The Shasta courier., 1868-10-10
An Extraordinary Marital Case.

1t will not be forgotten by those now living,
familiar with the society of Washington dur
ing the Presidential term of General jackson,
that Mrs. Eaton, the wife of General Eaton,
then Secretary of War, was refused recogni.
ton by the elite at that period resident there.
They will also remember that the infexibe
will of jackson overruled this objection, and
in time Mrs. Eaton was acknowledged as one
of the reigning belles..of that period.
That truth is stranger than felton, is
again exemplifed in the case of the same
Mrs. Eaton, who is still living, will be read
lily admitted after the perusal of the follow
facts regarding her career subsequent to that
tme
At the death of General Eaton his widow
was left with such handsome competency
that she commanded the respect Of her for.
mer 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 became enamored
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 fantastic. He was gay and attrac-
tive and, in fine, so ardently did he return
the affection that. Notwithstanding the dis
parity of ages-she being sixty six and he
but nineteen years of age-that they were
married. Here Mrs. Buchignani experien.
ced new troubles in spite of her wealth, for
her old friends forsook her, and refused to
recognize her when on the street with her
boy husband, and for ore year her parlors
were closed and they lived in seclusion. At
the end of the year, however, he behaved
himself so nicely that her former friends
overlooked her shortcomings, and once more
she was admitted to society
AT this time 1858, through the intercession
Of United States Senators, Mr.. Buchignani,
after refusing several political commissions
rendered him, was made the Librarian to
Congress, which position he held two years.
The seeming felicity with which the lives of
this remarkable couple ran along was only
imaginative, as Antonio succeeded by in
trigue in obtaining the control of the bulk of
his wife's property some Sl3, ,000-and one
opportune moment he decamped to the sunny
sell of Italy with the entire amount, not ne
gecting to take female partner, in the; per-
so1 of his wife's own granddaughter,
blooming girl yet in her teens. In the city
Of Lucca, twenty-five miles from Legborn-
the absconding pair lived in all the princely
grandeur which their surreptitiously gained
fortune enabled them. But the shadow of a
dark cloud even then encompassed their ex-
istence, and still again i was remarked that
with 80 i'll gotten gains the pilferer never
prospers," as Antonio expended the bulk
of his fortune, and with the little left he fled
with his wife to Montreal, Canada, there en-
barking in a common business enterprise.
Forgetting or not fearing bis shameful act,
Antonio few days since came to New York,
where his aged wife has been living for sew
eral years, supported by son who is a Gus
tom House official and she, bearing of the
fact, with the additional information that his
business was to secure the sum of SIS, 900.
looked about for the means of his arrest, and
yesterday called upon Justice Ledwith, who
issued a warrent 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 before his aged wife,
who had loved "well but not wisely" con-
fronted him before the above Justice, and.
telling her story. demanded support. An
tonic admitted all the charges. but not car
ing 70 agree to an allowance of SO per week
for this purpose, he was committed to the
care of the Commissioners of Public Chari-
aies and Correction. This disposition of the
band box dandy did not suit him, and late
last evening he was discharged, after prom
inent and wealthy lawyer of this city enter
ed into bonds that this amount should be
weekly.
Since Antonio has been living with the
granddaughter two children have been born
to them. one of whom is still living.
Mrs. Buehignani is an intelligent, we'll ap-
pearing woman, about seventy eight years
old, and says, with ali 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 living in open adul-
terry with one of its members.
Antonio is fine specimen of an Italian,
good looking, and about thirty-one years of
age, who seemed to treat the matter with in
difference. and accompanied the officer to
prison quite unconcernedly, as though he
were going into dancing hall to instruct his
pupils, having no scruples against reducing
his wife to almost beggary and himself shame
and disgrace. Verify truth is stranger
than fiction IN Y Herald Sent 18Th