New-York tribune., 1921-01-02
End Comes to Orphan Boy,
Whom Luck Favored With
Fortune, in Home Over
Nebraska Station House
Spent 100000 in Day
Celebrated Prosperity of
His Minstrel Show With
200 Dinner to Troupe

early COS Goal Oil Johnny" spent as
much as 100000 in single day. At
he time of his death he was station
agent for the Chicago. Burlington &
Quincy Railway and lived in four small
rooms above the station.
known for the last fifty years, was
John w Steele. He was born on
farm near Sheakleyville, Mercer Coun-
~, Pa. Orphaned in his youth. Johnny
went to live with his aunt and uncle.
Mr.. and Mrs. McChntock, who had
large farm in Venango County, Pa.
Oil Greek flowed through the farm
and when Johnny was about twelve
years old and his uncle had died, leav-
farm, the strike in Oil Greek Valley
came The widow McClintock and her
neighbors became wealthy overnight.
The McClntock farm was leased to
promoters on u royalty basis and the
money came in at q rate to dumfound
any less thrifty soul than the widow
McClil.tock
Widow Hid Big Fortune
The golden food made little df-
ference to her. She had faith in the
farm-it was a good farm-but none in
the oil which had gushed up so sud
denly and might as suddenly vanish
again: She hid her money in q big
safe IN the dining room, did her own
cooking and dishwashing and sent
Johnny out three times day to pick
up chips.
One day when Johnny had shirked
his task the Widow McClintock flung
Upper of oil on the fire. The earthly
worries Of the Widow McClintock ended
tnat day. Johnny was her sole heir. In
que course the big safe in the dining
room was opened and it was found. so
It Is SAID, that the youth, just coming
10 manhood. was the possessor of $780,
600 in gold and greenbacks. Thousands
more were pouring in every month.
Friends of the thrift widow thought
It no less than their duty to warn her
nephew of the proper use to be made
OF money. But in those days the farm
er folk of Oil Greek had about as much
notion Of the proper use for money in
me hundreds of thousands as did
Johnny himself, and Johnny suspected
as much.
Money Only to Spend
What, he asked himself, was the
sense of keeping all this wealth in
ale or putting 1t in q bank where even
me pleasure of looking at it would be
denied him Johnny's answer wos
prompt: None whatever, said he: tnc
This Johnny proceeded to do He
cit his young wife and child to anus.
themselves at home so far as the
thrifty views Of their 1eiehbors might
permlt and set out t. ct some use out
Of his fortune. AS suddenly as wealth
had come to Oil Creek Valley the name
tf Coal Oil Johnny became known
through the length and breadth of the
and
He was the man who saw Smith and
Gaylord's minstrel show in Philadel-
phla- perhaps the first minstrel show
Johnny ever had seen-and undertook
to finance it. Smith and Gaylord's min
strels needed financing badly Just at
nat moment, but such financing as they
received from Coal Oil Johnny was be-
Fond their fondest dreams.
Invests in Minstrel Show
Ii was beyond the dreams of any
mortal save one who had been brought
up under the thumb of the Widow Nc
Clintock in Oil Greek Valley Johnny
bought third interest in the show on
the spot, bought q locomotive, sleeping
car and baggage car and started the
show on the giddiest route that Smith
and Gaylord's or any one else's min
strel show ever travelled
One day while they were in Utica,
y. y, Johnny decided 70 celebrate the
era Of prosperity in which the minstrel
show found itself. He did 50 regard
less of the strain put upon the re-
sources of Utica, y. Y Somehow or
o'her Johnny managed TO have a din
ner concocted and served TO his show
people which set Johnny back just
q COO
No Limit to Extravaganza
There was $500 supper for the show
n Erie, Pa, and in Chicago Johnny
ieased the Academy of Music for the
season for the minstrel show. This
wasn't extravagant enough for his
taates and he announced "monster
benefit performance" for which he
you'd rent the Crosby Opera House,
then the finest structure Of the kind in
the country
The management Of the Crosby
opera House was somewhat put out
at the announcement. 1t was much as
II the assistant in d "mediclne show
io-day were 10 announce that he in
tended to lease the Metropolitan and
give a monster benefit performance
Inc opera house manager said that
nothing Of the KIND would occur It
did. though. The manager changed his
mind when Johnny visited his Office
pulled 100000 from his pocket and
offered 10 buy the opera house. He
didn't find it necessary to buy it,
He did buy hotel once, though, OF
at least became its proprietor for u
Day, for the sole purpose Of discharg-
lng clerk. II was the Continental
Hotel, in Philadelphia. Johnny, who
was Z youth Of not really imposing ad
dress in spite Of his magnificent ways
happened 10 enter the hotel, and, &C.
eording 70 MS custom, asked to sec tne
proprietor
Leases Hotel for a Day
Inc hotel clerk replied, apparently
~s.hout glancing up that the proprie.
Tor WAS busy. A hint from johnny
mat u might be worth his while to
summon him made no impression upor
the clerk. In d cold rage Johnny
tossed Il $40 gold piece 10 a belihop and
told him TO take the message to the
proprietor. The belhop did 40. The
proprietor appeared promptly.
Johnny tried 10 buy the hotel The
proprietor var willing, but said that he
you'd have 10 Consult his partner in
me cntcrpr!Hc who could not b.
reacned for two or THREE days Johnn,
bid shat he might not want the hotel
u t~o or three days, but he did want
3 no@ and intended 70 have it. The
proprietor said that TIE leazc of such
~ q