Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-12-20
THE VENETIAN KEY OF DEATH.


THE VENETIAN KEY OF DEATH.
Invention of Unweloome Suitor
Brought Quick Death to Enemies.
Among the many relics Of antiquity
preserved in the arsenal at Venice
there Is one to which a peculiar and
grewsome interest is attached. 1t Is
heavy key, which to all outward ap-
pearances might have been fashioned
for one Of the ponderous locks of old
en- times. Yet, If tradition is to be be-
lieved, it was designed for a deadly
purpose. and people were slain with it
in a swift, subtle and mysterious man
ner. 1t is known, in fact, as the Key
Of Death.
The chronicles of the city tell that In
tury a certain stranger arrived in Ven
ice. a man Of dark and sinister aspect.
His name was Tebaldo. He seems to
have been a man Of unruly passions,
of great intellectual power, but one
whose talents found their chief outlet
in crime. In Venice he established
himself as a merchant or trader. For
time his passions lay dormant. They
were aroused, however, in stormy
manner, which caused him to sweep
from his path all who sought to OPP
pose him.
One day he observed a beautiful girl
leaving church, attended in a manner
which showed that she belonged to a
family of high degree. She was, in
fact. the daughter Of an ancient and
noble house one which had long held
foremost rank in Venice. He fell vio-
lently 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, more
insuperable obstacle to his suit. The
girl was already betrothed to another
a young nobleman Of almost equal
rank and fortune. The knowledge did
not deter Tebaldo. who boldly pre-
sented himself before the girls par
ents in the capacity Of suitor for her
hand. AS might have been expected.
he met with a curt and unceremonious
rebuff.
The repulse ranked in his mind,
Enraged beyond measure, he shut
himself up in his house, and there Sc
cretly studied a means Of revenge.
Profoundly skilled In the mechanical
arts, he allowed himself no rest until
he had invented a most formidable
and death dealing weapon. This was
large key, the handle of which was
so constructed that 1t could be turned
at will When it was thus turned a
t'hi
being pressed. launched from the key
head a fine needle or lancet. The lat
ter was of such declicate construction
that it penetrated the body Of the vic
tim 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 prin-
cipal church at Venice on certain
day. Before the ceremony Tebaldo,
cunningly disguised, stationed himself
at the church door, armed with his
diabolical 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. The young
nobleman had no suspicion Of injury
at the moment. In the midst of the
ceremony, however. he was seized with
a sharp spasm of pain. and sank faint
ing on the steps of the altar. His Ill
ness appeared so alarming that he was
hurriedly conveyed to his home, where
the leading Venice physicians were
summoned to attend him. Despite
their unremitting efforts he sank and
died, nor were they able to discover
the nature Of the mysterious and fatal
seizure.
With the removal of his rival Tebal-
do once more appeared openly on the
scene. Again he presented himself be-
fore the girls parents and renewed his
request for her hand. Their refusal
| to listen to them sealed their doom. In
what manner he accomplished 1t Is
not known. but within a few days both
| had been done to death in mysterious
| fashion. The exalted rank Of the VIC
tins created a profound sensation,
| and when on examination OF the two
| bodies. a fine steel instrument was
found in the flesh. terror became uni
versal The citizens feared for their
| IS An assassin was at large among
them, and no one knew upon whom
the next blow might fall. The utmost
vigilance was exercised on the part OF
the authorities. but as yet no suspicion
| fell upon TebaldO.
The bereaved girl was prostrated by
the triple tragedy Robbed of those
who we're most dear to her, she retir-
| ed to a convent, where she passed the
| first few months of mourning In sor-
| rowful seclusion. Tebaldo, however,
did not abandon the pursuit. Still
hoping to bend her to his will, he
sought her out in her retreat, and beg
| ged to speak to her through the graf
| ine
His dark, evil face had been dis
pleasing to her. but since the death or
her betrothed and parents, it had be-
come repulsive. When; therefore, II,
the course Of the interview he pressed
her to fly with him he met with an in
slant and indignant refusal. Her
scorn stung him to the quick. Beside
| himself with rage. he brought his
deadly weapon once more into play
and succeeded in wOunding the girl
through the grating, the obscurity of
the place preventing his action from
being observed.
On her return to her room the girl
felt a sharp pain in her breast. EX-
animation of the spot showed that II
was dotted with a single drop Of blood.
| Physicians were hastily summoned.
Taught by past experience, they vast
ed no time in vain conjecture. but cut
into the flesh and extracted the slen-
der steel. thus saving the girls life.
The attack occasioned a public out
cry. and the state inQuisition used ev-
ery means to discover the assassin.
The visit of 1'ebaldO to the convent be-
came known and caused suspicion TO
turn upon him. The emissaries OF the
law descended suddenly upon MN
| His house was searched. and there the
abominable invention was discovered.
Swift Justice followed and Tebaldo was
executed. The key is still preserved In
the arsenal at Venice.-New YORK
| Press.