Bryan morning eagle and pilot. (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1909, 1909-02-04
THE KEY OF TEBALDO
Curious Messenger Of Death In
vented by an Italian.
TRAGIC LEGEND OF VENICE.
Unique Weapon With Which the Man
Of Mystery and Murder Sought to
Stay His Way to the Hand Of the
Woman He Loved.

woman Ne Loved.
The chronicles Of Venice tell that in
the earlier part Of the seventeenth CEN
fury a certain stranger, man of dark
aud sinister aspect. arrived In the city
His name was Tebaldo. He appears
to have been a man Of unruly passions,
OF great intellectual power. but one
whose talents found their chief outlet
In crime.
One day he observed beautiful girl
leaving church. attended in manner
which showed she belonged to a family
Of high degree. She was, in fact. the
daughter of an ancient and noble
house. He fell violently In love with
her Though far removed from him in
station his blind passion took no count
of this fact, and he determined TO sue
| for her hand.
There proved to be. however. a more
insuperablc obstacle to his suit. The
girl was already betrothed TO another.
young noblcman Of almost equal
rank and fortune. The knowledge did
not deter Tebaldo. who boldly present
ed himself before the girls parents I'm
the capacity of suitor for her hand.
As might have been expected. he met
with curt and uneeremonious rebuff.
The repulse ranked in his mind En-
ragged beyond measure. he shut himself
up In his own house and there secretly
studied Il means of revenge. Pro
IL H..
he allowed himself no rest until he had
Invented most formidable and death
dealing weapon This was large key.
the handle Of which was so construct
ed that IL could be turned at will.
When II was thus turned a secret
spring was disclosed, which. on being
pressed, launched from the KEY head n
fine needle or lancet The latter was
of such delicate construction that 1t
penetrated the body of the victim and
leaving any external trace.
The marriage of the betrothed cou-
pie was fixed to take place In the prin-
cipal church In Venice on a certain
day. Before the ceremony Tebaldo.
cunningly disguised, stationed himself
at the church door armed with his dia-
boical weapon As the bridegroom
was about to enter the building the
concealed watcher pressed the spring
and sent the deadly steel lancet into
the breast of his victim. 'i'ho yorr~
Eobleman had no suspicion Of injury
at the moment In the midst of the
ceremony, however he was seized
with sharp spasm of pain and sank
fainting on the steps of the altar He
was hurriedly conveyed to his home.
were summoned to attend him. In
spite of their unremitting efforts he
sank ana died nor were they able To !
discover the nature of the mysterious |
and fatal seizure.
With the removal of his rival Te- !
bado once more presented himself he !
fore The girls parents and renewed his |
request for her hand Their refusal to
listen to him sealed their doom In
what manner h" accomplished It is not
known. but within a few days both
had been done To death in the same
sudden and mysterious fashion
The exalted rank Of the victims ere
lted Il profound sensation. and when.
IN examination of the bodies fine
steel instrument was found i'm the
flesh terror became universal The cit
zens feared for their lives. The ut
most vigilance was exercised on the
part of the authorities. but as yet no
suspicion fell upon Tebaldo.
The bereaved girl retired to Il con
'cnt. where she passed the first months
rebaldo. however. sought her out in
ler retreat and begged to speak to her
through the grating.
His dark. evil face had always been
lisplcasing TO her. but since the death
II her betrothed and parents it had be
ONE repulsive. When. therefore. in
he course Of the interview he pressed
Ter to fly with him he met with an in
tant and Indignant refusal. Her scorn
tung him to the quick. Beside him
elf with rage. he brought his deadly !
Weapon once more into play and sue
eeded in wounding the girl through
he grating. the obscurity of the place
reventing his action from being oh
erved
On her return to her room the girl !
cit sharp pain In her breast Exami-
alton Of the spot showed that II was
Gifted with a single drop OF blood.
physicians were hastily summoned. i
'aught by past experience. they vast
d no time in vain conjecture. but cut
nto the flesh and extracted the slen-
er steel. thus saving the girls life o
The dastardly attempt occasioned 4
ublic outcry. The visit OF Tebaldo to }
he convent became known and caused \
uspicion to turn upon him The EN- !
'saries of the law descended suddenly J
pom him. his house was searched. and d
here the abominable invention was 0
iscovered Swift justice followed
nd he ended his days upon the scat
old.
The key is still preserved in the ar \
email at Venice-Chambers Journal
Lovers Quarreis.
Nell-A lovers quarrel always re
,fp1o mo .f o,,la noUIo