The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-07-11
COAL OIL JOHNNY.
He Receivers Quarter of a Million Thrown
Away Eighteen Years Ago-WOrking Hard
to Regain His Fortune.
Harrisburg Special.

He RecOyers a Quarter of a Million Thrown
Away Eighteen Years Ago-Working Hard
to Regain His Fortune.
Harrisburg Special
William McNulty, better known as Johnny
Steele, or Goal Oil Johnny,n who made a
large fortune during the OIL fever, and
squandered it almost as fsstks be made it,
turns up in this city on the Fourth. He
said that he had come to the Capital to cele-
brate, and that he was at present working in
McCormicks Mills, in New Cumberland.
He pulled out bundle of papers from his
pocket, and handing one of them to an
auditor, said it was a claim to the Cont
mental Hotel in Philadelphia, for which he
paid S4SO,O00 in his wealthy days. He as
serted that the hotel weuld again come into
his possession. The paper reads right
enough, and bears the ear-marks OF ase
about il. He further said that he was pros
pectiDg in New Cumberland sinking shafts
Tor copper and iron. he showed soma ores
which he said came from the shafts in which
he was experimenting. He expressed his
cor fidence that he would become as wealthy
as Vanderbilt yet.
Being asked where his family was he said
that they were in Waymert and added that
he had recently sent them S25 600. He had
been up in Willismsport, he said, about six
months ago and happened to be at the Craw-
ford House. Somebody was talking about
package contsing $4,000 left there by a
fellow named Coal Oil Johnny about go or
Go 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 Thiskers
in the English fashion. His clothes are old
fashioned and much too heavy for the
weather. Bundles of papers hung loosely
ont of his pocket.
He is now about thirty-nine years OF age
ard possesses considerable intelligence, being
able write bis name legibly, ieat he
he could not perform n the days Of his pros
perity. He is hunting for evidence TO get
back some OF the money which was illegally
taken away from him.
When the oil fever broke out in Northern
Pennsylvania, about twenty-five years ago,
McNulty owned twenty sores of land in
Venargo County. which he had cleared for
himself. Strangers came one day aud began
to proSpecs around the neighborhood. WHAT
was ordinary in appearance to MIN was very
extraordinary to them. The peculiar look of
the water wes.a familiar thing TO him. He
had seen the sight often and did not mind it.
To the strangers II was hidden treasure. Inc
more they looked over the farm the more
they wanted it. This led TO negotiations. and
McNuliy wskened up one morning TO lind
himself the Iosse ssor of S., 600, ,000 His farm
of twenty acres composed the heart of the
newly. discovered oil field, and from that
time forth he became known as Goal Oh
Johnny
This turned his head. His reckless ex-
travSsances are a matter OF history. He
scattered money around wherever he welt
He purchased the Continental Hotel, Phila-
delpnia, furnished a colOred band with gor-
geous suits and solid silver instruments,
bought elegant turnouts at fabulous price,
used them for a 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 fleeced him of his
wealth.
Enormous as his fortune was il could not
stand these drains made upon it, and when
it had disappeared Coal Oil Johnny went to
work to retrieve his fallen fortunes in
manly way. The story Ct the past fifteen
years, from the time when he took a situa-
tion with John Sherrys New York Theater
at Sc week salary to the present time, is a
story of genuine American pluck aud perse-
verance; and his friends, and he has many
proved and tried foul weather friends, will
be glad to know that he is once more on the
read TO prosperity.