The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-31

"
Downtown Merchant Involved I'm ~
C,u.pirncy to ExtOrt MOneys-BOur-
.,,,ni ~ u "Sncak Thief"-iEis
lttcr pcpraNity.
From the New York Tribune.
In our issue of yesterday we gave Il
general outline of this now notorious case
and of the history Of the party principally
concerned. We are now able 10 give,
from authentic sources, further and intc-
resting details of the early history of the
Italian Bourganani lin connection with his
comtSl.ip and marriage of the widow "i
General Eatoul, and also some new pccu-
mary personal disclosures not yet made
public.
Mrs. General Eaton was originally n Miss
Margaret D'Ncil, daughter of William
O'Ncil, of Washington. She was married
nj IN early age to PurScr Timbcrlakc-at-
trrward 10 General Eaton--who died, lcav-
ing her a wealthy, fashionable, and cclc-
hratcd widow. While residing in Wash
iugton under these highly auSpiciouS cir
cumStauccS, no longer young, but full oi
talent and vivacity, She attended one even
Ing ball given at Stott's Hall. On this
occasion She was Saccompanicd by her grand
children, and thcy directed her notice to 4
Young Italian, Antonio Bourganam hy
name, OF rather stout buiid. decidedly
handsome, with luXuriant curly hair, grace
iul, and, al first sight pleasing. The grand
children conceived a liking for this Italian,
and aScrrtaining that he was II dancing
master by profession, expressed wish to
attend his school. Mrs. Eaton yielded to
their desire, and made the necessary ar
ramgcment>, paying the advance fee, sixty
dollars per quarter, for the two children,
and accompanying them in the evenings to
the dancing masters establishment. At
last one of her children approached Mrs.
Eaton, and stating, with that cloquencc
with which youth always asks Il favor for
those whom il loves, that Sigu0r Bourgananl
was very poor. and was obliged I" walk n
long way 10 and from between his humble
boarding house, requested of her grand
mother that She would hc kind enough to
allow Siguor Bourgauani permission to take
Il meal at her house occasionally. To this
request Mrs. Eaton, who had been educated
IN the somewhat naughty code Of the an
cicut regime, replied by decided negative.
Time passed on, and Siguor Bourganani
opened an additional dancing school at
y
what is termed i'm common pdllance - Il
grand hall that is, aS grand aS his
very limited finances would allow. To
this bah the grandchildren were invited,
@ul, receiving permission, attended, and
were the recipients OF the dancing g-naStcr' :
most elaborate attentions. Especially was
this the case with the girl Emily, then It
Child ten al eleven years of age, who re-
turned home delighted with the ball, and
especially cnrapturcd in her childish way
with s>i-mor Bour%anani, whose praise she
never Wcaricd ui repeating 10 her grand
mother. From the date Of this AlcNan-
dgia bah Emily became devoted alike t"
tLc person and the interest nf B"Uganam,
and A. She was ct 4 spirit aud dctcrmia-
ton far beyond her years, her affection
took 4 practical shape. One afternoon
Mrs. Eaton, on entering her house, hchcld
in the bali an old trunk, with the initials
\. Is. She inquired Of IL servant 10 whom
the trunk belonged, and was answered that
Miss Emily had ,upcrintcndcd lis arrival.
Emily was sent for, ana replied boldly that
il was Signor Bourganani'> trunk, and
that >h, had told him that he might live there
with thcm--hc would hc no trouble, would
>lrrp anywhere and then he was )" hand
some, aud So poor, and had no friends or
home" The child pleaded and argued
with such caruc>tnc>S that, under protest
and against her better Judgment, B"ur-
ganaui was allowed 10 take up his abode
under the very roof that had been the
special local habitation "t General
Eaton. And thus the Italians first step
to fortune and to intamy was taken. He
and shabby gcntccl dress but Mrs. Eaton,
having finally determined to bclricnd him,
executed her intention with the utmost
Zgal. She loaned him ii sum of money,
purchased him 4 gcntlcmanly outfit, and
treated him with consideration. lie was
but twenty years OF age, and she regarded
him rs Il mere boy. The boy, however,
had all the cunning OF the man, and tldcd
his time. He commenced modc>tly NJ first,
was grateful, quiet, and humble, and Ill-
pressed his hcmciactrcSS iayorably. But aS
months passed by he grew more bold.
Having asccrtaincd that the children were
entirely dependent upon their grand
mother, and that the latter was woman
of ~tJ>tattid wealth, being sure, as he
imagined, Of the affection of the younger
members of the family, he conceived the
idea OF muTying the head Of the family
herself. The disparity of age did not
daunt him he desired but her money
and what are threc-scorc years TO three
score thousand
he proceeded steadily toward his ends
devoted himself with respectful attention
and tenderness to the object of his arts
escorted Mrs. Eaton III all her walks and
rides, and daily gained new place in her
affection. But his career was not wholly
mtroublcd. One Of the grandchildren,
now in the marine service of the United
States. began 10 suspect his intentions, and
vchcmently demonstrated with his relative
concerning them. But then Bourganani
had valuable auxiliary in Emily, who, at
least in her love for the Italian, seems to
have been honest and unScliiSh, satisfied
only to do and say as he deemed best; and
spite OF all opposition, Bourganani per-
severed.
He was somewhat of poet, this Italian,
and he talked to Mrs. Eaton Of his . feel
ings" and his "drcamS,' and at length
committed himself by declaration. Mrs.
Eaton at first laughed at him, and told him
"not To be a fool in the presence Of his
m0ther," but ridicule-proof, the adventurer
talked on, and by mere power of tongue
overcainc alike Mrs. Eaton's Scruples and
common sense. The lady's mother, too,
had been fascinated by the Italian (who
seems to have had that fatal gift of the
snare by which it is enabled to destroy the
bird), and warmly approved of Bourgana-