Besumer was in bed with his mistress Harriet Lowe, who died on 5 August 1918, just two days after doctors performed surgery in an effort to repair her partially paralyzed face. Besumer was charged with murder while Lowe was in the hospital and stated that it was Besumer who had attacked her. He served nine months in prison before being acquitted on 1 May 1919 after a ten minute jury deliberation.