The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-02-01
ia 9 C0AL.0IIf dOHNNY.n

A..ta 4 40 I - E
The discovery of oil on the little
property of Mrs. McChntock, and the
experinentsof the widow which, in
volved the destruction of her life and
the wreck of her homestead, were the
stepping stones by which a youth, who
had been reared upon charity, rose to
wealth aud to an era Of extravagance
and dissipation. Some time previously
Mrs. McClintock, who was lone
widow, had taken the boy out of a
charitable institution to assist upon her
farm, and she adopted him as her son.
After her death it was discovered that
BY viii she had bequeathed her little
holding to her. adopted son, who, in his
obseurity as a 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
sipatiou, gattained notoriety as the Oil
Prince, or Coal Oil Johnny. When his
ioster-lnother 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
speculatQrs, from whom he extracted
royalties that for period of two or
three years brought him $4,000 a day.
Where he had previously been ignored
ne toq2d presumed friends, who hoyered
aooliteniut ike swarm of bees, and
some at the more subtle of them, weav-
ing themselves into his ''good- graces''
alured him into habits of extravaganza
and dissipation, instead of into awalk of
llfe. where. his suddenly-accumula
wealth night 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
sfrodigal Son. he went on spending
ms nrincely income in riotous living.
ieadling the ideathat the stream of wealth
lowing tolhim day by day, would con-
anue, without limitation or check.
sone OF the stories of the wild career of
taessFpH Prince and the, butterfly
itPnds-who hung Upon his skirts ifAthe
qays Of prosperity may be interesting.
- married young woman in the same
sa,Sen life he had himself soeohpfed as
heip to Mrs. .McClintock, but he soon
III. ner pretty much to herself, while he
sha ms eonaT1anions went IN search of
scenes OF dissipation. He got the idea
Ma1 helshoald like to see that worlds
NVaaer' Niagara Falls. and as he could
nave no Indulgence without his friends
paraelpatlng therein, he decided to take
= : troop OF them along with him to see
AS milghty cataraets To- travel in a
;atso conveyance, was mira dig even
ell prince andshe must needs.
ss1 norses and a superb vehicle to acs
pIonlphsh his journey, and dwhenthis had
.sa's, IN completed, made a present of the
,anAs snrn-ont' to one of his cofppan
,ols, VINO all looked upon him for foo
iss.1s ssasllt and catering 70 their yitiate
49, sssa yn one occasion, being or
ssplse m Philadelphia with his associates.
g,.,.s h. "ene q 70 hack stand to hire a hack.
~ ~ x!s sne drivers, seeing the spirituous
sAAutlon OF the party, severally declined
saseps one, an Irishman, who yolun-
go 80 70 drive the party wherever il.
t.a ,aslleu 70 proceed to. The party was
sa1 ssAeh 70 hotel some distance awav
sssls9 sIH,.9I arriving there. the soil Prince
s.su ~. .ne driver into the hotel, treated
~. ,..as WIN some liquor, and inquired his
n,,.s s.as ana that of his EMPLOYER. Re-
49, sl.Sstig the driver to take him to the
- 80 q business of his EMPLOYER. he
essoon IN the presence of the owner of
is morse and carriage, ...How. ITnnch
- w want for, the ghoJa iot aas n.;I a.
1nnce, pointing to the horse and