The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-02-26
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A MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE.

Few men in the Secret Service have
attained higher reputation or encoun-
tered more perils than Ambrose Beck
ham. I knew him for years before 1
could ever prevail on him to recount
any of his adventures; but meeting him
in Boston, about year ago, succeeded
in getting several interesting stories
from him, among them the following,
which he related in his modest way:
Not many summers ago, well execu-
ted counterfeit fifty-cent notes were
widely circulated in the Southwest, and
for time all efforts to trace them to
their source were in vain. -Four datec-
tives-Messrs. Melhorn, Wilson. Baird
and myself-had followed fancied clue
to Knoxville, Tennessee, where all traces
disappeared. My companions were con
WINGED that we were on false scent, and
resolved to depart for Richmond, Vir-
ginia, from which base they had reason
to believe they could work successfully.
1 did not share their views, andremained
in Knoxville, with an understanding
that we should communicate by tele-
graph, in cipher.
They departed, and had barely time
to reach Richmond, when, just as 1 was
beginning to grow discouraged, made
a discovery which led me to believe-in
fact to feel sure-that the skillful coun-
terfeiting was not done in any city or
large town, as we had coniectured, but
in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee
or Western North Carolina. I imme-
diately sent an explanatory dispatch to
my friends in Richmond, and started
southeastward, intending to do all
could toward finding the location of the
counterfeiters before my colleagues
could join me.
Owing to the direction it was neces-
sary to take, could not go far by rail
road, and SO started across the country
on foot, for it was likely that I might
soon he in a position where even horse
would be a burthen to me. 1 carried
only light satchel, and to all whom ]
conyersed with on my way, Represented
myself as agent Of a Western mining
company, on my way to the mountains
to prospect for lead and copper. You
know it doesn't do for detective tC
make his business known on all occa
sions. I therefore made many inquiries
at the taverns stopped at, as to wha
reports had been heard Of indications o.
ores in the mountains.
About o'clock onthefourth day from
Knoxville, after climbing a narrow
winding mountain road all day, fount
myself high up in the Allegheny Noun
tains, and stopped at tavern which
shall call the Halfway House. 1t wal
an ordinary country tavern, whose bal
furnished only whisky and cider, ant
whose table wasspread with plain, sub
stantial food. L told the landlord
should take supper and lodging Will
him, and gave him my satehel, which h'
placed on one end Of the bar-for on,
room did duty as bar-room, sitting-roon
and Office.
While Twas waiting for supper, seY
eral persons came in and patronized th'
bar, the last one being a tall, musculat
man, in the gsrb OF farmer But th,
moment I saw his face suspected tina
he was not farmer have made face
reading business, and at the frs
glance ] detected an indescribable ex
preston on his eountenanee that told m,
there was something hidden beyond.
felt deeper interest IN him when hs