Fraud by Wateringbury butcher (1852)

Post date: Feb 07, 2013 5:31:57 PM

Extract from Kentish Gazette of 17 August 1852

Wateringbury. Serious Charge of Forgery.—Much excitement was caused in our village on Thursday sennight, by the discovery that Mr. G. Clements, a butcher, had absconded, after having committed several forgeries upon the bank of Messrs. Randall and Mercer, Maidstone, by obtaining cash for cheques upon that bank, purporting to be drawn by Mr. A. White, of Nettlested Hall, near Wateringbury, and Mr. Allingham, also of Nettlested. On Tuesday, Clements obtained cash from Mr. D. Boorman, of the Duke's Head, for a forged cheque of £28. 10s., bearing the signature of Mr. White. He also, on the same day, attempted to procure cash for a cheque of £13. 10s., but the party of whom he requested the money, a Mr. Hills, beershop keeper at Wateringbury, had not sufficient cash in the house. At the Rochester Cattle Market he made an attempt to obtain cash for a cheque of £80., also bearing signature purporting to be that of Mr. White. Here also he failed. Clements was seen at Gravesend on Saturday, and it is supposed that he has embarked, or is endeavouring to embark, on board an emigrant ship. The police are on the alert, and we trust they will soon succeed capturing the runaway.