The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-03-31 00:00:00

A SURGEON'S CAREER.

At the Thames Police-court the other day Thomas
Demalynee, 62, miserably clad, described as a surgeon,
was charged on remand with obtaining, by means of
false pretences, charitable contributions to the amount
of 2s. 6d. from the Rev. Edward Mathews, secretary
of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. The
evidence given on previous occasions showed that
prisoner went to Mr. Mathews with a note from the
Rev. Mr. Hurndall, which was to the effect that if
prisoner was provided with proper clothing, Captain
Scurr, of the ship Eureka, would give him a passage
in his ship to India, and he (Mr. Hurndall) wished.
Mr. Mathews to supply the prisoner with food and
lodging until he was able to get him some clothes.
Prisoner also produced a note which purported to be
signed by Captain Scurr, and that note was to the
effect that the captain would give prisoner a passage
to India if he was provided with proper clothes. The
accused said he saw the captain sign the note. He-
said that Mr. Scurr's address was at a house in the
West India Dock-road. He was given some food and
a ticket for a bed, and inquiries were made. It was
then ascertained that the alleged signature of the
captain was a forgery, and the captain denied having
seen the prisoner. The latter was asked to describe
the captain, and he said he was a tall, dark man,
whereas he was short and fair. In consequence, the
prisoner having personally defrauded him, Mr.
Mathews felt himself obliged to charge the accused.
Constable King said this was not the only case against
the prisoner. On him was found a letter purporting
to be signed by Dr. Morrison, of Cannon-street-road,
but that gentleman denied writing the letter, and said
he had never seen the accused. Demalynee was well
known in India, and the following was said to be his
career :—ln Bombay he was a medical subordinate,
from which service he was dismissed for bad conduct.
He afterwards enlisted in the Bombay Horse
Artillery; was tried by court - martial for
theft, was sentenced to IGG days' rigorous imprison-
ment, and was afterwards dismissed the service as
an incorrigible character. He afterwards became a
"fakir," or religious mendicant. He subsequently
resumed European habits, and, being without labour,
was admitted into Bombay Workhouse as a vagrant.
He was discharged from there to obtain employment
on a railway. He was afterwards readmitted to the
Bombay Workhouse. In November, 1881, he was
sentenced to six weeks' rigorous imprisonment for
breach of the rules and discipline of that place. In
Calcutta he was employed in the police force, but was
dismissed for drunkenness. He was also employed as
apothecary and assistant in several druggists shops,
where he was well I_ ..own to be a confirmed drunkard.
,He was arrested for forgery, but was acquitted. He
left Madras in 1882, and departed in the same. year
for England. Mr. Saunders convicted the prisoner
under the vagrant Act for attempting to obtain
charitable contributions by means of false pretences,
and sentenced him to two months' hard labour.