Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-10-24
MRS. EATON.BOURGANaNI

The New York Tribune SAYS: Madame Rour-
ganani, or, as she prefers to be addressed, Mrs
greatly in contrast with that Of the wife of a
Cabinet Minister of thirty ght years ago. She
is now quite seventy y, ars old although IN face
and figure she looks at least ten years younger
There is hardly a wrinkle upon her cheeks; her
dark eyes flash with the brilliancy of youth,
and her voice, which in her younger days must
have b. en- strangely musical, is still rich and
mellow that Of a woman of twenty. Hers
has been an eventual life. She was born IN
Washington city. aud her father WAS the land
lord of the old Franklin Hotel, which for mfny
years occupied a site on Pennsylvania avenue,
near that of the present well-known Willards'.
Here Purser Trmbe-lake, of the United States
Navy. fell in love with her, and after short
courtship they were married. Timberlake died
at sea, and the young widow, at the expiration
of eighteen months. became the W ife of General
John ii. Eaton, then Senator from the State
of Tennessee. General Eaton had been one of
Timberlske's most Intimate friends. and was
one of his sureties when the latter took
the position Of purser in the navy. Shortly
afterward General Jackson became President
Of the United States and his friend, General
Eaton, was made Secretary Of War.
Inc tribune, after recip,tulatns at great
length the Oft told story Of the troubles in the
Cabinet in reference To Mrs. Eaton, says: Gen.
Eaton died in 1S56 at the age of 65. A few
years after his death Mrs. Eaton married one
Antonio Bourganani, COR Buchanan, as the
less Italian dancing master; young, handsome.
crafty, and unscrupulous. For a few years
they lived together happily, but after he had
succeeded in possessing himself of all her pro.
perty, valued at about SS0,OC0 the villain ran
on, taking with him as his mistress the grand
daughter of his wife. He was arrested In this
city a few days ago on the charge of abandon
ment, bu; was released on bail AZ the urgent re-
quest OF Mrs. Eaton Hearing subsequently
that he had boasted of having made a tool of
her, she essayed to have him again brought TO
Justlce-thIs time on the charge of seduction
and adultery-but thus far ne has escaped the
vigilance of the detectives. Bourganani is now
living in Montreal with Miss Ranaoiph This
wife's grand daughter,) by whom he has had
two children, and is said TO have in his pos.
session several thousand dollars OF his wife's
money.
Through the influence of Reverdy Johnson
Mrs. Eaton succeeded in proeuI ing the DIS
charge of her grandson from the Navy, and
Collector Smythe. OF this port, on hearing the
details OF her sad history, Immediately ap-
pointed the young man TO an important and
lucrative position in the Custom House. which
enab ab's HIM to provide his grandmother with
such comforts and luxuries as one of her a ge
and tastes requires. Mrs. Eaton is gifted with
remarkable conversational powers. is very
graceful and easy in manner, and possesses the
rare faculty OF saying a great deal in few
words. She does not hesitate 10 say that her
marriage with the Italian was, on account of
the great disparity in their ages. q most ridIcu-
lous as well as most fatal blunder. aud asserts
mat although she once loved HIM devotediy.
as Is proved by the great sacrifices she has
MADE 10 his lnordInate greed, she now regards
him with all the contempt and disgust which
his conduct so well merits.