The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-02-24
A Persistent
Poiisoner
BY LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

hVW' III lic carly puIb Va bhc Sc'Vh-
teenth century a man named Tebaldo
In Venice invented an instrument In
the form of key from which he shot
a tiny needle into the flesh of one he
wished TO kill,
In Rome during the period when the
use OF poisons was an art in Italy there
occurred n similar case to that of this
Venetian. One Lorenzo Luchese went
from Florence to Rome, taking with
him more minute knowledge Of poi
sons and poison methods than existed
anywhere except in the city on the
Arno. There was something uncanny
about him that soon turned the Ro-
mans against him. A certain yOung
lady, Blanca Ranzine. attracted the at
tention of the stranger, and he was OBJ
served to cast longing eyes upon her.
But she was betrothed to noble Vene-
tian, Ricordo Mantel, and it was as
sumed that Luchese's love was hope
less But one day Signorlna Ranzine's
lover after having mingled with a
crowd Witnessing a race on the Corso
was seized with sharp pain and died
within a few hours. 1t was supposed
he died of heart disease.
Not long after this Luchese proposed
to Signor Ranzine for the hand of his
daughter. The application was declin-
ed on the ground that The ladys heart
was buried with the lover she had lost
and she would never marry. Luchese
said that he would not give up hope
and took every means to ingratiate
himself with Signorina Ranzine. But
she took a dislike to him and would
have nothing to do with him.
After awhile the young lady. met
man named Francesca Demetrio, a
handsome and in other ways charm
ing man, who fell desperately in love
with her and won her from her in
tended celibacy. They became en-
gagged, and Bianca's friends rejolced
that the heart of one so young would
not after all be buried. Demetrio had
heard something from Florence about
Luchese that put him on his guard
against the man.
Every one knew that Luchese had cast
longing eyes on Blanca Ranzine before
the death of her betrOthed and that
he had proposed for her hand soon
after his death. Moreover, poisoning
being much in vogue at that time,
there were those who believed that
Ricordo Mantel had not died Of heart
disease, but had been secretly poisoned.
Demetrlo after hearing the reports
from Florence about Luchese strongly
suspected not only that Mantel had
been poisoned, but that Luchese had
been the poisoner.
However, he kept his own counsel
and at the same time strict watch on
Luchese. If Demetrlo was In any room
where Luchese was present he would
Immediately leave. On several 0cca-
sions he noticed that the Florentne
tried to get near him, but he had al
ways prevented his doing so by NOV
ing away. One day Denetrio was talk
ing with friend on street on fete
day when n procession OF the church
was passing and suddenly felt a sharp
pain In his arm. Turning, he saw Lu-
cheese pushing his way from him
among the crowd.
"Seze that manp' Demetrio said to
his friend. "IIe has punctured my arm
and doubtless poisoned me-"
The friend gave chase and caught
Luchese. AS soon as he laid hands on
him he felt IL sharp pain in his hand.
There happened TO be II doctor in the
crowd, who, learning what had oc-
cured, asked Demetrio TO show him
where he had been pricked. So small
was the wound that il could scarcely
he discovered, but the doctor whipped
out lancet and cut away a piece Of
the flesh. Demetrio's friend, having
turned Luchese over to an officer,
came recling back, and the doctor,
learning that he, too, had been prick
ed, treated his hand as he had treated
Demetrlo's arm.
The doctor took both pieces OF flesh
to his house, ana on cutting them Into
bits found in each small needle not
half an inch long. Whether there had
been poison in either of them he could
not tell but the evidence was strong
enough against Luchese TO Insure his
conviction. He was searched as soon
as arrested. but nothing discriminating
was found on him. His house was
searched, and in 1t were found IL variety
OF polsons and little box containing
needles similar TO those that had been
put into Demetrlo and his friend.
The instrument with which he had
shot the needle into the flesh was pick
ed up on the street near where the at.
tack had been made. II was simply
Il small brass tube with spring In It,
which could be loosened by pressure
Of the thumb.
Luchese was tried and executed.
Demetrlo suffered but little from the
effects Of tho puncture. but his friend
was Ill a long while.
The fact that Mantel had doubtless
been poisoned by the man who Wish.
ed Blanca for himself was kept from
her, Indeed, she was not informed
that Luchese had tried to poison her
second lover After Luchese's execu.
ton she and Demetrlo were married,