Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-10
NOTED KING OF SpENDERS
-imitators Of Goal Oil Johnny
Prove to Be Pikers.
WAYS OF MAKING MONEY FLY
MeDevftt and scotty Easily Ont
elnssed by the Record of the
oil Well Kid of the
Inte COS.

. With only s.. 80 10 procure IN New 1ofh
= the sensations OF being a millionaire fol
day." Johnny McDevitt Of Wiikesoarre
PA, achieved the dubious distinction Of
beng written down a pIker. Numberiess
-Pittsburgh Johnnies have pulled off this
: stunt in a quarter OF the time and have
:. burned more money at one sitting In
Chorus Alley without getting line in ths
sapapers. 'sooty OF Death Vale" beal
em ali in his famous weekend stunt In
New York following his special train trif
.-.across the continent Both Scotty and
-MeDeyitf were wise enough. being sober
-st the time. to pin return tickets TO their
clothes before cutting loose. Towering
above these amateurs and middle class
.preten6ers = the unsurpassed record ..
-sthe king OF spendthrifts. Pennsylyania {
-savorife son Of bygone days. Coal Oh
Johnny"
= About once In ten years the story Of
Coal OH Johnny" starts on It's newspaper
grounds. BY curious coinctdsnt the story
--had gained q fair start this year when
-AGcDeyitt spluttered his brief hour on the
--Great White Way. affording q comparison
-~oA the dn<k Va sfeAne4e % hSA@y $40
yesterday.
= The home OF Goal oil Johnny" shifts
with every round Of his life story. In
.1s71 few years after Johnny went broke,
-shs writer saw him managing the business
.cf the railroad station at Housewife. halt
y dozen miles from OIL Guy. Pa. and
-swtnty miles from Franklin. where he is
now located. enjoying the winter OF life
On the family homestead.
Getting III. Start.
: Johnny was born OF poor parents near
s<hsakleyvilie. Mercer county. Pennsyl-
ssania. AT an early age he and his little
Sister weht TO venango county to live
with an uncle and aunt. Mr.. and Mrs.
AfcClintock, who had a large farm on
on creek When Johnny was Z years
cid his adopted uncle died. A few years
4fterward OIL was discovered. and Widow
sdccilntock. along with other land own
-srs in OIL creek valley. found that abe
ssras cncamped sbove'an independent for
tune. She soon found herself a rich
woman. One day while attempting 10
hasten q fire by means OF oil Mrs. Nc
xlintock was burned TO death-the first
srictim OF the treacherous oil can. With
her death Johnny came into all her pos
1essions. his little sister having died
some years before.
= But like all youths who suddenly ae-
3uire great wealth. he had advisers by
The score They told him to save his
money" that he .wonld need II some
- ..
psemed to be q disposition on tho part OF
everybody to get II away from him. he
Guessed he would spend It before II was
stolen.
: Johnny started for Philadelphia, ieay-
ing behind his wife whom he had mar
NED In 1850. and baby son. He took
Nth him Seth slooum. tho man at whose
door steele lays the greatest blame for
lis uneoins.
Cuttins Loose.
Upon his arrival in Philadelphia Steele
sas met BY W, II. NickhAn Of Few
York. who offered him sLcoo.eoo for the
Ncciintock farm. Johnny accepted and
sscefved ysaoro 10 bind the bargain. with
more than 100000 dangling before HIS
xyes. Steele and his friend. sloeum. "a
whom Steele had given the power Of
xttorney. started out 10 paint the town
They did Il. all at steele's expense.
while In the quaker City Johnny came
u contact with the managers OF the
fkiff q Gaylord minstrel show. that was
khen IN sore financial straits. and decided
u finance the concern. John w. Gay
ord. member Of the minstrel company,
Cells an interesting story Of Steele thai
usrows some. sidelights on the character
a the oil king that have never before
Zen published
Tea" declares Gaylord. Goal Oh
fphnny was my particular friend. Johnny
Nv our show perform In Philadelphia
" stuck on the business and bought q
ono~third interest IN tho show. We went
on thu road. did q monstrous business
turned people away and were prosperous
Prince Of spenders.
Reaching Utica. N. T.. Johnny awe q
supper to the company that cost liz
ff.0h He then conceived the IDEA Of
travelling by his own train ana accord
4A8&I Ea4tA4@18A ~ Nt*tattEs AE-<tfHH &ft&
baxxzge car. Dates for two weeks aheal
wrre cancelled and wc went iunkstinx
1ohnny footing the bills. II vas IN Phiia
tslphia that Johnny bought his frs
back. After short drive be presented
II to the driver. Our dates heing can
reled. Johnny Unidentified " for the loss
estinsting the probable busncns receipt
upon the b2ais Of packed houses
Johnny was a prince with his money
I've sen HIM spend a. high as stoosp Il
. day. That was thu tina he rented tn
wanted 70 buy ths Girznd house. II
sent 20 the Continental and pslitsly sal
10 the clerk: VIII yon kindly tell IN
proprietor that Mr. Steele wishes to 80
himr
sxa ar said tn. clark. rhe iansios
Il busy
Johnny suggested that he could max
Il pay the clerk 10 Accommodate ID
wiina TIA elsrk became disfatnfui an
Johnny tossed The bslIboT % goia piec
with The request Ths rssait was a
interview with the landlord Johnuy sai
ikst he has bean N treAaed anA requisite
TIE summary dismissal Of ths clerk IN
pHopr1ef1r refused ana Jshnng s1t.red I
TOY ths hstel The man SD he conldr
rsi because be wasn't ths entire svnei
a bargain was made to lexzs L for on
azy Tor sx0on The cash was paid ovs
and Johrry Installed hfsnsslf a. lxndlor'
II made me bsiisey. while slecarn off
rfted as clerk.