The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-08-01

1.-The high count OF 5uStice IN TINS
tiucal State has lust ablished q pre-
cedent, and, incidentally. it has bank
rupted usurer-one Shylock, whose
| fame as a money-lender was not con.
| fined to Venice. bur extended to every
| part of the world in which vessels
from the Adriatic find anchorage and
commerce, for bottomry has been a
fayorite security with him, says q
"cablegram'' to the Chicago @Trt.
bune'' from Venice under date of July
4, 1850.
The precedent was set by a learned
young doctor of laws who is not a
member of the Venetian bar, hut who
held court as a courtesy to Judge Bel
lario, of Padua, the latter being i'll.
The young mans name is Balthazer,
and, after handing down his opinion.
he mysteriously disappeared, and dill
gent inquiry has failed to find him.
No sympathy is felt here for Shy
lock, who has been a familiar figure
upon the Rialto for almost a genera
ton, and who has never been known
to compound with a debtor so long
as that debtor had ducat to his
name.
Many is the poor unfortunate he
has sent to prison and many others
he would have sent but for the kindly
interference of a. highly esteemed To-
cal philanthropist, Antonio, some:
times known as the merchant
prince" Shylock has hated Antonio
for more than two decades, and has
been plotting to get him into his
meshes. There is grim irony, not to
say poetic justice. in the fact that the
usurer fell into the pit he had digged
for his arch enemy.
1t seems that Antonios friend, Bas-s
sanio. a handsome gentleman. was,
until his recent marriage with
wealthy woman of Belmont, Portia by
name, somewhat run down at the heel
financially. He was pressed for ready
money-gossip says with which to
maintain himself while pressing his
suit for the fair Portals hand. An
tonic. who is really generous to
fault would have obliged him in a
minute. but all his ships were at sea
and he could not realize upon his arr
gosies until a later date. In the CLOS
sary of love later date to offer
means no date at all. and therefore
the ardent friend, of Antonio was in
despair He went to Shylock, and
Shylocll agreed to lend him 5000
ducats. provided Antonio would be
bound.
Every trader on the Rialto was non
plused. First, that Antonio would be
heholden to Shylock, and, second, that
ShyIock would oblige Antonio.
But that was not all; soon it became
$bruited about that Shylocl1 had re-
fused to accept interest for the 1900
ducats. and then it was the Rialto
wondered il the usurer had taken
leave of his senses. He had not,
though he was sore1y tried, almost be-
fore the ink was dry upon the parch
ment that witnessed the transaction
for Shylock's daughter, Jessfca.
eloped that same night, and. what is
more, she eloped with rollicking
young chap who had heretofore been
mainly distinguished for his shiftless-
ness.
The promissory note executed by
Antonio and Bassanfo had ceased to
be nine-day wonder; Bassenfo had
gone to Belmont and was received
with favor; the wedding day was set
While he and his fiancee were dis.
cussing plans for the nuptials and
studying map OF the Mediterranean
with their thoughts upon honey
moon, BaSSanfo received letter from
Antonio that made him turn pale. He
showed it to Portia who told him he
must marry her at once. so he would
have plenty of ducats to place at his
friends disposal, for that Shylock had
begun to clamor for his bond. and An
tonio's ships had gone ito pieces. ac-
cording to the latest marine intelli-
gence, in treacherous seas.
After his hasty marriage Bassanio
hurried back to Venice, carrying with
him seal ring from his wife, which
she begged him not to part withal.
With Bassanio's arrival the reas ses-
sence of Shylock's bond became
known, and it caused a furore in the
market place In fact, the Rialto was
all .agog.
Shylock. it appears, pretending that
it was only merry jest, had obtain
ed from Antonio covenant. that if