The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-22
KEY OF DEAT
a Little Needle That Carried Murder
With It.


With It.
In the collection of curiosites preserved
in the Arsenal OF Venice there is q key, OF
which the following singular tradition is re-
lated: About the year 1000 one Of those
dangerous men in whom extraordinary
talent is only the fearful source OF crime and
wickednes beyond that OF ordinary man
came 10 establish himself as merchant or
trader in Venice. The stranger, whose name
was Tebsldo became enamored OF the dRugh-
ter OF an ancient house, already affiancsd to
another. He demanded her hand in mar
rage and was OF course, rejected. Enragsd
at this, lie studied how to be Tevenged.
Profoundly skilled in the mechanical
arts. he allowed himself no rest until he had
invented the most formidable weapon which
could be imagined. This was key OF q
large SIZE, the handle of which was go con
s:ructsd that it could be turned round With
little difficulty: when turned, il discovered
g spring, which, on pressure, launched from
the other end needle or lancst of such
subtle ineness that il entered into the flesh
and buried itself there without ie6ving ex-
ternaI trace. Tebsldo waited in disguise at
the door Of the church in which the maiden
he loved was about to receive the nuptial
bsnediction. The assassin sent the slender
steel uDpeTceived into the breast OF the
Bridegroom.
'The wounded man had no suspicion of
in Jury, but seized with q suddsn and sharp
lain in the midst Of the ceremony, he faint.
ed, and was carried to his house amid the
lsmen tations OF the bridal party. Vain was
all the skill OF the physicians who could
not devise the cause OF this strange illness,
and in a few days he died. Tebaldo again
demanded the hand of the maiden from
her parents, and received second refusal
They too, uerished miserably in a lie "
days. The alarm which these deaths
which appeared almost miraculous
occssioned, excited the utmost vigilance OIL
the magistrates; and when, on clo,Se;
/ instrument was found in the gan
/ grened flesh, terror was universal
every one feared for his own life. The
/ maiden thus cruelty orphaned had passed
/ the first months of her mourning in a con
vent, when Tebaldo, hoping to bend her tG
his will. entreated to speak with her at the
CRATE. The lace OF the foreigner bad evel
been displeesing TO her, but since thG
death Of all those most dear to her it had
become odious as though she hsd a pre-
( sumption OF his guilt ara her reply
vas most decisive 10 the negative
Tebsldo, beyond himself with rage
! attempted 10 wound her thro Ugh tht
CRATE, snd Succeeded; the obsourity o
the place prevented his movements
being observed. On her return to he
room the msiden felt pain in her breast
and. uncoveriDg it. she found it spotted With
/ single drop OF blood. The pain increased
the surgeons who fastened to her assistance
taught By the past, wasted no time in con
I lecture, but, cutting deep into the wounded
/ part, extracted the needle before any morts
/ mischief had commenced and saved the lif,
of the lady. The State lnquisiticn uset
i every mesns to discover the hand which
dealt these insidioUs snd Irresistible bio vs.
+ The vsi. OF Tebaldo to the convent caussC
I suspicion TO fall heavily uDOn him. HI
house was carefully searched, the infsmou
invention discovered, and he persisted OF
I the gibbet."