The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
GRUESOME RELIC
 BEING PRESERVED Key of Death Is Kept in Arsen-
 al of Venice USED BY MERCHANT To Destroy All Who Opposed Him. Concealed Needle Projector Sped
 Death SiIentIy-Love
 Prompting Crime
USED BY MERCHANT
rom the New York Press.

From the New York Press.
 Among the many relics of antiquity preserved in the arsenal at Venice there is one to which a peculiar and grue- some interest is attached. It is a heavy key, which to all outward appearances might have been fashioned for one of the ponderous locks of olden times Yet, if tradition is to be believed, it was de- | signed for a deadly purpose, and people were slain by 1t in a swift, subtle and | mysterious manner. It is known, in fact, as the Key of Death.
 The chronicles of the city tell that in the earlier part of the seventeenth century a certain stranger arrived at Venice, a man of dark and sinister as pect. 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 out let in crime In Venice he established himself as a merchant or trader. For a time his passions lay dormant. They were aroused, however, in a stormy man. ner which caused him to sweep from his path all who sought to oppose him.
 One day he observed beautiful girl leaving church, attended in a manner which showed 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 violently in love with her Though far removed from him in station, his blind passion took. no count of this fact, and he determined 10 fnf har har nd tO be, however, more insuperable ob- stacle to his suit. The girl was already betrothed to another, a young noble man of almost equal rank and fortune. The knowledge did not deter Tebaldo, who boldly presented himself before the girls parents in the capacity of a suitor for her hand. AS might have been ex- pected, he met with a curt and uncere- monious rebuff.
 Means of Revenge Sought
 The repulse ranked in his mind En- ragged beyond measure, he shut himself up in his house, and there secretly studied a means of revenge. Profoundly skilled in the mechanical arts, he allowed himself no rest until he had invented most formidable and death dealing wea- pon. This was a large key, the handle of which was so constructed that it could be turned at will. When 1t was thus turned a secret spring was disclosed, which, on being pressed, launched from the key head a fine needle or lancet. The latter was of such delicate construc- ton that it penetrated the body of the victim and buried itself deep in the flesh without leaving any external trace
 The marriage of the betrothed couple was fixed to take place in the principal church in Venice on a certain day. Be- fore the ceremony Tebaldo, cunningly disguised stationed himself at the church l 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 vic tim. The young nobleman had no sus- picion of injury at the moment. In the midst of the ceremony, however, he was seized with a sharp spasm of pain, and sank fainting on the steps of the altar. His illness appeared so alarming that he was huriedly conveyed to his home, where the leading Venice physicians were summoned to attend him. Despite their unrelenting efforts he sank and died, nor were they able to discover the nature of the mysterious and fatal seizure.
 More Victims for Key
 With the removal of his rival Tebaldo once more appeared openly on the scene. Again he presented himself before the girls parents and renewed his request for her hand. Their refusal to listen to him sealed their doom. In what manner he accomplished it is not known, but within a few days both had been done to death in mysterious fashion. The ex- alted rank of the victims created a pro- found sensation, and when, on examina- ton of the bodies, fine steel instru- ment was found in the flesh, terror be- came universal. The citizens feared for their lives. 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 were most dear to her, she retired to convent, where she passed the first months of mourning in sorrowful seclu- sion. Tebaldo, however, did not abandon the pursuit. Still hoping to bend her to his will, he sought her out in her
 retreat and begged to speak to her through the grating.
 Mean sto Final Justice
 | His dark, evil face had been displeas- | ing to her, but since the death of her betrothed and parents it had become re- pulsive. When, therefore, in the course | of the interview he pressed her to fly with him he met with an instant 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 wound ing the girl through the grating the ob- scurity of the place preventing his ac- | tion from being observed. a. On her return to her room the girl
 felt sharp pain in her breast. Ex- l animation of the spot showed that 1t was dotted with single drop of blood. Physicians were hastily summoned. Taught by past experience, they lost no time in vain conjecture, but cut into the flesh and extracted the slender steel, | thus saving the girls life.
 l The attack occasioned public out cry, and the state inquisition used every means to discover the assassin. The | visit of Tebaldo to the convent became known and caused suspicion to turn upon him. The emissaries of the law des-
 cended suddenly upon him. His house
 was searched, and there the abominable | invention was discovered. Swift justice ! followed and Tebado was executed. The key is still preserved in the arsenal at | Venice.
 l To Make Farm Hands Content From the Philadelphia Times.
 l The phonograph has been pitted