ALLEGED EXTENSIVE FORGERIES IN ROCK HAMPTON. Brisbane, January 3.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 238, 21 January 1888, Page 3

ALLEGED EXTENSIVE FORGERIES IN ROCK HAMPTON. Brisbane, January 3.

A telegram from Rockhampton states that, J ohn Wallis Rutler, Mayor of North Rock-, hanlptoh, was arrested late this afternoon on a charge of forgery. He was arre3tecj at his private residence. The arrest, it 1 is* said, was uulooked for, as the accused was under the impression that ho would be allowed time till to-morrow or Tuesday! The forgeries are believed to extend to nearly £13,000. It was known in town for the last two days that there was something very wrong, but the extraordinary statements which were current were generally discredited. Rutter was arrested on a charge of forging and uttering a promis. eory-note, purporting to be signed by William Whitman, on the Union Bank ; J two others on the same bank for £1,000 and ! £500 respectively, and one on the A. J. S. | Bank for £250. Rutter is- said to { have speculated largely in land and j mining. The affair has caused great consternation,as he was amangreatly esteemed. He was to have been the Liberal oandidate for North Rockhampton at the general election. He was admitted to bail tonight by the Police Magistrate in a sumt)f I £800. Mr J. W. Rutter, Mayor of North Rockhampton, who is charged with having forged several promissory-notes, attempted to commit suicide this morning by stabbing himsolf on the left breast with a steel bodkin. He is not dangerously wounded. The case was called on at the Rockhampton Police Court to-day j but the doctor stating that accused was in a critical condition, he was remanded for eight days.