From the News

Dated: January 29, 1918

Accused Canadian Soldier's Statements

At North London police court yesterday, before Mr. Hedderwick, George Harman, 37, private in the Canadian infantry, was charged with the murder of Frances Elizabeth Earl, otherwise known as Phyllis Earl, 28, a married woman, whose husband is serving at the front.

Divisional Detective Inspector George Pride said that at 8:30 on Friday morning he went to Downspassage, Hackney, and on the west side of the Great Eastern Railway arch he saw the dead body of a woman, which was subsequently identified as that of Phyllis Earl. There was a deep gash in the throat and about 13ft. away there was a pool of blood, where apparently a struggle had taken place. Later the prisoner was brought to the Hackney Police Station by Detective-Sergeant Coarse and Sergeant Chesney of the Canadian Military Police, who also produced a stained knife. There were blood-stains on the prisoners overcoat.

The prisoner made several statements. In one he said that the woman had arranged to meet him on Thursday night, but did not keep the appointment. In the second he said, “I would do it again in the same way, if she were alive. I was clean when I came from France, and I have got witnesses to prove that she was not. I reckon she deserved to die. I was going to confess at the proper time.”

In the third statement he said, “After I got over my fit of temper, and saw that she was dead, I saw a man in the woman coming along - a couple of lovers, I suppose. I called to the man, and asked him to tell the first policeman he met that I had killed a woman. Instead of doing so he turned off in another direction. Had he done what I asked him to do I should have been under arrest long ago.”

In a further statement, he said that he had been on 14 days leave from France, and that he had left his mother's house some time ago and gone all over the country, among other places to Liverpool. He came back and went to stay with some people named Ross, at Hackney.

The prisoner put no questions to the witness, but asked if he could have a conveyance to take him to the prison, as he was to undergo medical treatment.

The magistrate granted the application, and prisoner was remanded for eight days.