York City, Newark New Jersey area from 1888 to 1889 for acting lessons and taking professional photos for distribution to talent agents from Pach Bros Studio 841 Broadway NY, NY. Pach Bros Studio at 841 opened in 1877 where they remained in business through 1890. Rube Allyn's wife Rose Allyn has been depicted in several books as the long suffering wife of Rube. Rube and Rose Allyn split up several times during their tumultuous relationship, it was like a ship sailing into a hurricane with Rube at the helm.

photo credit screenshot pack bros new york ny

Rube Allyn aka William James Allen was born on January 1st 1867 in Mt Forest Ontario Canada abut 1 1/2 years after the end of the American Civil War, the North vs the South. Rube Allyn Sr started in the newspaper business in the 1880's working as a apprentice type setter in Ontario Canada in the office of the 'Mount Forest Representative', later as editor at the 'Daily Times' Crookston, Minnesota in 1898, and editor at the 'Reporter' in Rapid City Canada and editor and publisher at the Sarasota Sun from 1913 to 1916. Rube Allyn grew up working as a type setter for the small newspaper in Mt Forest but the draw of the big cities of Philadelphia and New York City was too much for Rube, so off he went in 1887 when he was 20. Rube took up drama classes and public speaking, he had professional photos taken in NYC, and gave them out to talent agents. Rube wanted to be on the stage and in movies, Rube wanted to be famous. It appears that Rube Allyn married a woman in Newark NJ in 1889 and split, later claiming she had died. In 1906 the woman in Newark NJ started divorce proceedings with two attorneys in Morehead NJ filing papers against Rube Allyn who was by now a somewhat famous actor.

Rube Allyn took his act on the road in the 1890's going all over the north west, Fargo ND, Minneapolis MINN and Iowa. Rube Allyn depicted himself in his advertising flyers as a humorist from New York City. An article in the Oakes Times, Oakes North Dakota told of Rube Allyn's rave reviews in the Storm Lake, Iowa, Tribune reviewed Rube as one of "most popular entertainer who has ever visited our city", Rube loved the spotlight.

After Rube Allyn was charged with the murder of Harry Higel in 1921 and got off, Rube Allyn continued with his murderous ways. In 1929 a Attempted Murder Charge, Rube Allyn fired upon a teenage neighbor with his shotgun for walking too close to his run down shack in Ruskin Fl. Brooks Brewer, 19, was walking on the road near Rube Allyn's secluded cottage in Ruskin Fl, Hillsborough County when Rube shot him. Rube Allyn apparently felt it was no big deal to fire a shotgun at Brooks Brewer, he claimed he had problems with the 'young bloods' in Ruskin and you never know what they could be up to. Charges were dropped, again, after Brooks Brewer's father intervened and persuaded his son to drop the charges, somebody paid him off. In April 1930 Rube Allyn was arrested and charged in a plot to murder Tampa Tribune columnist James Ravenscroft who was living across the street from Rube Allyn in St Pete. Former disgraced St Pete mayor Noel Mitchell was also in on the plot with Rube, they had been long time drinking buddies. Noel Mitchell carried a .32 caliber Colt revolver, he had a permit as he was also a private detective.
photo credit Miami Herald from Florida Historical
True to form most local newspapers downplayed Rube Allyn's arrest for threatening to kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft in St Pete, but the Miami Herald laid it all out on April 26, 1930, see above. Apparently Rube Allyn and former Mayor Noel Mitchell had plotted to kill columnist James Ravenscroft. Mrs. Effie Ravenscroft had overheard Rube and Noel Mitchell planing to kill columnist James Ravenscroft who worked for the Tampa Tribune on the pretext of Rube Allyn shooting rabbits in his yard, which was directly across the street from the Ravenscroft house and "accidentally" kill James Ravenscroft with a shotgun blast. Rube was eventually released from jail and driven/run out out of town via the Gandy Bridge by Noel Mitchell to Ruskin followed by a police escort of two City detectives.

BACK STORY ON RUBE ALLYN: In 1906, a tour landed entertainer Rube Allyn in Florida, then in the midst of a boom. Everything about the place appealed to him, and he decided to stay. He settled in Sarasota, on the west coast of the state to the south of Tampa. From that base he continued to ply his trade as an itinerant printer, while occasionally offering his stage show to the paying public. In 1912, he decided to return permanently to his former vocation when he started a newspaper, the Sarasota Sun. By then he was long married, and he and his wife reconciled again, they had separated several times over the previous 15 years. Allyn’s new paper appeared in January 1913, competing with an existing paper. 

The printing office was a shack he built on the end of a dock. His Sun Newspaper carried the banner, “Every Saturday, the best we know how.” His son, Robert (Rubert), took on the duties of typesetter and linotype operator – he had probably picked up his skills as a boy when his father published the Grand Forks Daily Times. On Friday January 7th, 1921, Allyn was arrested for the brutal bludgeoning murder of Harry Higel, a respected community leader and three-term mayor of Sarasota. The case created a sensation. An unruly lynch mob formed outside the jail, intent on breaking Rube Allyn loose and hanging him, everybody in Sarasota knew he did it. Authorities managed to move their prisoner to an out-of-town hoosegow in Bradenton. 

Rube Allyn maintained his innocence in killing Higel, and evidence was circumstantial but very strong with witnesses reportedly seeing Rube Allyn near the Higel crime scene in the minutes before Higel was murdered. . Rube Allyn and the victim had a long history of antagonism with Higel. Footprints were found near Higel's body that matched those of a pair of size 13 shoes owned by Rube Allyn. Rube Allyn was a big man at 6' 2" tall with long arms and an accomplished street brawler, Harry Higel was 5' 5" tall and no match for Rube. Higel had deep wounds all over the top of his head, as from a tall man swinging down on the shorter Higel. Enough for an Indictment and a Trial date for Rube Allyn, but it never happened

Harry Higel was murdered Friday morn on Jan 7th, 1921, he was last seen by his workers at the shell pit at 8:13 am, his battered body was found at 8:29 am lying in the road at the corner of Mangrove (Siesta Dr) and Higel ave just 200 feet from the shell pit. There was about a 16 min window to stalk and kill Harry Higel on Friday morn. Rube Allyn was seen by several different witnesses near the murder location at 7:30 am and then again at 8:00 am. The prisoner Rube Allyn, held without bail, cooled is heels in his cell for four months while his newspapers pals flooded the media with stories on how Rube Allyn couldn't have done it before the case came before the Manatee grand jury filled with Rube's friends and fellow newsmen. After a short deliberation in March 1921, the 'kangaroo grand jury' ruled that there was insufficient evidence to Indict andbring the case to trial, the fix was in and Rube was out.

Dr Jack 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. 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, (revolver) more on that below.  

The wounds on Harry Higel's head clearly indicated a pistol whipping done by much larger powerful man, like Rube Alyn. Dr Jack Halton's medical report indicates indicated multiple depressed fractures to the skull, some on top of the head, where the point of the weapon can be clearly seen. The grip on the Colt .32 caliber pocket positive revolver has a square point at the edge of the grip. A Manatee County Coroners Jury inquiry convened by County Judge Cary B. Fish in Bradentown Fl found probable cause to arrest Rube Allyn Sr for Harry Higel's murder on Friday, Jan 7, 1921. The Coroners Jury was made up of W. E. Street newspaperman, E. J. Street real estate, E. O. Burns real estate, Ralph C. Caples businessman, M. L. Young builder and Harry Figby builder.

 

The 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 102 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. The gun was found on Siesta Key Fl in November 2019, it had one broken grip. Nobody buries a loaded gun unless it was used in a crime.

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 Jack Halton in Sarasota. The human skull can withstand 6.5 GPa of pressure while oak holds up under 11 GPa. Frontal bone: this bone comprises the forehead and the upper orbit of the eye. It joins the parietal bones at the coronal suture. Two temporal bones: These bones are located at the sides and base of the skull, and they are the hardest bones in the body. The fourteen bones at the front of your skull hold your eyes in place and form your facial features. Your mandible, or jawbone, is the largest, strongest bone in your face. Who buries a loaded gun (Colt revolver) with 6 live bullets and a broken grip unless it was used in a murder.

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

"Gun Buried on Siesta Key, Nobody Buries a Loaded Gun Unless It Was Used in a Crime": 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 in the 1920's unless it was used in a crime, like the bludgeoning murder of former Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel on Friday January 7tth, 1921. 

Back in the early 1900's through 1920's everybody had a Colt .32 caliber positive pocket revolver, yes even the ladies. The Colt .32 caliber positive pocket revolver was small and would fit easily in the front pocket of your trousers or dress. The Colt revolver apparently used to kill Harry Higel in a pistol whipping went into the muck and mud of the salt water bayou near the Givens Street bridge on Siesta Key in Jan 1921 looking all shiny and pretty and came out of the ground 98 years later a rusty mess in November 2019. But 6 live bullets remained in the cylinder of the Colt .32 caliber revolver. Most guys in 1921 would have unloaded the Colt revolver and taken the bullets out before throwing it into the Bayou.

Rose Allyn, Rube's wife, had time to hide the revolver, nobody was watching her on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 and she had a lot to lose if Rube was convicted and hung by the neck till dead. Rose Allyn was in a big dispute with Harry Higel, he had put up a fence in front of his property on Higel Ave cutting off the short cut to "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort" at the end of what is now Gulfmead Dr near Fishery Point, see ad above in Tampa Tribune on April 18, 1920. Rose Allyn was renting out supposed 'furnished apartments' on the beach at Siesta Key for $10 a week and up. In the April 1920 Tampa Tribune ad you were instructed to contact Mrs Rube Allyn Sarasota Fl, they had a phone from at least 1916. Five members of the Allyn family was listed in the Manatee County, FL Sarasota 1916 City Directory, there phone was 73-M in Sarasota: 1). Allyn, Miss Eileen (daughter), teacher, home Siesta Key. 2). Allyn, Mrs Evelyn (Rose), dramatic reader, home Siesta Key. 3). 4). Allyn, Rube (wife Evelyn aka Rose), editor The Sarasota Sun, home Siesta Key- phone 73-M Sarasota. 5). Allyn, Rubert (son), lino operator The Sarasota Sun, home Siesta Key. "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort" rentals at $10 and up in 1920 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $140 in 2021 money, big deal in 1920!. Rose apparently had multiple winter renters in Jan 1921 But Harry Higel was killing her business with his fence on Higel Ave, this was a big deal in the year before Higel was murdered right near "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort". Rose Allyn was supporting herself and 3 kids on Siesta Key while Rube had been off working on his floundering 'Florida Fisherman magazine' at the Detroit Hotel in St Pete. Former disgraced St Pete mayor Noel Mitchell owned the Hotel and was fronting Rube an office, more on him later. 

Amidst all this trouble over the locked Higel gate to "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort" during 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 Allyn. A motor nerve is a nerve located in the central nervous system usually the spinal cord, that sends motor signals from the central nervous system to the muscles of the body. Charles Allyn had been crippled from birth. On June 22nd 1920 Rose Allyn was making passage to Jacksonville Fl and onto Baltimore MD via steamer for herself and her son Charles Allyn so that he could have the operation at John Hopkins Hospital. Rube and Rose Allyn had a lot on their plate during 1920 leading up to the murder of their adversary Harry Higel on Friday Jan 7th, 1921. Rube and Rose Allyn were just making ends meet with the combined businesses, to cut of the road to "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort" would have been disastrous for Rube and Rose Allyn. To cut of the road to "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort" wold have also been a motive for Rube Allyn to pistol whip Harry Higel. Possibly Harry Higel was not supposed to die, just get taught a lesson. Rube Allyn came home late on Thursday night Jan 6th 1921 from working in St Pete on the Florida Fisherman magazine, the gate was locked on Higel Ave in front of Harry Higel's house cutting off Rube from his house. Rube Allyn would have gone ballistic! Rube Allyn would have been hunting Harry Higel early Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921 for a beat down.

Manatee County Map from 1907 shows far north end of Siesta Key near Fishery Point with a bridge connecting the north end of Higel Ave over to the north end of what is now Gulfmeade Dr, the bridge is no longer there. The large two story white Higelhurst Hotel was at the very north end of what is now 3332 Gulfmead Dr on Siesta Key Fl built in 1915 burned down in March 1917 by Rube Allyn. Arson suspect, and Harry Higel murder suspect, Rube Allyn lived at the very north end of Gulfmead Dr near the HigelHurst hotel. "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort" operated by Rose Allyn in her house was within walking distance, just south of where the Higelhurst Hotel had been. Rose Allyn and Rube Allyn were incensed when Harry Higel put up a fence in front of his home over the north end of Higel Ave to stop traffic from taking the short cut from Siesta Dr to right on Higel Ave up to the bridge over to the very north end of Bayou Louise and onto of Gulfmeade Dr. Rose Allyn was renting out her 'furnished apartments' on the beach at "Rube Allyn's Beach Summer Resort" (in her house) on Big Pass for $10 a week, big money in 1920. 

Was it maybe 8:20 am on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 when Rube Allyn shows up home? Why is Rose Allyn sure it was 8:00 am when she was busy making breakfast for 3 kids on Friday morn Jan 7th 1921. On the morning of the murder of Harry Higel, Rose Allyn, Rube's wife testified via a sworn statement to the Manatee Grand Jury that Rube Allyn had gone out at 7:30 am on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 with his young hunting dog to train him, and returned sometime after 8:00 am. To train hunting dogs you have to be armed with a firearm and fire the weapon to get the young hunting dog familiar with the sound of a gun. You would do this repeatedly at real (like squirrels) or simulated targets. According to Rose Allyn's sworn Rube Allyn was armed with a firearm on Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921 on Siesta Key, out hunting with his young dog. Since the area on the north end of Siesta Key around Higel Ave and Gulmead Dr is narrow and populated and campers were located on the beach facing BIG PASS using a shotgun with a big spread pattern would not have been advisable, but using the Colt pocket revolver in .32 caliber would have been ideal for hunting practice and it has a loud retort for the dog to get accustomed to. Rube Allyn had a gun in his pocket when he met up with Harry Higel on Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 at about 8:15 am on Mangrove Ave Siesta Key FL and apparently used the Colt revolver to pistol-whip Mr. Higel.

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

 

For some reason no photographs were taken of the size 13 shoe footprints in the sand near and around the Harry Higel murder scene on Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921. Rube Allyn wore a size 13 shoe, not many other people on the Island did. According to Frank Higel Jr, murdered Harry Higel's brother, he surmised that Rube Allyn left the scene of the crime on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave at about 8:27 am and waded across the salt water Bayou Louise to his house at very north end of Siesta Key washing out the blood on his canvas shoes and his pants in the salt water.

 

Sheriff Deputies found wet canvas shoes and wet khaki pants hanging on a chair in Rube Allyn's house at around 10:00 am Friday morn Jan 7th, 1921. Salt water rinses out blood stains on clothes. Salt water has strong dehydrating properties and will lift up blood stains from fabric. Any blood from the pistol whipping of Harry Higel on Rube's shoes and pants were long gone after wading through the salt water of Bayou Louise. This is the reason the chemist Mr Dyenforth in Jacksonville working for the State Attorney Prosecutor McMullen could find no blood on Rube's canvas shoes.

On Friday Jan 7th, 1921 at about 10:00 am Sheriff deputies followed large footprints (size 13) in the sand next to the Higel crime scene at the corner of Mangrove (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave in the direction of Rube Allyn's house at the end of Gulfmeade Dr. Sheiff Deputies questioned Rose Allyn at the house and told them that Rube was acting odd and had been out of his head for a few days. On Friday Jan 7th, 1921 at about 11:00 am Rose Allyn went over to the Harry Higel home at 3308 Higel Ave Siesta Key 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. Rube Allyn never came out of the Allyn home at the end of Gulfmead Dr after he returned to the home sometime before 8:30 am on Friday Jan 7th. Rube Allyn ignored the hoards of men, reporters, and Sheriff Deputies scouring the north end of Siesta Key looking for Mr. Higel's killer and in the process trampling the Higel crime scene. Rube Allyn was what you would call a 'media whore' or 'media darling', he always wanted his name and photo in the paper. For Rube Allyn to sit out the biggest manhunt that ever occurred on Siesta Key is totally preposterous, our did Rube already know who Higel's killer was?

Rose Allyn lied to Tampa Tribune Reporter on Tuesday Jan 11th, 1921 while Rube was in Jail. Rose Allyn, Rube's wife, testified via a sworn statement to the Manatee Grand Jury that Rube Allyn had gone out at 7:30 am on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 with his young hunting dog to train him, and returned sometime after 8:00 am. In the interview with the TRIB reporter on Jan 11th, 1921, Rose told him that Rube Allyn had returned to their house by 7:30 am on the morning Hihel was murdered sometime between 8:13 am to 8:30 am. Rose Allyn also recanted the information that she gave to Sheriff Deputy Rigby on Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 at about 10:00 when she told Dep. Rigsby "that Rube had been acting queerly for some time" "out of his head" (crazy). Rose Allyn lied to the TRIB reporter in her Tuesday Jan 11th, 1921 interview now telling the reporter she never told Dep. Rigsby that Rube was "out of his head" (crazy) but "just not feeling well for some time". Rose Allyn's various alibis for Rube Allyn the day of the Higel murder appear to be all lies.

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.

Rube Allyn's best pal and drinking buddy in 1920 was St Pete Mayor Noel Mitchell. Noel A. Mitchell was also a licensed private detective and owned "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. 

Rube Allyn and Noel Mitchell had multiple public drunkenness arrests. On June 3rd 1930 Noel A. Mitchell was implicated in the murder of man named George M. Council who was pistol whipped and set on fire in St Pete. Mr Council's revolver was later found in the possession of Noel A. Mitchell with blood and hair on it, Mitchell claimed innocence. Noel A. Mitchell caught a train for New York City right after Mr. Council's body was found. Just two months earlier on April 26, 1930 Rube Allyn and former Mayor Noel Mitchell had plotted to kill Tampa Tribune columnist James Ravenscroft in St Pete with a shotgun blast. Rube Allyn and Noel Mitchell were a lot alike.

In 1915 Harry Higel had established a short cut from the very north end of Higel ave over the north end of Bayou Louise to his new Higelhurst Hotel at the very end of what is now Gulfmead Dr, near Fishery Point. Back story on Higelhurst Hotel arson was Harry Higel's link to Germany and even the Hotel name 'Hurst' links to a region in Germany. Higelhurst Hotel was torched on March 30th, 1917 (by Rube Allyn), three days later On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson went before a joint session of Congress to request a declaration of war against Germany which was granted, Rube Allyn was ecstatic. Rube Allyn was a war hawk and hated Germans. Rube wanted to join the Army when he was in his 50's to go and kill Germans in 1917.

(photo credit Image: Wm. Hartman Gallery). TALL MAN MUST HAVE HIT HIGEL: Rube Allyn was a big strong man at over 6' 2" tall, with long arms and big fists and he wore a size 13 shoe, almost always canvas shoes (sneakers) with no socks. 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 than the much smaller Harry Higel at 5' 5" tall, in what appears to have occurred at the corner of Siesta Dr and Higel Ave on Friday morn Jan 7, 1921. Note photo above of a group of fisherman at the Bay Island Hotel, Bay Island Fl. Harry Higel is seen at far right in photo with straw hat and bow tie, he is the shortest man of the 13 men standing. Newsman Rube Allyn was a fisherman (and never missed a photo op) and very tall, he appears to be the man without a hat on the far right in photo above. Rube Allyn never wore a hat. Harry Higel was about 5' 5" tall and always wore bow ties and straw hats on the island, he was much shorter than Rube Allyn at 6' 2" tall.

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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