River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-02-01
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even one day he would have made
widespread trouble. His mania for
spending at that time had reached such
proportions that he would have stop
ped at nothing to gain additional no
tice, and with the millions he then had
he might have cornered the market.
This offer to buy out the Bradford Oil
Exchange was as near as Goal Oil
Johnny" ever came to dabbling in the
fluid which had made his fortune.
Buys Hotel; Gives Tt Back.
1t was a. few days after this that
Steele again electrified the upper oil
country by one of his purchases. He
walked into one of the leading hotels
of the region, and seeking the proprie-
tor said:
II like the looks of this place and
want to buy it. How much is it, spot
cash. I'm Johnny Steele and I have
the money"
The proprietor of the hotel looked
at the beardless boy. 1t was his first
meeting with him. He had been used
to the bluffs of the newly rich in those
days of mushroom fortunes, and he
named a sum that would have made
man of many times Steeles millions
vince. but Steele quickly said:
Done. I'll write you check and
you go down and get it cashed and
drink yourself to DEATH"
| He wrote the check, declined a re-
ceipt for the place, and, handing the
proprietor his hat and coat, told nm
not to come back, and went behind the
desk himself. acting as clerk. He en-
joyed this about an hour, then left the
desk without anyone in charge, and
went to the barroom, where he gave
the barkeepers each two months wages
and told them to get out. He owned
the place and would run it himself.
! 1t took but a few hours for the lad
of money to tire of his costly toy, and,
going out on the street, he met an i'm
poverished acquaintance.
Billy" he said, "take this old ho-
tel. I bought it, but I'm tired of it.
It's yours
End of His Career.
! But it was not long until the money
Of Goal Oil Johnny" like all good
things, came to an end. Like flash
it had come to him and almost like
flash the end came. In little over
into his vast fortune he returned to
Housewife, few miles up Oil creek
above Oil City, and asked for a job OF
any sort. He was given the position
of roustabout at the little railroad sta
ton there, but he soon fed west to
escape sightseers and newspaper men
who came from far and near to see
and talk with the man who had spent
millions in such short time. He lived
for long time on farm in Iowa,
then moved to Kansas, where he re-
manned until short time ago. While
spending the holidays with friend in
sight of the old McClintock farm he
was stricken with pneumonia, from
which he died.
Unlike millionaires of the present
day, Johnny Steele did not turn from
his wife in the days of his aff1uence.
Nor did she. in the ensuing years of
poverty, waver in her affection. When
quite young he married Eleanor j.
Mofitt, childhood chum. The knot
was tied just before the immense for
tune was inflicted on him, and in his
wild days of money spending his love
for her remained constant. There were
no unsavory scandals with women con-
nected with the wild spending OF John
ny Steele, and all his wild pranks were
played when away from Mrs. Steele.
She alone could rule him, and she ruled
him with love IN vain she tried to
check his mad career of money show
ering, condoled with him when it was
all gone. but remained steadfast in her
love for him through all the dreary.
poverty-ridden years that followed
faithful, loving. tender to the end.