The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-02-03
FEBRUARY $1,000.
THE KEY OF TEbALDO
Curious Messenger OF Death In
vented by an italian.
TRAGIC LEGEND OF VENICE.

TRAGIC LEGEND OF VtNlCE.
Unique Weapon With Which tho Man
Of Mystery and Murder Sought to
Stay His Way to the Hand Of the
Woman He Loved.
The chronicles of Veniee tell that IN
the earlier part Of the seventeenth eenr
fury Il certain stranger, 4 man of darh
and sinister aspect, arrived in he city
His name was Tebaldo. He appears
TO have been II man Of unruly passion
Of great intellectual power, but one
whose talents found their chief outlet
in crime.
One day he observed a beautiful girl
leaving church, attended in manner
which showed she belonged 10 Il family
Of high degree She was, In fact, the
daughter of IN ancient and noble
house He fell violently i'll love with
her. Though far removed from him in
station, his blind passion took no count
Of this fact and he determined 10 sue
FOR her hand
There proved 10 be. however. a more
inSuperablc obstacle to his suit. The
girl was already bctrothed TO another.
a young nobleman Of almost equal
rank and fortune. The knowledge did
not deter Tebaldo, who boldly present
ed himself before the girls parents In
the capacity OF sultor for her hand
As might hive been expected, lie met
with "A curt and unccremonlous rebufl.
The repulse rankled In his mind En-
ragged beyond measure. he shut himself
up In his own house and there secretly
studied u means of revenge. Pro
foundly skilled In the mechanical arts.
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 II could be turned al Will
When II was thus turned secret
spring was disclosed, which, on bein.
pressed launched from the key head
line needle or lancet. The latter was
Of such delicate construction that II
penetrated the body of the victim and
buried Itself deep In the flesh without
leaving any external trace.
The marriage of the betrothed cou
pie was fixed To take place in the prn-
cipal church i'll Venice on certain
day Before the ceremony Tebaldo
cunningly disguised, stationed himself
AZ tie church door armed With his dit
bolical weapon AS the bridegroom
was about To enter the building the
and sent the deadly steel lancet into
the breast of his victim. The young
Gobleman had no suspicion of injury
ut the moment. In the midst of the
ceremony, however. he was seized
with sharp Spasm of pain and sank
falnting on the steps of the altar He
was hnrriedly conveyed 10 his home
where the leading Venice physicians
were summoned 10 attend him, In
spite Of their unrcmittlng efforts he
sank and died, nor were they able Ia
discover the nature of the mysterious
and fatal seizure
With the removal OF his rival. Re
buldo once more presented himself be
fore the girls parents and renewed his
request for her hand Their refusal {"
listen to him sealed their doom. In
what manner he accomplished II is not
known. but within II few days both
had been done to death in the same
sudden and mysterious fashion.
The exalted rank Of the victims ere
ated Il profound sensation. and when,
on examination of the bodies n inr
steel instrument was found In HE
flesh terror became universal The cit
liens feared for their lives. The III
most vigilance was exercised on the
part of the authorities. but Ms Vet ""
suspicion fell upon Tebaldo.
The hereaved girl retired To a e"H
vent. where she passed the first months
Of mourning In sorrowful seclusion.
rebaldo. however. sought her out In
her retreat and begged to speak to her
through the grating
His dark, evil face had always been
displeasing TO her, but since the death
Of her betrothed and parents il had be-
the course OF the interview he pressed
her TO fly with him he met with an ia
slant and indignant refusal. Her scorn
stung him to the quick, Beside him
self with rage. he brought his deadly
weapon once more into play and SUE
ccedcd in wounding the girl through
the grating. the obscurlty OF the place
preventing his action from being oh
served
On her return Ia her room The Girl
felt Il sharp pain In her breast. ENami
nation OF the spot showed that il WAS
dotted with 4 single drop Of blood
Physicians were hastily summoned
Taught 10y past experience. they VAS.
ed no time In vain conjecture. hut cut
into the flesh and extracted the Slcu
der steel, thus saving the girls life
The dastardly attempt occasioned
the convent became known and ,aust 4
suspicion to turn upon him The en-
issarics of the law descended suddenly
upon him. his house WAS searched. Altd
there the ahominahle invention Mas
discovered Swift Justice followc
and he ended his DAYS upon he sca
fold.
The key is still preserved in the az
lenal M Venice Cha mbers' journal
Lovers 0uarreis.
Nell-A lovers quarrel always re