Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1883-07-26
COAL.OIL JOHNNY'S LUCK.
He Receivers $4,000 Thrown Aside
Eighteen Years Ago.

HARRISBURG, July 6.-J. William Nc,
Nulty, better known as Johnny Steele, or
"Coal-Oil Johnny" who made large for
tune during the oil fever and squandered it
almost as fast as he made it, turns up in
this city on the Fourth. He said that he
had come up to the capital to celebrate, and
that he Was at present wOrking in McCor-
mick's mills, in Now Cumberland.
He pulled out bundle Of papers from his
pocket and handing one of them to an audi
tor, said it was a claim to the Continental
Hotel in Philadelphia, for which he had
paid $48O,OOO in his wealthy days. He as
serted that the hotel would again come into
his possession. The paper reads right
enough, and bears the ear-marks of age
about it.
He further said he was prospecting in New
Cumberland, sinking shafts for copper and
iron. He showed some ores which he said
came from the shafts in which he was ex-
perimenting. He expresses his confidence
that he would become as wealthy as Wander
bilt yet.
$4,000 OF HIS FORTUNE RECOVERED.
Being asked where his family was he said
that they were in Waymert, and added that
he mad recently sent them $4,000. He had
been up in Williamsport, he said about six
months ago and happened to be at the Craw-
ford House. Somebody was talking about a
package containing $4,000, left there by a
fellow named Coal Oil Johnny about 65 or
&c." to remain there until called for. He
went to the bank and succeeded, after some
difficulty in establishing his identity, in OBJ
tanning the money.
Coal Oil Johnny is still quite attractive in
appearance. His face is pleasant and genial,
and well Drowned by the sun and weather.
His eyes are blue, and he wears side whisk-
ers in the English fashion. His clothes are
old-fashioned and much too heavy for the
weather. Bundles of papers hung loosely
out of his pockets.
He is now about thirty-nine years of age
and possesses considerable intelligence, be-
ing able to write his name legibly, feat he
could not perform in the days Of his prosper
ity. He is hunting for evidence TO get back
some Of the money which was illegally taken
away from him.
HOW FORTUNE SMILED.
When the oil fever broke out in Northern
Pennsylvania, about twenty-five years ago,
McNulty owned twenty acres of land in
Venango county, which he had cleared for
himself. Strangers came one day and began
to prospect around the neighborhood. What
was ordinary in appearance to him was
very extraordinary to them. The peculiar
look of the water was familiar thing to
him. He had seen the sight often and did
not mind it. To a stranger it was a hidden
treasure. The more they looked over the
farm the more they wanted it. This led to
negotiations, and McNulty wakened up one
morning to find himself the possessor of $S,-
100000. His farm OF twenty acres COM
posed the heart of the newly discovered oil
field, and from that time forth he became
known as Goal Oil Johnny"
HOW FORTUNE FROWNED.
This turned his head. His reckless ex-
travagance became a matter of history. He
scattered money around wherever he went. |
He purchased the Continental Hotel, Phila-
1elphia, furnished a cOlored band with |
gorgeous suits and solid silver instruments, |
bought elegant turn-outs at a fabulous price,
used them for single ride and then gave
them away. He travelled from city to city,
and wherever he went was followed by a
cloud of sharpers, who feeced him of his
wealth.
Enormous as his fortune was, it could not |
stand these drains upon it, and when it had
disappeared Coal Oil Johnny went to work
to retrieve his fallen fortunes in manly
way. The story of the past fifteen years.
rom the time when he took situation with
John Sherry's New York Theatre at S6
week salary, to the present time, is story
If genuine American pluck and persever-
Ince; and his friends, and he has many
proved and tried foul weather friends, will
,e glad to know that he is once more on the
Dad to prosperity.