Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-08-20
Americas Greatest Pro0ign1oss

AO" UAOsSOSS ss
The recent arrest of John 6tsels.
better known as " Coal-oil Johnuy.
for petty theft, leads the TtusvilIo
Petroleum World to recall bis histosy.
He was adopted when child. 81 -
Mrs. McClintock, and passed aqu3ot
life ON her farm, until the 3ien6vogY
of the oil-wells occurred. Her lan1
was rich in wells, and her inoomo
increased until it was about Nv
thousand dollars day. 4
In 1864, while kindling IN wil1l
the oil, an explosion followed and
she was burned to death. 8teoIo
then became her heir.
AS his fortune increased, biz pfus i
dence decreased. The frugal hsbilo
of his youth were succeeded " -
extravaganza which, moro than aAHs
other trait Of his character, has mado
Johny Steele famous.
He seemed to think there Was ab
solutely no limit to his wealth, and
therefore he placed no restxiotiCG
upon his expenditures. Tho syounf
wife whom he had welded, N11
abandoned and neglected fot eviI
associations Of bad men. Ho .swepe
across the armament of commsro0
like a meteor, and within : yoan 4
from the day the river of fortune ~
its current towards him, Johnny
S.eele's extravaganza becaulo g.
by-word of an amasement-Skri6k ),
nation. The stories Of his recil
extravaganza are numerous onouG
to fill volume. He organisod ~
large minstrel troupe, gavs eaG q
member diamond pin, and tfa6ol6
about the country giving exhibition
the bills announcing, "Admiod91
free; children half price. vpon
one occasion, tradition has il. he en-
tered china store in Philadeiphia.
and, noticing large pyranid a.
fine ware in the center of the yool
sent his heavy cane crashing thro1 "
it "just to see" as he explainUI 0Iu
he cheerfully settled his bill, y
much man could smash IS - d
throw" If he went riding 81 =
it was not unlike him to buH "
turnout and present it to thu al
on alighting. For him, tsn.d "
gresnback was an everyday u n
kigh1 1aksssAt 4nothsr time i n " "
| that upon applying Tor 1a 4
rooms ii a New York hotel. M 4
ing informed by the clerk th9 u: n: q:
apartments were oil occnpi<
purchased the house, and took reo1
to his own notions. Trickstera - &
him their dupe, and concioualJ 4
otherwise, he allowed himself IA
robbed at every turn. Sharper S
every description hung about Nh
preyed upon him like so paaik 5
leeches. Generous to degree boSsi
dering upon profigacy, he gave la
ishly to every applicant, and NxM
without exception the most-imposea
upon man in the world. But at laGt
the great reaction came, and it bn-
came known that Johnny Steele 1o1
penniless. The magnificent fortnno
had wasted away like mist in tl,o
morning sunshine. Reckless cxtrny-
agance and the rougues who had feiE
upon it had done their work, and
the vast wealth Of" Coal oil Johnny.
had been scattered to the -four
winds. Three brief years had Wit
messed the growth, the perfect ms
turity and the utter annihilation 81
one of the most splendid fortunes
ever possessed by single indisilir
ual. 1t splang up like q fash, dasr
zled the world by its magnificencs,
and vanished as quickly as it rose
For time Steele travelled as an en-
ployee of the minstrel company he
had organized; then he drifted hithsx
and thither about the regions, view-s
ing the scenes alike Of his humble
farm life and his reign as an oil
prince, detected, downcast. but never
dishonorable-always proud, manly.
and generous.