Middletown transcript., 1868-10-03
An Extraordinary Case.

living familiar with the society of Wash
ington during the Presidential term of
General Jackson, that Mrs. Eaton, the wife
of General Eaton, then Secretary of War,
was refused recognition by the elite at that
period resident there. They will also re-
member that the infexible will of jackson
overruled this objection, and in time Mrs.
Eaton was acknowledged as one of the
reigning bellies of that period.
That truth is stranger than fiction" is
again excmplifed in the case of this same
Mrs. Eaton, who is still living, will be
readily admitted after the perusal of the
following facts regarding her career subse-
quent to that time.
At the death of General Eaton his wild
ow was left with such handsome compe-
tency that she commanded the respect of
her former associates in Washington. and
retaining her widowed condition until the
autumn of 1857 she was the admired of an
admiring throng. At that time she be-
came cnamored with an italian dancing
master, one Antonio Buchignani, who was
then teaching the lads and lasses of the
capital the art of tripping the light fam
tastic.
lie was gay and attractive, and, in fine,
so ardently did he return the affection that
Notwithstanding the disparity of ages she
being sxty-six and he but nineteen years
of age, they were married. Here Mrs.
Buchignani experienced new troubles in
spite of her wealth, for her old friends for
sook her and refused to recognize her when
on the street with her boy husband, and
for one year hor parlors were closed and
they lived in seciusion. At the end of the
year, however, he behaved himself so nice
lv that her former friends overlooked her
shortcomings and once more she was adj
mittcd to society.
At this time, 1858, through the inter-
ccssion of United States Senators Mr..
Buchi gnani, after refusing several political
and military commissions rendered him.
was made the librarian to Congress, which
position he held two yeaps The seeming
felicity with which the lives of this re-
markable couple ran along was only mag
NATIVE, as Antonio succeeded by intrigu-
ing in obtaining the control of the bulk of
his wife's propcrty-some $73, ,000-and
one oppOrtune moment he decamped to the
sunny soil of Italy with the entire amount,
not neglectng to take a female parterncr,
in the person of his wife's own grand
daughter, "A blooming girl yet in her
teens.
In the city of Lucca, twenty-five miles
from Leghorn, the absconding pair lived in
all the princcly grandeur in which their
surrepttiously gained fortune enabled
them. But the shadow of dark cloud
even then cncompasscd their existence.
and still again it was marked with "ill
gotten gains the pilfcr never prospers," as
Antonio lost or expended the bulk of his
fortune, and with the little left he fed
with his wife to Montreal Canada, there
lmbarking in a common business enter
prise
Forgetting or not fearing his shameful
act, Antonio few days since came to
New York, where his aged wife has been
living several years, supported by son,
who is Custom House official and she,
hearing of the fact, with the additional
information that his business was to Sc
cure the sum of S15 900, she looked about
for the means of his arrest. and yesterday
called upon Justice Ledwith, who issued
a warrant to this effect. Here the once
youthful husband was brought to grief, as
an officer found him at hotel in Cham
bers street and conveyed him to station
house 1t was not long efore his aged
wife, who had loved well but not wise
ly," confronted him before the above JUS
ticc, and, telling her story, demanded
support.
Antonio admitted all the charges, but
not caring to agree to an allowance of S.
per week for this purpose. he was commit
ted to the care of the Commissioners of
Public Charities and Correction. This
disposition of the bandbox dandy did not
suit him, and late last evening he was
discharged, after prominent and veal
thy lawyer of the city entered into bonds
that this amount should be paid weekly.
Since Antonio has been living with the
grand daughter two children have been
born to them, one of whom is still living.
Mrs. Buchignani is an intelligent, well
appearing woman, about seventy-cight
years old, and says, with I'LL his faults, she
still loves him dearly; that she did not
care for her money, he was welcome to
that; but she was greatly injured by his
disturbing the peace of the family by liv-
ing in open adultery with one of its mem
bers.
Antonio is fine specimen of an Ital-
ian, good looking and about thirty-one
years of age, he seems to treat the matter
with Indifference, accompanying the officers
to prison quite unconcernedly, as though
he were going into dancing hall to in
struct his pupils, having no scruplcs
against reducing his wife to almost beg
gary and himself to shame and disgrace.
Verify truth is stranger than fiction. :"
", \. Herald.
An exqisite at the White Sulphur