Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-03-24


that the needle had In some mysteri-
Gus manner been injected by Pessero
into the breast of the murdered man.
But who was TO give evidence Of the
fact? Nor were the courts of that
time overburdcned with Justice More
than that, the detective methods of the
present day were then unheard Of So
there was nothing to do but suffer and
permit the murderer to go his way.
Francesca, feeling that her life had
been blighted, decided to go into a
convent. The palace of st. Marks and
its gay company knew her no more.
She disappeared entirely from the
world.
One day not long after her retire
ment Pessero succeeded under the
guise of mendicant in gaining access
to her. Before she was aware of it
she was in an apartment alone with
the murderer of her lover. Throwing
off his disguise, he knelt at her feet
and implored her to take pity on one
who loved her better than life.
He was greeted with look of hor-
ror, of detestation and with but one
word
"AIurderer!"
He attempted to plead, but Frances
ca raised Il cry for help, and in mo-
ment the room was filed with nuns
Pessero, foiled, skunk away. But as he
departed lie gave Francesca a look that
frozc her soul. 1t was love changed to
hate, and with it was mingled triumph
lie had 10 sooner gone than Fran
cesca quickly placed her hand on her
breast. The expression on her face
told those about her that something
serious had happened. Then she be-
gan to tear open her bodice, and there
on her bosom was a drop of blood.
In WORD she told them that she had
been stabbed by the man who had
killed her lover.
A surgeon who attended the nuns
when they We're i'll happened to be in
the convent at the time He was hur-
ried to Francesca. In as few words
as possible he was told that something
was doubtless underneath the tiny
wound, and he probed for It, In few
moments he extracted a steel needle.
BY this time Francesca was losing
consciousness from the effects of the
wound, and the surgeon, believing that
the needle had been poisoned before
being injected, used such antidotes as
he was acquainted with. For several
hours Francesca's life hung in the
balance; then slowly she began to
revive and in few days was restored.
In the present case Pessero was
known to have been with his Intended
victim at the time she was stricken,
and this, taken with tho circumstances
Of Sansovino's death, was strong evil
dence against him. Francesca's father
had concealed the cause of the death
of Sansovino and the suspicion that
rested on Pessero. DESTROYS of getting
other evidence. he directed that the
murderer should be kept in ignorance
of what was known of his methods.
Pessero, who had stricken Francesca
in moment of passion and knew from
her greeting that the circumstances
connected with the two tragedies
would be sufficient to convict him,
fled
Signor del Prombo no sooner learn.
ed that his daughter was out of dan
ger than he sought Pessero. Not find
ing him and learning that he had been
seen pulling in boat for the main.
land, Del Prombo followed, caught the
murderer and, single handed, brought
him back to Venice. Pessero was
thrown into prison and his home
searched. There in his workshop were
found a number of parts which to-
gether made up the implement used in
his crimes.
1t was large key, In appearance
very simple, but really very complex.
The handle, being turned. exposed a
spring which, when pressed. sent from
the other end of the key n poisoned
needle of such fineness that it entered
the flesh and buried itself there. leav-
Ing no external trace.
There IS q bridge In Venice called
the "Eridge Of SighS." 1t spans n mar
row canal leading from prison to
the palace OF the dogcs, where court
was held. 1t is generally supposed
that In medieval times political pris-
oners passed over it for trial. 1t was,
however, passage for common male
factors. Visitors in Venice may now
go from the palace over the bridge to
the prison and down into its dungeons.
In one of these dungeons Pessero was
confined He passed over the Bridge
of Signs" to his trial and. after his
conviction, passed back over the same
bridge to await his execution.
1t is said that Francesca, whose life
he had turned from one of happiness
TO cloister existence and who had,
under the influence of the sisters, been
turned to piety, wished to petition the
court to spare Pesseros life but vas
dissuaded from doing so by the mother
superior on the ground that the church
did not interfere with justice Pessero
was hanged.
Francesca never left the convent in
which she had sought a retreat when
the world paled before her. After the
death of her father she inherited for
tune, which she gave to the poor
The waters of the Grand canal wash
the steps leading to the palace of her
family, buf It is now occupied for
commercial purposes. The glory of
Venice and her former home have van.
ished