The Violent Legend of Rube Allyn the Man who Murdered Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel on Siesta Key FL

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. 

The Violent Legend of Rube Allyn the Man who Murdered Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel on Siesta Key FL. The most infamous unsolved mysteries in Sarasota history, the murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key. The evidence was circumstantial. People remembered a history of antagonism between the two men and a footprint found in the sand next to Higel's body appeared to match one of Allyn's size 13 canvas shoes. The size 13 footprints in the sand next to where Harry Higel's body had laid, led in the direction of Rube Allyn's house at the north end of of what is now Gulfmead Dr and 'Fishery Point'. Manatee County Deputy Sheriff D. R. Brown and Sarasota City Marshal Leon Davis Hodges (L. D. Hodges) were first on the scene, they appear to have arrived at the Siesta Key crime scene at about 10:00 AM on Jan 7th. The footprints, tracks in the sand near the where the body of Harry Higel had laid at the cor of Mangrove and Higel Ave on Friday morn Jan 7th 1921 leading in the direction of Rube Allyn's house are very significant as Rube Allyn was one of the few men on Siesta Key who wore a size 13 shoe. A search of Rube Allyn's house on Friday January 7th 1921 at about 11:00 am found a pair of trousers belonging to Rube Allyn Sr that had been recently washed and were still wet. When examining Rube Allyn’s house the Deputy Sheriff noted a pair of canvas shoes with a rubber sole that appeared to be similar to those that left tracks at the scene of the crime. This was enough evidence for Rube Allyn Sr to be arrested. Apparently no photographs of the size 13 footprints in the sand next to where Harry Higel's body had laid were taken to match with Rube Allyn's size 13 canvas shoes. This would have been direct evidence that Rube Allyn was at the crime scene.

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".

According to Frank Higel Jr he surmised that Rube Allyn left the scene of the crime on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave at about 8:25 am and waded across Bayou Louise to his house at very north end of Siesta Key washing out the blood on his canvas shoes and his pants in the salt water. The 1915 Kodak Vest Pocket Autographic is/was a "vest pocket" folding camera advertised as "The Soldier's camera" during WWI. It was manufactured by Kodak from 1915 to 1926 and available just about everywhere in the USA, reporters used them. Why were no photographs taken of Rube Allyn's size 13 shoe prints next to where Harry Higel's body has laid in the sand? He came as a humorist and entertainer. He left as an accused, but never tried, murderer. Rube Allyn's decade in Sarasota was one of great contrasts. Who was Rube Allyn? Newsman and outdoors-man Rube Allyn had a violent criminal history, he shot a young guy in the back with his shotgun just for walking too close to his cottage in Ruskin Fl. Rube Allyn was arrested for Attempted Murder in Jan 1918 in Philadelphia PA, a 'Hate Crime'. Rube Allyn was arrested for Murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl Jan 7th, 1921. Rube Allyn arrested for Attempted Murder May 21, 1929 Ruskin Fl with a shotgun blast for a Ruskin teenager. In April 30th, 1930 Rube Allyn was run out of St Pete Fl for plot to kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft with a shotgun blast, details below:

1). On Feb 20th 1918 Rube Allyn gleefully told a Senate Committee investigation of the US Naval shipyard at Hog Island where he was working that he threw two Jews off the trolley into the street on his way to work just because they were Jews, he was arrested for Attempted Murder and what today would have been also considered a "HATE CRIME" outside Philadelphia PA, charges dropped, victims disappeared.
2). On Jan 7th, 1921 Rube Allyn was arrested for the Murder of Harry Higel, the Manatee County Grand jury failed to indict, no "True Bill". A Grand jury indictment is a constitutional right in felony cases. A couple of Rube's newspaper pals were on the Manatee Grand Jury.

3). FRONT PAGE NEWS TAMPA DAILY TIMES: On May 21, 1929 Rube Allyn shot a young man, Brooks Brewer, 19, who was walking on the road near Rube Allyn's secluded cottage in Ruskin Fl. Rube was charged with Attempted Murder with a shotgun, Rube shot the young guy in the back. Charges eventually dropped by Brooks due to pressure from his father (somebody got to him). Dad said "Brooks wasn't hurt that bad, we need to get along in Ruskin", what the hell?
4). In April 1930 Rube Allyn was arrested again, this time in St Petersburg were he had been living at his mother-in-law's house. Rube plotted with ex-Mayor Noel Mitchell of St Pete to shoot and kill newspaper columnist James Ravenscroft with a shotgun blast. James Ravenscroft was a columnist for the Tampa Tribune. Rube had been living directly across the street from the Ravenscroft home. Rube was eventually released from jail on April 30th, 1930 and driven out of St Petersburg via the Gandy Bridge by former mayor Noel A. Mitchell to Ruskin Fl. Ruskin is where private detective Noel A. Mitchell aka 'Sandman Mitchell' and Rube Allyn owned land, they were followed out of St Pete by a police escort of two City detectives, Bob Black and J. B. King, don't come back Rube.

In Sarasota Rube Allyn hated 3 time Mayor Harry Higel, he could never beat him. Siesta Key was sparsely populated from 1917 to 1921 only about 40 people lived there full time. When Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel burned to the ground (arson) on Friday morn March 30th, 1917, Rube Allyn was there and living nearby on Siesta Key, he was a person of interest.

When Harry Higel was beat to death on Friday morn January 7th, 1921 on Siesta Key Fl, Rube Allyn was there and living nearby. Rube was the correct suspect and arrested for murder. Veteran newspaper guy Rube Allyn took no part in the manhunt on Siesta Key looking for Harry Higel's murderer. Rube stayed home and hid in his Gulmead Dr house until the Manatee County Deputy Sheriff came to his front door, “That's all too coincidental to be a coincidence.”

photo credit screenshot pack bros new york ny

Rube Allyn aka William James Allen was born on January 1st 1866 in Mt Forest Ontario Canada just 8 months after the end of the American Civil War, the North vs the South. Rube Allyn Sr started in the newspaper business in the 1880's working as a apprentice type setter in Ontario Canada in the office of the 'Mount Forest Representative', later as editor at the 'Daily Times' Crookston, Minnesota in 1898, editor at the 'Reporter' in Rapid City Canada and editor and publisher at the Sarasota Sun 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 1889 when he was in his 20's. Rube took up drama classes and public speaking, he had professional photos taken in NYC, SEE ABOVE, and gave them out to talent agents. Rube devolved an act and hit the road with his wife Rose.

A Minneapolis Journal newspaper columnist wrote a piece about Rube Allyn on September 10th, 1906 after viewing one of his "shows", Rube was in his 40's now. It appears Rube Allyn had a bizarre way of doing things in his supposed comedy routine. He would tell very sad depressing stories to the audience and then hit them with the "jokes". It appears that sometimes members of the audience would heckle and cat call Rube during his "show" and it was Rube's response to go down from the stage and beat the hell out of the heckler no matter how big he may be, supposedly the audience loved the show. Rube Allyn was a big strong man at over 6' 2" tall, with long arms and big fists. Rube was farm tough, supposedly he did work on a farm during the summer months. 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 sarasota historical society
Rube Allyn shows up in Sarasota in late 1911 with his traveling Chautauqua circuit show modeled after activities at the Chautauqua Institution of western New York where Rube Allyn hung out with Elbert Hubbard in East Aurora NY (East Aurora is in Western NY near Buffalo). Rube was kind of minor celebrity on his way down. October 1911 the Sarasota Times ran a notice that Rube the “screwball” Allyn humorist and impersonator was in town. Sarasota High school officially opened in early 1913, one of the first entertainers at the school hall was Rube Allyn the murder suspect in former Mayor Harry Higel's death on Jan 7th, 1921. In June 1911 Rube Allyn and his wife purchased property in Palmetto Fl. In October 1911, the Sarasota Times ran a notice that Rube Allyn would be entertaining at the school hall. Tickets were 25 cents, 15 cents for children. 

In 1912 Rube Allyn made known his plans to publish a second newspaper for the Sarasota community. During 1912 Rube published a semi-monthly called "The Bay of Sarasota". Rube Allyn's Sarasota Sun finally debuts in Feb 1913, it bombed and shut down in early 1916. Rube Allyn was a bad guy, a drunk, he had multiple arrests, before and after the Higel murder incident, for attempted murder. Harry Higel served on the Sarasota town council in 1902 and served as Mayor of the city of Sarasota when it was incorporated. In a 1912 memo as mayor of Sarasota, H. L. Higel encouraged more funding for Sarasota schools. It was in the elections of 1916 and 1917 that Harry Higel had a bitter battle for the office of Mayor against well-known editor Rube Allyn, who published the Sarasota Sun. Rube lost the Mayor race, Higel won.
 

photo credit screenshot tampa tribune newspaper Jan 1921
Some time after Feb 1913, Rube Allyn Sr his wife and 6 children moved to Siesta Key from Palmetto and made a home in the old Sarasota Yacht Club building on the north end of Siesta Key on what is now Gulfmead Dr across Bayou Louise from Harry Higel's home on Higel Ave. Rube Allyn Sr had purchased his printing press from the White Springs Messenger (on credit) and moved it into the building at the end of a dock off North Gulf Stream Blvd Sarasota and later he moved the newspaper operation right next to Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel on Sarasota Key in 1915.

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

 photo credit screenshot Tampa Tribune News from Florida Historical
According to the 1920 US Census 2,149 people were living in Sarasota Fl and Siesta Key was reported to have about 3 dozen people (36) living full time on the Island including the Higel Family and the Allyn Family who were all there on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 when Harry Higel was attacked, small world eh? During 1920 and 1921 there was a lot of pressure on Rube Allyn Sr to come up with the money he owed Harry Higel for the Allyn house loan on Siesta Key and back rent of the office for the Sarasota Sun newspaper. Rube Allyn was responsible for his wife and it appears 6 children ranging in age from 11 to 21 living at the Allyn cottage on the north end of Siesta Key in 1921. Where would they all go if Harry Higel evicted them for Rube's non-payment of the house loan on Siesta Key?

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

 

photo credit Sarasota Sun newspaper rube allyn publisher
Rube Allyn Sr was the Editor and Publisher of the SARASOTA SUN NEWSPAPER at 120 Gulf Stream Ave Sarasota Fl (1st issue Sat June 28, 1913) that came out every Saturday, it appears it was mailed via USPS. You could purchase a one year subscription to the SARASOTA SUN NEWSPAPER for just $1.00 as seen in the Saturday June 28, 1913 issue above, it only lasted a couple of years. Rube Allyn Sr would have been aware of the mass marketing of the Colt firearm company products via newspaper ads and sporting goods catalogs in the 1900's. The Lakeland evening telegram, March 10, 1914, Rube Allyn Sr. of the Sarasota Sun, attended the recent Gasparilla festivities in Tampa and for the first time met some of the big men of Florida.

Harry Higel's Hotel HigelHurst on Siesta Key opened its doors on March 9, 1915, with more than 200 people attending the grand opening reception. Since the bridge to the key was not finished, ferry boats provided transportation to the hotel. The Higelhurst Hotel on N Siesta Key was overlooking Big Pass with an unobstructed view of the Gulf of Mexico directly across from Lido Beach.

Map of Siesta Key as of 1916 that shows the Higelhurst Hotel  towards the far north end of Gulmeade Dr Siesta Key Fl. The Higelhurst Hotel was on the beach less than 50 yards to the Gulf and Big Pass waters. The very north end of Bayou Louise was behind the Hotel. The Hotel was burned down on Friday morn March 30th 1917, Rube Allyn was a person of interest in the arson. The caretaker Mrs Mueller left the Hotel on Thursday afternoon March 29th 1917 for Sarasota where she spent the evening with friends. The Hotel was empty and vacant, Rube Allyn lived nearby and hated Harry Higel. Rube was there on Siesta Key in the early morn of Friday March 30th 1917 when the hotel was torched.

 

photo credit screenshot rube allyn newspaper photos
The information that I have compiled concerning the murder of Harry Higel and the actions, statements and arrest records of Rube Allyn spans a 60 year period from 1887 when 22 year old Rube Allyn was in New York City to 1947 when 81 year old Rube Allyn died penniless and alone in Ruskin Fl. I have chronicled multiple newspaper accounts of the time that show Rube Allyn as exhibiting sociopath tendencies, an extremely violent person, a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, an imposter, a con man's con man and a falling down drunk. Sarasota's Rube Allyn Sr appears to have been the poster boy for someone with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Rube Allyn Sr was a hot tempered, erratic, hard drinking Irishman whose eccentrics were condemned in Sarasota where he was well known. Rube Allyn was known for fierce outbursts of temper. Rube was venomously bitter when confronted or disagreed with and frequently drunk in Sarasota. Rube had been in bitter disagreements with Harry Higel for years, ever since 1911 when Rube shows up in Sarasota, everybody knew Rube Allyn in Sarasota for at least 10 years before the Higel murder. 

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 screenshot congressional record feb 1918
Rube Allyn hated Germans so much that he tried to join the Army in 1917 when the USA entered WWI. Rube wanted to go to France and kill "Prussian Savages". Rube was too old at age 48 for the Army so Rube Allyn left his large family on Siesta Key in Nov 1917 and traveled to Philadelphia to work at the Hog Island shipyard building docks at .75 cents an hour to assemble Merchant Marine ships for the war. It appears Rube Allyn Sr gave up his newspaper gig in warm Sarasota Fl in November 1917 to build wooden docks and shipways for the US Government at Hog Island PA, about 12 miles from Philadelphia. Rube worked for 2 years outside in the dead of winter and the heat of summer at the Hog Island shipyard, eight hours a day for .60 cents an hour when he was in his 50's, why? Rube Allyn Sr was making about $25 to $30 a week at the Hog Island Shipyard, which was the average weekly salary in 1917 to 1919 for a working man, but not ideal for a guy living in Philadelphia PA and providing for a family of seven in Siesta Key Fl, 1,200 miles away. Rube choose his idealistic, obsessive "patriotic duty" and hatred of the Germans over the needs of his own large family. 

"Congress to investigate the goings on at Hog Island". Rube Allyn Sr indicated his permanent home residence as Sarasota Fla to the Senate Committee investigating the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA. Rube Allyn Sr came across as a white nationalist who hated the German speaking Jews working at Hog Island or anyone speaking German. Rube Allyn Sr testified that he was arrested for attempted murder after he threw two German speaking Jews off the trolley and into the street on his way to work at Hog Island PA, it was a 'Hate Crime'. Rube Allyn Sr testified he worked a bit as a night watchman at Hog Island PA and had a firearm, Rube claimed he had the authority to kill somebody. Rube Allyn testified he hated hearing the German language spoken at the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA. Rube Allyn Sr testified to the Senate Committee in Feb 1918 that the German speaking Jews, the 'foreigners', who came from the slums of New York City and Philadelphia were not suitable or equals as workers for the U.S. Naval shipyard Hog Island PA, not like himself an 'American Patriot' and the 30,000 other men. Rube Allyn's testimony before a US Senate Committee February on 20th 1918 revealed a racist, bigoted man who hated Jews and German speaking people. READ IT HERE.
 

photo credit screenshot congressional record feb 1918
Rube Allyn acted violently and impulsively and was arrested for Attempted Murder during the commission of a Hate Crime in Philadelphia in 1918. Someone with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) could destroy property, react way out of proportion to things that happen and could attack or kill another person. Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) involves repeated, sudden episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior or angry verbal outbursts in which the affected person reacts grossly out of proportion to the situation (Rube Allyn Sr.). It is my opinion based on all the evidence that I have compiled and the discovery of the 1920's era Colt revolver with the broken grip found buried on Siesta Key, that Rube Allyn killed Harry Higel on Friday Jan 7th, 1921 during a pistol whipping near the edge of the shell pit at the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave on Siesta Key Fl.

 

photo credit Tampa Times Florida Historic
RUBE ALLYN 1929 ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE: According to the Tampa Times on May 21, 1929 Rube Allyn shot a young man, Brooks Brewer, 19, who was walking on the road near Rube Allyn's secluded cottage in Ruskin Fl, Hillsborough County. This Attempted Murder Charge for Rube Allyn is 8 years after he was arrested and acquitted of the murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl. Rube Allyn apparently felt it was no big deal to fire a shotgun at Brooks Brewer, he claimed he had problems with the 'young bloods' in Ruskin and you never know what they could be up to. Rube Allyn admitted to the Tampa Times that he fired his shotgun into the night to scare away the Ruskin boys. Brooks Brewer claimed that after Rube Allyn shot him in the back with the shotgun, from distance, Allyn came up to him as he was lying in the road, told him to get up with his hands held high and then Rube marched him off down the road. Brooks Brewer's 'bird shot' wounds in his back from Rube's shotgun were supposedly minor. Brooks Brewer dropped the charges 2 1/2 days later upon pressure from his father J.F. Brewer. The father, J.f. Brewer, said "Ruskin is a small place and we want to be neighbors there. Brooks was only peppered with a few bird shot in the back and not hurt much, we ask the court to drop the charges", what the hell? Rube was released from jail, Rube got away with it again.
 

photo credit screenshot Stephanie Roberts ABC7 Suncoast view.
ABC7 News Sarasota Suncoast View Co-Host Stephanie Roberts & 100-year-old Unsolved Mystery with Compass Rose History. On Thursday morn Oct 29th, 2020, ABC7 Suncoast View with Co-Host Stephanie Roberts had on her show Andrea Knies and Mimi Cirbusova Co-Owners and Co-Founders of Compass Rose History Experiences putting their spin on the 100 Year Old Unsolved Murder of Harry Higel on Siesta Key Fl with a long laundry list of misinformation about murder suspect Rube Allyn! I cannot feel that the program was targeting me concerning my year long investigation of the 100 year old unsolved cold case murder of former Sarasota mayor Harry Higel by Rube Allyn. My investigation began in Nov 2019 after I was made aware of a 1920's era Colt revolver with a broken grip that had been buried on Siesta Key near the Higel murder scene with 6 live bullets in the cylinder. The 1920's era Colt revolver with the broken grip very possibly was used to pistol whip Harry Higel and led to his death on Jan 7th, 1921. At the end of the segment Suncoast View Co-Host Stephanie Roberts asked 'Nancy Drew' PI gals Andrea Knies and Mimi Cirbusova about all the articles posted online indicating Rube Allyn was a violent man and had multiple arrests that involved violence. The 'Nancy Drew' PI gals Andrea Knies and Mimi Cirbusova replied, no he was not. The Nancy Drew PI's Andrea Knies & Mimi Cirbusova claim they were unable to find any stories about Rube Allyn in any archived news stories that indicated he was a bad guy. Directly disputing all the news article I located about this violent unhinged man, Rube Allyn. ABC7 Suncoast View with Co-Host Stephanie Roberts with Andrea Knies and Mimi Cirbusova Co-Owners and Co-Founders of Compass Rose History Experiences were in essence putting out fake news. The nonsensical pair of Andrea Knies and Mimi Cirbusova claim murder suspect Rube Allyn was the wrong guy. Nancy Drew PI's Andrea Knies and Mimi Cirbusova went into great detail on how poor Rube Allyn was targeted for the brutal murder of former Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel on Friday Jan 7th 1921 on Siesta Key just because he was the new guy in town, what the hell? Newsflash for for Nancy Drew PI's Andrea Knies & Mimi Cirbusova, Rube Allyn first came to the the Sarasota - Siesta Key area in 1911 ten years before the murder of Harry Higel. 

UPDATE...Dec 19, 2020, Low rated ABC 7 WWSB-TV Sarasota Fl dropped by Frontier Communications and replaced by ABC Action News Tampa, good fit. Far left liberal news machine shut down in Sarasota Fl, see more at LINK CLICK HERE

I know for a fact that ABC7 show hosts go over the details of the stories their guests bring to the show, it is somewhat rehearsed. Suncoast View Co-Host Stephanie Roberts knew exactly what questions to ask Andrea Knies and Mimi Cirbusova Co-Owners of Compass Rose History to get a negative response as to Rube Allyn being a violent man with a history of arrests for attempted murder. It appears to me that Stephanie Roberts and Andrea Knies and Mimi Cirbusova conspired before the show aired last Thursday to actually provide Fake News about Rube Allyn's criminal history that has been well documented historically. This is a stab in the back to the Higel family in Venice and Sarasota Fl by ABC7 News. George and Frank Higel Jr. the brothers of murdered Harry Higel were both very vocal about Rube Allyn killing their brother on Jan 7th, 1921, they knew. According to Frank Higel Jr, Harry's brother, he surmised that "Rube Allyn left the scene of the crime on the corner of Mangrove Ave (Siesta Dr) and Higel Ave at about 8:25 am and waded across Bayou Louise to his house at very north end of Siesta Key on what is now Gulfmead Dr washing out the blood stains on his canvas sneakers and trousers". 

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.

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

Rube Allyn Sr died October 23rd 1947 after a brief illness he was survived by his long-suffering wife Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn, his 2 sons and 3 daughters, and a sister in Mount Forest Ontario Canada. William James 'Rube' Allen aka Rubert Royce Allen aka Rube Allyn Sr was born Jan 1st 1866 in Ontario Canada and died Oct 23rd 1947 in Bradenton Florida, he had been living in Ruskin Fl, he was 81. Rube is buried in Manasota Memorial Park, Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida, USA. Rube Allyn Sr Family Members include Spouse Rose Evelyn Knestrick Allyn 1868–1957. 

Rube Allyn Sr named one of his children Rubert 'Rube' Allyn Jr, he was born in July 6 1901 and died July 13 1968 at the age of 67 in a car accident. In December 1932 Rube Allyn Jr. ended up at the St Pete Times, setting type, though he soon convinced the editor to let him try writing. In 1938, he began writing outdoors stories for free. After WWII serving in the Navy, Rube Allyn Jr returned as the Times' full-time outdoors editor. Rubert Rube Allyn Jr was the Outdoors Editor for the St Pete times for 25 years.

 

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