There are other cases, in Webster, Aubrey and Glanvil of ghosts whotried more successfully to bring their murderers to justice. But thereports of the trials do not exist, or cannot be found, and Websterlost a letter which he once possessed, which would have been proofthat ghostly evidence was given and was received at a trial in Durham(1631 or 1632). Reports of old men present were collected forGlanvil, but are entirely too vague.The case of Fisher's Ghost, which led to evidence being given as to amurder in New South Wales, cannot be wholly omitted. Fisher was aconvict settler, a man of some wealth. He disappeared from hisstation, and his manager (also a convict) declared that he hadreturned to England. Later, a man returning from market saw Fishersitting on a rail; at his approach Fisher vanished. Black trackerswere laid on, found human blood on the rail, and finally discoveredFisher's body. The manager was tried, was condemned, acknowledged hisguilt and was hanged.The story is told in Household Words, where Sir Frederick Forbes issaid to have acted as judge. No date is given. In Botany Bay, {142}the legend is narrated by Mr. John Lang, who was in Sydney in 1842.He gives no date of the occurrence, and clearly embellishes the tale.In 1835, however, the story is told by Mr. Montgomery Martin in volumeiv. of his History of the British Colonies. He gives the story as aproof of the acuteness of black trackers. Beyond saying that hehimself was in the colony when the events and the trial occurred, hegives no date. I have conscientiously investigated the facts, by aidof the Sydney newspapers, and the notes of the judge, Sir FrederickForbes. Fisher disappeared at the end of June, 1826, fromCampbeltown. Suspicion fell on his manager, Worral. A reward wasoffered late in September. Late in October the constable's attentionwas drawn to blood-stains on a rail. Starting thence, the blacktrackers found Fisher's body. Worral was condemned and hanged, afterconfession, in February, 1827. Not a word is said about _why_ theconstable went to, and examined, the rail. But Mr. Rusden, author ofa History of Australia, knew the medical attendant D. Farley (who sawFisher's ghost, and pointed out the bloody rail), and often discussedit with Farley. Mr. Souttar, in a work on Colonial traditions, provesthe point that Farley told his ghost story _before_ the body of Fisherwas found. But, for fear of prejudicing the jury, the ghost was keptout of the trial, exactly as in the following case.
