South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-15
MRS. EATON NERvO
AS INDICTME Tells
OF HUSBAND s Deaf
Widow of Retired Admiral Had
Unusual Career = Was a
Southern Belle, a Deserted
Wife Then Trained Nurse.

i minutes W euneS0dy MIS-. Jennie
May Eaton facing the jury which is
10 recide her fate heard herself ac-
cused Of the Staying Of her husband.
Rear Admiral Eaton. This ordeal
came in the reading of the indictment
which took up more than half the
session wednesday. Later the scene
shifted to the Eaton home at Assinipi.
which was view by the jury and coun-
sell
Mrs Eaton seemed extremely ner-
vous. AS the counts in the indict-
ment were read she moved constantly
in her chair Her cheeks, already
blanched of their apple red, Tuesday
paled even more.
AS the reading proceeded and the
mention became more and more fire.
quent Of the murder charse. OF arsenic
alleged TO have been used with her
husbands lea, Mrs. Eaton shifted al
most ceaselessly in her seat. Her
eyes shifted all about the court room.
she appeared deeply relieved when
the reading was finished.
Then followed the Investigation in
To the life story OF Mrs. Eaton, which
runs like that of a novel Born IN
Virginia. she was known throughout
things were predicted for her in the
social world.
In early wOmanhOOd she married
ID H. Ainsworth, and the couple
moved TO Chicago. Then life entered
the first tragic note Her husband
left her destitute and she was forced
TO esTn a living for herself and her
two children.
Entering the nursing profession.
Mrs. Aibsworth went 10 Washington.
Rear Admiral Eaton's wife was suf-
fering with a fatal illness, and Mrs.
Ainsworth became nurse in the fam
lily.
Shortly before her death, Mrs
Eaton called the nurse to her bedside
and asked her to mary the admiral.
Mrs. Eaton died and Airs. Ainsworth
got a divorce and became Mrs Eaton
m 1906.
Her two children. June and Doro-
thy. were brought 20 Washington ana
the family entered the social actlVl-
ties Of the capital
People were surprised a little later
that the retired naval officer should
move to the small Massachusetts
town and engage in poultry raising.
Few people visited him and he rarely
left the village. His wife. too, rarely
saw any of her former friends
The daughters of Mrs. Eaton came
TO live with them. June, the older
daughter. and the admiral were con
stantly at variance and few months
before his death she left home and
was married SO as to secure home
of her own.
ON the other hand. the younger
daughter. Dorothy, seemed very much
attached TO the admiral. He was
the best daddy in the world" she
said.
At the request Of the older girl she
supported the story told by her moth
er that Eaton kept the family in a
state OF constant terror, fearing that
he would poison them. Stories were
told of the admiraIs alleged sinister
life and OF eccentriciies that would
warrant his family in fearing him.
Neighbors also told other strange
stories The most startling concern
ed the adoption of baby boy in 1909
by the pair. who first claimed that
the infant was their own.
Adopted Baby Died.
This child died not many months
after and a scandal ensued, for the
admiraTs wife and her daughter
June accused him of having poisoned
it, June AinswOrth left nome, de-
claring she would never come back
With this turbulent atmosphere,
the death of the admiral still occa-
stoned some surprise in the little viii
lage. But far greater surprise was
caused whcE he was buried with
neither religious nor naval ceremo-
mics
ON March u. this burial unprece-
denied in the history Of the country
took place
with the assistance of two hack
men and two reporters. the interment
was made. There was no flag, nor
roll OF drum; there were no religious
rites Ills widow and his faVOrite
daughter. Dorothy. stood by the grave
and watched the coffin as il was low
cred by appliances imprOvised from
the harness of "A livery zig.
Buried Without Ceremony.
The man who had ranked high in
the service Of his country was buried
thus with utter lack OF ceremony.
Then came immediate publicity, in
vestigation and Mrs. Eaton's arrest
Mrs Eaton's story of the admiral
death was as follows.
MY husband had been III for two
years Early Saturday morning II
was asleep IN my own room heard
him get up. Then I heard a gToau
and a fall. ! went TO his room and
helped the admiral into bed.
Are YOU sick o. / asked.
CT do not feel very good
81 asked him. Shall / lie down
beside yOu2'
Il got in bed and was beside him
when ne died very quietly. 1 wasn't
even aware that ,he was dead at
first. ] spoke 10 him. sayins &c
you all right lie did not ans er.
He was dead"
Traces OF arsenic we're found IN
the dead mans stomach and the IN
dictment Of Mrs. Eaton followed
Had Notable Career.
The career OF the late rear adj
miral was notable one tie was
graduated from the Worcester mill
tary academy and Annapolis Tie
commanded IN order. the Enterprise,
the Reselute. the Chesapeake. the
Oregon and the Massachusetts. From
1870 90 1874 ne was engaged IN inter
oceanic surveys around the isfhmus
~ Panama iie was made a captain
Ga 1901 and retired Ia 1905 with the