The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, June 13, 1912, Page 7, Image 7
"COAL OIL JOHN!
NOW A
Oil Croesus of Sixties No
How he Spent a 1
Hotel and
Quietly working out his destiny on j \
a farm near here, John W. Steele,; t
known throughout the world as s
"Coal Oil Johnny," the man to whom I
- f
riches proved to be a bane, is re-1
: E
gaining his self-respect, after a hard .
i t
fight, and has become a credit to: L
himself and to his family. ; a
After several decades of patient! c
labor, the one time oil king, now
nearly 70 years old, reviews his past ) t
with regret, tinged with a certain i,
* quaint philosophy of life that some- s
how lessens the enormity of his of- j f
fenses against himself and society.j g
In the estimation of the world j r
"Coal Oil Johnny" stands as the rep- t
resentative type of the spendthrift i a
and oil region prodigal. Coming into
an immense fortune before his judg- i;
ment had matured and without any
one to advise him, he set out to see j l;
the world, abandoning his wife and p
child and friends; and he saw it. He
> saw it as few have seen it before or! b
since. . ; ^
This young oil Croesus, who had;
more thousands than he knew any-' r
thing of, went a pace that set the
whole world agog with stories of his : ^
extravagance. When he had finished g
witn the world Steele went back to j
the soil, not as an oil producer, but i f
as an agriculturist, and he admits a
that He Has received more pleasure 0
wielding the hoe than he obtained in
squandering his fortune. j y
Johnny was born of poor parents, I f
near Sheakleyville, Mercer county,!
Pennsylvania. At an early age he q
and his little sister went to Venango y
county to live with an uncle and aunt, a
Mr. and Mrs. McClintock, who had a
v > large farm on Oil creek. When: n
Johnny was 12 years old his foster a
uncle died. A few years afterward ti
oil was was discovered, and Widow | i]
McClintock, along with other land- j t:
owners in Oil creek valley, found j ti
that she was encamped above an in- i c
^ dependent fortune. She soon found j p
* herself a rich woman. One day, b
while attempting to hasten a fire by i
means of oil, Mrs. McClintock was
burned to death?the first victim ofI
the treacherous oil can, which in sub- j n
sequent years came to number its; d
dead by the thousands. With her d
death Johnny came into all her pos- b
sessions, his little sister having died; ^
some years before. j i]
Mrs. McClintock had hoarded her c
wealth in a safe, which was opened a
after her death. The amount of cash 0
found has been placed as high as e
S500.000, but Johnny claims that it b
was less. At this time Steele was b
just of age. Wealth continued to ?
roll in on the innocent and well-be- o
haved young man, and he soon lost j p
all track of how much money he had. s
^ But, like all youths who suddenly b
acquire great wealth, he had advisers c
by the score. They told him to "save
his money," that he would "need it e
some day." The retort was that, o
since there seemed to be a disposi- ?
tion on the part of everybody to I o
; \ get it away from him, he guessed he i e
^ would spend it before it was stolen, i
Johnny started for Philadelphia, s
-J leavingbehind his wife, whom he v
had married in 1862, and a baby b
son. He took with him Seth Slo- o
cum, the man at whose door Steele j t
lays the greatest blame for his undo- t
ing. G
Upon his arrival in Philadelphia a
Steele was met by W. H. Wickham, 4j
of New York, who offered him $1,-, p
000,000 for the McClintock farm, c
Johnny accepted, and received $30,- n
000 to bind the bargain. With more o
than $1,000,000 dangling before his h
eyes Steele and his friend Slocum, a
tn whom Steele had sdven the power ^
f of attorney, started out to paint the ii
town. They did it?all at Steele's \
expense. II
While in the Quaker City Johnny a
* came in contact with the managers i:
of the Skiff and Gaylord minstrel u
show, that was then in sore financial \
straits, and decided to finance the $
concern. John W. Gaylord, a mem- s
her of the minstrel company, tells
an interesting story of Steele that o
throws some side lights on the char- a
acter of the oil king that have never f
been published. b
9 "Yes," declares Gaylord, "Coal Oil a
Johnny was my particular friend: v
during his palmiest days. Johnny! p
saw our show perform in Philadel-! s
phia, got stuck on the business and! c
bought a one-third interest in the;
show. We went on the road, did a; t
4>
monstrous business, turned people j b
away, and were prosperous. ! s
"Reaching Utica, N. Y., Johnny | f
gave a supper to the show that cost j h
him $1,000. He then conceived the v
idea of traveling by his own train, e
and accordingly purchased an engine, h
sleeping and baggage car. Dates for S
two weeks ahead were canceled and r
%
NY"
PLAIN FARMER 8
t]
iw (.PArlinor Sirrmle Life. c
"""" or
Fortune?Leased is
Theatre a
ve went junketing, Johnny footing
he bills. At Erie we had a $500 ^
upper, and so it went. It was in p
^iladelphia that Johnny bought his ^
Irst hack. After a short drive he tl
resented it to the driver. Our dates n
eing canceled, Johnny indemnified
is for the loss, estimating the prob- b
,ble business receipts on the basil b
if packed houses. B
"In Chicago he gave another exhi- p
lition of his eccentric traits. He q
eased the Academy of Music for the p
eason, and we did a big business. ir
Anally he proposed a benefit for jg
ikiff and Gaylord and sent over to h
ent the Crosby opera house, then ti
he finest in the country. The man- h
ger sent back this insolent reply: n:
" 'We don't rent our house for an a
ufernal negro show.' . tl
''Johnny got warm under the col- tl
ar. He went down to the office in p
toot & Cady's music store. o:
* "vvnat win you taKe ior your
louse to sell it outright?' he asked f<
lr. Root.
" 'I don't want to sell/ was the w
eply. a
" 'I'll give you a liberal price, h
loney is no object,' flashed back tl
teele. p
"Then Johnny pulled out a roll g.
rom his valise, counted out $200,000 ri
nd asked Mr. Root if that was an a;
bject. Mr. Root was thunderstruck, i
" 'Oh, if you're that kind of a man b;
ou can have the house for a benefit o:
ree of charge.' w
"This benefit was a big success. c<
'he receipts were $45,000, and more P
rere turned away than could gain F
dmission. m
"Johnny was a prince with his F
loney. I've seen him spend as high a]
s $10,000 in a day. That was the gi
ime he rented the Continental hotel ri
i Philadelphia and wanted to buy a]
he Girard house. He sent to the Con- u
inental and politely said to the si
lerk: 'Will you kindly tell the pro- M
rietor that Mr. Steele wishes to see 1
im?' a:
" 'No, sir,' said the clerk, 'the tl
mdlord is busy. tl
"Johnny suggested that he could m
lake it pay the clerk to accommo- n
ate 'the whim. The clerk became a:
isdainful and Johnny tossed the e<
ellboy a twenty-dollar gold piece a]
rith the request. The result was an m
aterview with the landlord. Johnny ir
laimed that he had been ill-treated
nd requested the summary dismissal la
f the clerk. The proprietor refus- tc
d, and Johnny offered to buy the a;
.otel. The man said he couldn't sell g<
ecause he wasn't the entire owner, at
i bargain was made to lease it for jc
ne day for $8,000. The cash was ir
aid over, and Johnny installed him- p.
elf as landlord. He made me bell- tc
oy, while Slocum officiated as r<
lerk. ai
''The doors were thrown open and ir
very guest in the house had his fill tl
f wine and edibles free of charge. B
l huge placard "was posted in front tc
>f the hotel: 'Open house to-day; n:
very thing free. All are welcome.' at
t was a merry lark. The whole city ai
eemed to catch on, and the house tc
/as full. When Johnny thought he fi
iad enough fun he turned the house
ver to the landlord, who reinstated fi
he odious clerk. Johnny was fran- n
ic with rage. He went over to the tl
lirard house and tried to buy it. He F
rranged with the proprietor to w
buck' the Continental, by making ti
irices so low that everybody would tc
x-i J:J
ome mere. ine ^unuueuuu mu u
aighty little business as the result H
f the fight made by Steele. Finally ff
ie had enough of this sort of fun 2
,nd offered to sell out and quit, but tl
Ir. Wickham declined to purchase ii
t, then Johnny came to himself. c<
Vhen he hurried home he had very tl
ittle money left. While he was n
way from the oil farm it dwindled h
n production. In 1867 he was sold
inder the sheriff's hammer to Geo. a:
V. Hinckle, of Philadelphia, for aj
35,000. It was at this time that ii
iteele 'shook' Slocum." ei
Steele's wild career had bereft him B
f every ounce of pride he ever had fi
nd he became a wanderer on the oi
ace of the earth, with only a few oi
tundred dollars in his pockets. Wife ti
nd child he left behind. Try as he
rould he could not get away from his fi
ast, and he was heart-sick, but he s<
ays he never once thought of sui- A
ide.
Forgiven by his wife, Steele re- j
urned home, was warmly received $
y Mrs. Steele and his relatives and ai
tarted to live down the past. For a a]
ew vftars he lived in the west with
lis family and engaged in railroad tl
fork. In the nineties Steele return- li
d to the oil regions. Since then they c<
tave all been living on the farm of tl
Iteele's father-in-law, where the for- w
tier oil king enjoys himself leading s]
XO LEGAL MAGISTRATES.
upreme Court Ousts All Claimants
to Job.
Columbia, June 5.?By ousting, by
tie supreme court, of both sets of
laimants to the office of magistrate
1 Spartanburg county, that, county
> now without a magistrate. The
upreme court this afternoon handed
decision ousting both the hold-over
laimants and the Blease appointees
:> the offices of magistrate in Sparmburg
county. The ones which
eld over were recommended for apointment
by the senate on the last
ay of the session this year, when
le governor refused to submit his
st of appointees.
The supreme court, in a decision
y Justice Watts and concurred in
y the entire court, ousted J. M.
owden and A. H. Kirby, S. S. Tiner,
i T T r. TTnwlpr and W.
. Harrison, W. R. Tanner and T.
otter from the offices of magistrate
1 Spartanburg county, declaring, "it
; judged that each of the defendants
erein are guilty of usurping and in-uding
into, and are unlawfully
olding and exercising the offices of
lagistrate in Spartanburg county,
nd it is the judgment of this court
lat the defendants be excluded from
le offices of magistrate and that the
laintiff recover costs against each
f them."
The situation is set forth in the
allowing excerpt from the opinion:
It will be seen that A. H. Kirby
as appointed magistrate on Februry
5, 1909, and February 8, 1909,
is appointment was confirmed by
le senate. J. M. Bowden was apointed
and commissioned by the
overnor to this same office on Febiary
22, 1911; D. T. Gossett was
ppointed magistrate on February 5,
909, and his appointment confirmed
y the senate February 8, 1909, and
q February 22, 1911, S. S. Tiner
+ ktt a rrATfA^r> Ar q n h
<15 dJjpUlULCU uy LUC guvciuui uuu
)mmissioned to the same office; E.
otter was appointed magistrate on
ebruary 8, 1909, and his appointment
was confirmed by the senate on
ebruary 28, 1911, W. R. Tanner was
ppointed and commissioned by the
Dvernor to the same office on Feblary
19, 1910; W. C. Harrison was
ppointed a magistrate to fill out the
nexpired term of R. L. Pearson, regned,
and commissioned as such on
[arch 4, 1910, and on February 27,
911, T. O. Fowler was appointed
nd commissioned as magistrate for
le same office. It was conceded at
le hearing that Bowden, Tiner . Taner,
and Fowler's appointments had
ever been confirmed by the senate,
ad that the legislature had adjournI
and was not in session after their
ppointments until 1912. There is
0 evidence that Harrison's appointtent
was confirmed by the senate."
By the quotations above as the
iw and an application of facts there),
says the opinion, Kirby, Gossett
ud Potter being appointed by the
overnor and confirmed by the sente
in 1909, held office until the ad)urnment
of the general assembly
1 1911. Harrison having been apinted
in 1910 for an unexpired
jrm, and his appointment being a
scess appointment, held until the
ijournment of the general assembly
i 1911. There being a vacancy in
le offices, the governor appointed
owden, Tiner, Tanner and Fowler
) these offices, and they were comtissioned
and were entitled to hold
Qd enjoy the offices until the general
ssembly. met and their names sent
) the senate for approval and conrmation.
The senate having failed to conrm
them, they were no longer
lagistrates after the adjournment of
le general assembly in 1912. Since
ebruary 28, 1911, Gossett has
rongfully held the office of magis ate.
Since February 28, 1911, Potir
has wrongfully held the* office of
lagistrate. Since February 27, 1911,
iarrison has wrongfully held the ofice
of magistrate. Since February
8, 1911, Kirby has wrongfully held
le office of magistrate. Since the time
> 1 01 9 +Vi?+ tVio conofn rafnaad tn
X JL?7X^ l/Ua 1/ Clio gouuvv i vi.uwv\? w
Dnfirm the appointments made by
le governor, of Bowden, Tiner, Taner
and Fowler they have wrongfully
eld the office of magistrate.
The court orders all the defendnts
to be ousted and costs assessed
gainst them. The ousting proceedlgs
were brought by Attorney Genral
Lyon, who asked that Governor
lease's appointees be ousted and
ned $2,000 for illegally holding the
ffice of magistrate, and that the
thers be held to be the legal magis ates.
$25.00 up suits made to order of
ne woolens, made with snap and
;yle to please you. F. G. MERTINS,
ugusta, Ga.
Hats and caps the largest selection
i Augusta; straw hats $1.00 up;
8.00 Panamas at $4.75; Stetson
ad other fine makes $2.25 up. Caps
ad hats, a full line, 25c up. Write
. (jr. M Hi it'll INS, Augusta, vja.
ie simple life and working about the
irm. He has enough to live upon j
>mfortably, and is contented, though |
ie past does worry him some, he i
ill admit.?Franklin (Pa.) correpondence
Pittsburg Gazette-Times.
SEEMS A BIT FAKISH.
Says She Has Communicated with A
the Late Major Butt.
That she has been in psychic communication
in the "other world" with c
Major Archibald Butt and others *
who went down on the Titanic, is
the statement made by Madame De e
Meissuer, a widow of a distinguished c
g
Russian statesman and scholar.
r
Madame De Meissner lives in
Georgetown. She is a tall, stately t
woman, retaining a great deal of her
youthful beauty, despite her 65 years
of age, and is the acknowledged arbiter
of Washington's most exclusive
residential set.
"I c.o not see ghosts," said Mad- a
ame De Meissner, "but I have the r
' t
power of communication with spirits
in the other world. That is I can
hear them when they talk to me.
This happens when I am sitting r
quietly sewing or reading. I have r
long been interested in psychic mat- a
ters and was first interested actively
when I was in Russia with my husband,
who was a great statesman.
"Some of the communications I \
have had lately have been from those
who lost their lives on the Titanic.
Probably the most interesting was a ^
private message to the president '
from Maj. Archibald Butt, which
came to me April 24, at 4 p. m. Some *
parts of the message were strictly
private and I have sent it to the s
president. Among the things Major r
Butt said was:
" T was standing on the deck of
the Titanic and I fell forward into *
the gulf and when I came to myself
I was standing here on the grass *
with Mr. Stead and several others,
and we did not knoW where we were. .
We had no idea we had died. We J
?, "V
never thought of such a thing, we
were simply thunderstruck when
some one told us we were in the oth- *
er world. I think it was Mr. Stead *
who remarked there is no such thing ^
as dying. It is simply marvelous this
passing from one world to the world t
we are now in/ '
" 'Will you take a message to ~
President Taft for me and say that I
never felt more happy than at this s
moment, but I regret that I cannot ?
be with him at this time, when he =
needs friendship.'
''There was more to this message,"
said Madame De Meissner "as I have
said before, but it was private and
I cannot betray the confidence placed
in me by Major Butt."?Washington
correspondence of the Tennesan.
What Became of Little Child?
Union, June 6.?Absolutely no
trace of the mysterious little girl
who gave her name as "Eileen" and
who appeared at West Springs last
Tuesday morning and dropped from
view as if the earth had swallowed
her up has yet been found.
The mystery, the pathos of this
tiny little girl, apparently not more
than six years old, who said that her
Darents were dead and she was afraid
that some one who was looking for
her would find her, the thought of
this little one wandering around in
the woods and hiding in the underbrush
by day and night, has aroused
the people of West Springs section,
indeed, has evoked interest all over
the country and many expressions of
sympathy have been heard as to the
distressing condition of the poor little
girl.
A diligent search was made for
miles by a party of from 50 to 75
persons, who, going about 20 yards
apart, formed a perfect dragnet of
the whole west side of the road for .
miles around West Springs and later
on a partial search was made of
the other side of the road, though
the last time the child was seen she
was not going in that direction.
However, there has arisen a question
in the minds of at least a few
persons as to the possiblity of the
child having crossed without being
seen and having, for the sake of hiding,
concealed herself in some of the
numerous tunnels or excavations of
the Ophir gold mines, which are half
a mile from where she was seen. It
is possible that a search will #be instituted
to see if she has been in
that neighborhood.
There was a report current last
week that she had wandered from
Clinton, and at once a letter was
written to Dr. W. P. Jacobs, of
Thornwell orphanage, asking if he
knew anything about a child and whether
she was from his institution
or from the town. A reply from him
stated that she was entirely unknown
but that if she was found and had no
home, to let him know, and he would
provide for her.
First Bloom in Barnwell.
Barnwell, June 6.?A cotton bloom
was brought to Barnwell Tuesday,
which establishes a new record, being
three days ahead of the previous record
date. The flower was picked
-from a field belonging to Mr. W. H.
Black, of George's Creek Township,
this county, and presented to Major
John W. Holmes, editor of the Barnwell
People.
Highest prices paid for beef cattle.
H. G. DELK, Bamberg, S. C.
BARKING DOG SAVES FIVE.
Voman Clings to Window Sill Until !
Ladder Reaches Her.
New York, June 6.?The barking
if a bulldog saved five lives in a fire
hat destroyed the three-story frame ,
>uilding at No. 3662 Third avenue '
arly to-day, Mrs. Mary Daley, a widiw,
60 years old, being rescued as
he hung by her fingers from the sill .
if a window on the top floor with
he flames bursting out above her.
Shortly before 3 o'clock John Shteian
was roused by the barking of !
'jjpV hie nri7P-winniner dnsr. on the
Irst floor of his home, and assisted ,
lis wife and two daughters, Marcelle
,nd Flossie, out on to the roof of a
ear extension, from which they were
aken to the ground. To reach Mrs.
)aley seemed impossible, but Marus
Weler, who lives directly in the
ear of the Sheehan home, and Patolman
Bartsch raised a ladder from
, fire escape and rescued her from
ter perilous position just in time.
SHOT AND KILLED MULE.
Vork of a Parlor Rifle in Hands of
Unknown Parties.
A mule belonging to Randall Wiliams,
a negro who lives near the Sealoard
trestle over Hard Labor creek
tear town was shot and killed one
lay last week by a party of boys
hooting at a target with a parlor
ifle.
According to one report there were
wo white boys, a white man and two
legro boys shooting with the rifle.
Vhether they meant to shoot the I
nule or hit him accidentally is not
mown. Anyway the mule was hit,
ust back of the upper end of the
aw and died from the effects of the
round.
Every now and then something of
he kind is reported from the use of
he parlor rifle. More often it is the
[eath of a human being.
The mule was the only dependence
he negro had for working a crop
rith this year and his loss is heavy.
?Greenwood Index.
We recover umbrellas and paraols
of all shades and sizes. F. G.
1ERTINS, Augusta, Ga.
fipr*
n |f I I Rol
- i ffl
Uf?jj [ ^ conque
ij Fevers like maj
jsss&k? \ and banishes tl
tSSZI h Puts new l!
"TSveST 3 strong and well
k MAum I . ,f% l
j your life s worii
S.tHm 2
|lpk 1 ^ls guaranteed
m money refunded if it
" At your drug
Suffolk Drug C
>
CORTRft
arc as good as i
? JMflf g need attention ol
PwlPimB cept an occasion*
I Storm-proof FTre-prc
B Don't buy that roof for the new bi
I em mined the Cortright Metal Shingles.
I We hare local representatives almost t
B locality, write us <?rect for samples, prices i
g CORTR1GHT METAL 1
I 50 North 23d Street
fDONTF
^j* When you have use for a
one that will not fail to fir
so, one that you can feel &
(ft, "just right." Bring your
?? repaired and you can then
ing" when you have use
^9 Bicycles, Automobiles, Ix
J* prices. All work guaranty
|j. B. BI
2 The Repair Man.
m
WATSON BOUND OVER.
Georgian Most Face Trial Before the
Federal Jury.
Augusta, Ga., June 7.?Thomas E.
Watson, the former Populist leader
and presidential candidate, was bound
over to the grand jury to-day under
5500 bond after a hearing before
United States Commissioner Goodwin,
on the charge of sending obBcene
matter through the mails. The
^ ? A _ J i._ ? + ?
matter uujecteu tu waa wuuimcu m
an article in Watson's magazine, attacking
the Roman Catholic churcb.
Watson was arrested at his home at
Thompson last week.
At the hearing to-day, District Attorney
Akerman represented the government
while Watson presented his
own case. In his argument, Mr. Watson
claimed the warrant on which he
was1 arrested should have been issued
against the publishing company
which published his magazine, if issued
at all. To Mr. Watson's claim
that the objectionable matter published
had been copied from a copywrighted
book, the district attorney
answered that any person could get
a copywright for anything by establishing
the fact that he is its author.
TRED RUH-DOWN PEOPLE |
A North Carolina Man Suggests
a Remedy
Greensboro, N. C.?'Tor a long
time I was so run down and debilitated
that I could hardly drag around.
My appetite was poor and I could not
sleep nights. I had tried different socalled
tonics without benefit I was
advised to try your cod liver and
iron tonic. Vinol, and I am so glad I - *||?
did, for it gave me a hearty appetite,
I soon commenced to sleep soundly,
and I feel strong, well and more active
than I have for years. Every rundown
or debilitated person should
Just give Vinol a trial." K. Allsbrook.
What Vinol did for Mr. Allsbrook
it will do for every weak, run-down or
debilitated person in this vicinity. To
show our faith we will furnish the
medicine free if it does not do as we
claim. Come in and get a bottle on
these terms.
Peoples Drug Co., Bamberg, S. C.
ibiverandShakol 1
with
hiilSandfeVGr
Drive the malarial
conditions forever out
system with
berts' Tasteless J|
Chill Tonic.
rs Chills, LaGrippe and |
*ic. It purifies the blood
bat tired, lanquid feeling,
ife into you, makes you
, able to easily accomplish
to do what we ray it will. Your
fails.
store?25c. and 50c.
orporation, I
31t metal 1
III I crniuaRC
MLJL JL,^UU1WIM
it On
5 Ago > >
lew, and have
mrf Lightning-proof |
aiding, or re-roof the old until you hare |
srerywhere, but if none m your immediate G
ind full particulars. 5 I
HOOFING COMPANY I
Philadelphia, Pa. |
===??=====
gun or pistol you want |?
e when you want it to do y
atisfied that it is working w
V*rt^/vl ?M A 4- /-? WA
gUJU UI piSIVl IU uuc W UC M
have that "satisfied feel- t
>cks, etc., at reasonable
.3