Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-01-11
ssCOAL.OIL JOHNNY"


The discovery of oil on the little
property of Mrs. McClintock, and the
experiment of the widow which in
volved the destruction of her life and
the wreck of her homestead, were the
stepping stones by which youth, who
had been reared upon charity, rose to
weaAh and to an era of extravaganza
and dissipation. Some time previously
Mrs. McClintock, who was a lone
widow, had taken the boy out of
charitable institution to assist upon her
farm, and she adopted him as her son.
After her death it was discovered that
by will she had bequeathed her little
holding to her adopted son, who, in his
obscurity as farmer hand, was known
as Johnny Steele among his few
associates, but who, when he came to
roll in wealth and to live life of dis
sipatiOn, attained notOriety as the Oil
Prince, or Coal Oil Johnny. When his
foster-mother died and he succeeded to
her little property, Johnny was only
nineteen years of age. He cut up the
farm into small plats, which he let to oil
spectators, from whom he extracted
royalties that for a period of two or
three years brought him $4,000 a day
Where he had previously been ignored
he found presumed friends, who lowered
about him like a swarm of bees, and
some of the more subtle of them, weaV-
ing themselves into his ''good graces''
allured him into habits of extravaganza
and dissipation, instead of into walk of
life where his suddenly-accumulated
wealth might have been employed in
the prosecution of good works, that
would have brought comfort to others
and happiness to himself. But he was
supple in the hands of his newly-found
friends, and his inclinations being
twisted into the crooked ways of the
"Prodigal Son." he went on spending
his princely income in riotous living,
fOndling theidea that the stream of wealth
flowing to him day by day, would con-
tinue, without limitation or check.
Some of the stories of the wild career of
the coil Prince" and the butterfly
friends who hung upon his skirts in the
days of prosperity may be interesting.
He married young woman in the same
rank of life he had himself occupied as
help to Mrs. McClintock, but he soon
left her pretty much to herself, while he
and his companions went in search of
scenes of dissipation. He got the idea
that he should like to see that worlds
wonder, Niagara Falls, and as he could
have no indulgence without his friends
participating therein, he decided to take
a troop of them along with him to see
the mighty cataract. To travel in a
hired conveyance, was mira dig even
in an ''oil prince" and he must needs
buy horses and superb vehicle to ac-
complish his journey, and when this had
been completed, made present of the
whole turnout to one of his cOmpan-
ions, who all looked upon him for food,
raiment and catering to their Initiated
tastes. On one occasion, being on a
spree in Philadelphia with his associates,
he went to hack stand to hire hack,
but the drivers, seeing the spirituous
condition of the party, severally declined
- except one, an Irishman, who VOlun-
teered to drive the party wherever it
wished to proceed to. The party was
taken to hotel some distance away,
and, on arriving there, the "On Prince
called the driver into the hotel, treated
him with some liquor, and inquired his
name and that of his employer. Re
questing the driver to take him to the
place Of business of his employer, he
was soop in the presence of the owner of
the horse and carriage. Chow much
doyou want for the whole lotP" said the
"Oil Prince" pointing to the horse and
carriage at the door. The owner ma ned
the price, and, after paying the sum
without question, the ''Oil Prince
turned to the driver and said: ''It's
YOUR S; take me back to the hotel"
The soil Prince was soon in the COM
Pany of his companions again, and the
hack driver went on his way rejoicing
over his newly acquired turnout. "
Wandering, one day, into the famed
jewelry store of Messrs- Infancy, in
New York. he desired TO be shown a
diamond ring. Being shown one, he
asked to see one with q larger brilliant;
another was brought him, but he wanted
larger still; the whole of the diamond
rings usually exposed for sale in the
establishment were b ought TO him in
succession, but still the ''O1 Prince
craved to see something finer and
larger" Finally the servitorrummaged
the safes for the finest and costliest jewel
and produced it, and yet the soil
Prince" asked if he had not ring finer
than that. '.No, said the serVitor, who
was becoming lively suspicious, "that
q the best that aaa be ehthiaed " New