Arnold Tom Melchthal, a Swiss patriot, born in Unterwalden in the latter part of- the 13th century. His real name was Arnold von der Ualden, but he assumed the name of his native village. The Austrian bailiff Landen-berg having ordered the seizure of a yoke of oxen belonging to Arnold's father, the young man knocked down the menial and fled. His father refused to disclose his place of refuge, and was blinded by order of the bailiff. This cruel deed, which has been dramatized in Schiller's ""William Tell," became the signal of revolution. Young Melchthal, in his retreat on the Grutli, was joined by Furst and Stauffacher, with whom and 30 other patriots, one night in November, 1307, betook an oath to devote his life to Swiss independence. This was achieved in January, 1308, by the expulsion of the Austrians from the cantons of Unterwalden, Uri, and Schwytz, and the destruction of their castles, without bloodshed. The authenticity of the whole story, however, which is given in the Chroni-con Helveticum of Aegidius Tschudi (died in 1572), has been questioned in more recent times, as well as the story of William Tell.