The Surrency Affair

John and Mayme Surrency were murdered in Jacksonville, FL on November 25, 1936, the day before Thanksgiving. Two men were hired to rob the couple of two hundred dollars. In reality, John was carrying over twenty-seven hundred dollars, which remained untouched as the pair fled. Murder appeared the ultimate goal. Sheriff Rex Swift and his deputies made short work of the investigation, and the two men and their coconspirator were apprehended on December 12, 1936. But would all three face justice? As facts were brought into the light of day, it became apparent there was more to the story. Clyde Hysler, the man who contracted the murder, was a member of a family whose run-ins with Jacksonville law enforcement occurred over decades prior. So deep was their connection to organized Crime, Al Capone stayed at the home of Jim Hysler, Clyde’s father, in 1930. Adding to the mystery was the untimely and mysterious deaths of Mayme Surrency’s brother, Bartow’s state senator, John Swearingen in 1931, and that of her son-in-law in July 1938. Historical facts are woven into this fictionalized story paying homage to the couple who lost their lives at a time when enjoyment of grandchildren should offer a glimpse into an everlasting existence. John and Mayme’s lives, and their ultimate demise, affected all involved in the law enforcement community. Their spirit lives on in not only family members, but in the lives of those who fought for justice.