St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-13
PRINCE AND PAUPER.
The Ex-Oil King a Station
Agent in a Nebraska
Town.
New Facts About the Famous
and Once Wealthy SPEND
thrift
Who Wound Up His Career
Owing a Board Bill Of
$4,000.
How "Coal Oil johnny" Man
aged to Squander $780,
/: 900 a Year.
Oil City (Pa.) Letter.

Oil City Pa) Letter.
s.: ; !: IS: :' 4; s; !;
r never tagged.
@MTN "A The visitor to
HASSM n the oil regions
Mo@0MI "A asks first about
@illCw IA Coal-OilJohnny
ri. 1ud II, I'll and next about
MGvhXA%kJ John ID. Rookie
E7ASM n ~ Teller. Numer~
.<MSazAzl N>vEV Gus inquiries
HN ZehXZLlV reach the Oil
T~A-y country for tie
NESOs<D famous spend
Ef1 ,thrif It's adj
~AS dress. 1t is not
long since the writer received letter
from dime museum firm in Chicago
inquiring his whereabouts, with view,
as they said. to Offering him chance to
exhibit himself as freak. The address
was furnished, but the offer was de-
clined, although the salary, in Mr..
Steele'S present circumstances, must
have had its temptations.
The statement is often published that
Coal-Oil Johnny has died, or that he has
regained his squandered fortune. There
is as much truth in one as the other.
He is still alive at the age of about
fifty years, and his address is Ashland.
Saunders county, Nebraska, where lie
has lived for the past twelve years. He
is at present employed as station agent
at Ashland He has not recovered his
fortune or any part of it. but makes a
comfortable living, and has apparently
forgotten the princely days of his
youth. After he had > run through
with his money he came back
from his wild Jolrneyings and settled
down at Housewife, the scene of his
former grandeur, as station agent for
the Buffalo, New York and Pennsyl-
Vania railroad. This was within sight
of the old farm whence all his wealth
had come. He was here few months
and then went West, where he has been
ever since, and doubtless where he Will
end his days. His son year ago came
East ane married young lady of Coop
erst0wn. Venango county, PennSyl-
vania, and took his bride back TO Ash
land. He is telegraph operator and
Incorporation at the station where his
father is employed.
Spending 100000 in Three
Years..
Coal Oil Johnny was about three years
running through with his fortune. The
Widow McClintock farm, from which
this fortune was made, is about three
miles from Oil City. Housewife is about
a quarter of mile distant from tie Nc
Clintock farm. 1t was at housewife
where johnny began to throw his money
away, but that town, although one OF
the red hot oil towns, was soon too
small for him. Erie, Buffalo and Pitts
burg knew him next, but it was at Phila-
delphia that he DISTINGUISHED himself
most. How much money he Squan-
dered in three years is a matter OF con-
lecture, even in the oil country. There
is, however, wide misapprehenslOn as
to the amount. His fortune did not
reach into the millions, as has 80 often
|. been stated. The best Judgment here
places it at not above 100000. He was
the adopted son of Widow McClintock,
and at her death her Oil farm and its ac-
cumulated earnings passed to him.
1t was petroleum that made
Mrs. McClintock rich woman
in few months, and, strange
to say, it was the exploding of an Oil
can that caused her death. She was
kindling the fire with oil when the can
exploded, and lived but short time
after receiving her injuries. Perhaps
100000 was turned over to Johnny on
the settling of her estate, and his share
of the product of the farm after that
time is supposed to have been about
100000. He therefore squandered
about 100000 a year for the three years
the money lasted. At the end of this
time the old bonanza farm had ceased to
yield and his money was spent.
A Board Bill OF Nearly 100000.
His career as a spendthrift came to
an end on Thursday. Feb. Is, 1868. when
he filed voluntary petition in bank
ruptcy in the United States district
court at PittSburg. His Indebtedness
at the time was thus scheduled:
II. W. Kanga. GlIard house, Phila
william Villain Il. Galpraith, attorney at -0
law, Erie, Pa,...... =. -. 10000
j. e. Caldwell & Co, Philadelphia,
iewelry 5,SO5
Jonn ID. Jones. harness 49,, 1880
W = Horn cigars So
E. II. Conklin, Philadelphia, liquors 2,O24
Phalen d Collender, billiard tables. i,5 .,
Unknown creditor oil painting 1000
For hats ,. ......... so,
This schedule tells it's own story of a
royal spree, extending over d period OF
Girard house was for board, liquors,
cigars. etc. While at this hutel he oc-
cupied suite of rooms on the parlor
floor, and usually had from one to three