Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 April 1876 — The True History of “ Coal-Oll Johnny.” [ARTICLE]

The True History of “ Coal-Oll Johnny.”

Scarcely a month pastes without the appearance of grime newspaper paragraph informing the world of toe whereabouts and wealth of Johnny Steele, or, as he ia better known, “ Coal-Oil Johnny." Only ■a few days ago 1 uc»tieed in a New York paper' an account'df his having auddenly acquired another fbftTltft, ana oilier reports aa fal6o as this one have acquired QirculalUm,! 1* Johnny Sjeele was born near Rousevllle, One of the mhbhfoom towns of the oil region. His parentage is obscure, but he was adopted by a widow' lady, a Mrs. McC'lintock, and treated by her as if he wero her son. The Widow McC'lintock, as she was called by her neighbors, was the ownir of a barren fariit oh Oil Cheek, upon which, before the oil excitement broke out, it was difficult for the Ihmily jto mlike a living. Johnny was made to ■work as soon ,as ho became of sufficient size, and was eniployed In drivihg a team &nd doing odd jobs. 'When the oil excitepientoccurred the Widow McClintock’s tar up suddenly became worth A siniill for : tune. The old lady, wps cl<«e, however, and although J.ohhny Was her only heir, she did not keep him ih idleness nor allow him inuch Bpdidlng money. He became u teamster,* diatiliug oil on the creek and working, for five dollars a day. Just as file Mevna(ock farm was at its highest yalnatirih the widow dfefl, and Johnnv came into possession of the property: ft was not a million, nor two millions, as has been erroneously reported. The whole amounted hot exceed $300,000; but to a person who had been living by day labor that sum seemed to bo Inexhaustible. Johnny at once began a career of dissipation, which lasted nine months. In that time he sgent his whole fortune with the exception of ‘w sih'alt stHn which he fettled on his wife, tjfter which he became a ilaborfir once anoreJ Via need aot woudfcr at this, since, he hftitdever been taught the of, money, and haying, ljved on a couple of hundred dollars a year, he his wealth had ho "did. He did not spend all his money himself, however. His fnenfls helped him.largely, and it is estimated that he loaned to his companions SIOQ,QOO without taking any papet 1 to 9how for it, anil none of thfs money was ever recovered. Many of his freaks during this period are amusing. One-day while in Phila-. delpliia, he n cjujiage for a ride. -A- ,bf‘|w,ine find several boon companions ‘were taken' along. The whole afternoonVa!s 'Spent'’in carousing, and at early twilight the carriage was driven through Chestnut street, the' legs of the Occupants sticking through the windows, yvhepe lhey ( had been placed, to the detriment of the glass. At another’time While on a'similftr spree, Johnny arid his companions cut the carriage cushions to pieces, broke the door panels, smashed the lamps and windows, and»ad«a wreck Of the entire affair. When the party arrived at the hotel the livery man was angry. ■ Johnny, with a tone of importance, asked.wliit he valued the whole rig at. The livery man said, “$2,000.” Steele paid ity-and tumtffgTo the driver, gave the horses to him. i

Another freak, for which he paid SB,OOO, was running the Girard House, Philadelrhif?, Sor onwday. He fancied the hotel] lerfe did not trkithlm vt*hen hk entered' t'ifh'that respnM'wMoh him' and 1 e demanded" to see 'the proprietor' or manager, When that personage appeared johnny announced liih name, and wanted to kilow the larid ford’s price for the nee of his hotel one day. The answer was SB,#OO, which Jolinny paid, and tnat day he jhrew the hotel bpkn to everybody. ii Many of his sprees Johnfty dried riot re member, for, as lie sayS, it was a ninfe’ months’ drunk. During -tliia time his Wile sued for and obtained a ! divorce. At the end Johnny’s money gave‘out, and he found himself a poor mau again. He returned to Oil Creek, and worked at day labor for some time. Then he was assistant baggage master; for the. 'railroad at Rousevilte, afterward' becoming reunited to his wife, he settled down on a farm in Vermont County. From there lie recently removed to the West, w here he lifts 'obtained a small farm, and, as he bays, is enjoying life more than in his days ot City '( Pa .f Car. N: F. Sun