PART II

The report of finding the body is as follows:

"Two black natives came up and joined in the search till they came to a creek where one of them saw something in the water'.......Gilbert, a black native, went into the water and scumming some of the top with a leaf which he afterwards tasted and called out that there was the fat of a white man."

Natives then led the party up another creek 40 or 50 yards when "one of them struck a rod into some marshy ground and called out there was something there; a spade was immediately found and the place dug when the first thig which presented itself was the left hand of a man lying on his side, which witness from a long acquaintance with him immediately declared to be the hand of Frederick Fisher......"

A warrant was immediately obtained and Worrall was then brought in under arrest.

The coroners report told of fractures to the head and a conclusion of wilful murder by a person or persons of unknown origin was given.

Policemen examined the fence where the blood was found on the rails, they noted there was the evidence of fire on the lower rail. It was thought that this was a feeble attempt to burn off the bloody marks.

While under arrest Worrall then made a statement incriminating Laurence, one of the men who Fisher was seen drinking with on his last night, and another. Worall claimed they admitted to him they had done away with Fisher, wanting to secure what money he had.

The case was brought to trial at the Supreme Court.

The Trial of George Worrall as reported in The Australian 3rd February, 1827

Note: there are some mistakes with the names - Worroll being Worrall

R. v. Worroll

Supreme Court of New South Wales

Forbes C.J., 2 February 1827

George Worroll stood capitally indicted for the wilful murder of Frederick Fisher, on the 17th of January last.

Mr. Daniel Cooper deposed that the prisoner came to him several times, prior to the deceased being found, respecting some papers, which were the title deeds of a farm belonging to Fisher, in the district of Campbell Town; these papers were in witness's possession and prisoner said if witness would give them up he would satisfy a debt due to witness about £80. Witness pressed him to state what had become of Fisher; but prisoner, in an indifferent manner, said he had gone out of the country to avoid a prosecution for perjury. In another conversation which witness had with the prisoner, he said that Fisher had given him a power of attorney to act for him; but witness never saw any such document.

James Coddington, is overseer of a farm belonging to last witness, in the district of Campbell Town. On the 8th of last July, he was in the township, and met the prisoner, who proposed selling him a young horse, which witness partly agreed to buy; however, having some scruples that the horse formerly belonged to Fisher, who was then reported to have absconded - witness requested to see prisoner's authority for selling the animal, when he presented a bill of sales and receipt for 134l. for four horses, signed "Frederick Fisher."

Thomas Hammond, knew deceased - remembers prisoner coming to him about the mouth [sic] of July last, and offer to him some building boards for sale, which he stated to belong to Fisher - but must be sold to ratify an execution. Prisoner said that Fisher had left the Colony, and assigned as a reason for his departure, that he was apprehensive of a criminal prosecution being entered against him - prisoner said he would produce his power of attorney to sell - but failed to do so.

In August following, prisoner came with witness to Sydney, in a gig, and put up at the Emu Inn. On the road, witness mentioned to prisoner, that it was the opinion of a good many persons, Fisher had been murdered. The prisoner treated the subject with levity - observed him turn pale, and affect to smile. The conversation on that subject ceased. It had been arranged between witness and prisoner to stay at the Emu Inn that evening, and return to Campbell Town next morning - but prisoner without stating his intention to any one, left the house, and was not seen until next morning; when he appeared, he said, he had been to Parramatta and back.

A receipt deposed by the last witness, to have been shewn to him by the prisoner, purporting to be Fisher's, was here handed to the witness, and denied by him to be Fisher's receipt.

Mary Talbot deposed, that prisoner received monie from witness, on Fisher's account. - Prisoner said that Fisher was not in the Colony.

Jane Hopkins deposed, that on the 17th June last, prisoner and deceased left the house wherein they both lived, at about the same time - saw deceased about nine o'clock on that evening - he gave some trifle of money to some men on the farm, to go and get something to drink.

Newland, a constable, was employed to search for the body of Fisher - saw sprinkling of blood, on some paling, about 50 rods from prisoner's house - some blacks accompanied him to a creek, at a short distance - Gilbert, the black native, jumped into the water, and with a corn husk swept the surface of the water - then put it to his nose and declared that he could smell "a white man's fat." The body was found, buried close to - his features, though decomposed, were identified by several persons to be the body of Fisher. Proof was adduced that the prisoner made a declaration that two persons were guilty of the murder, and confessed he was present, though not an active agent in the business - Guilty. - To be executed on Monday.

George Worralls Exucution as reported in The Australia, 7th February, 1827

EXECUTION

(5th February, 1827)

Monday morning George Worrell, who was convicted on Friday last of the wilful murder of Frederick Fisher, a settler living at Campbell Town, underwent the awful sentence pronounced upon him, in pursuance of his conviction. The culprit, during his trial, appeared wholly indifferent as to its issue, and that sameness of demeanor was observable upon the retirement of the Jury.
Criminals in his situation are generally remarked to betray some emotion of alarm upon the return of the Jury, but this was not the case with this unfortunate man. As the Jury re-entered their box, after having retired for consideration, prepared to give the fatal verdict, the prisoner stood boldly forth, and without betraying the slightest visible change of countenance, heard the fatal verdict of guilty recorded. His demeanour was afterwards precisely the same, but savoured of sourness, which precluded the society of those who were desirous of conversing with him.

As the awful hour which was fixed for his final dissolution drew on, he expressed a strong desire to be visited by a Protestant Clergyman. The Rev. W.Cowper promptly attended to the request, and administered to him spiritual consolation. The Rev. Minister was unremitting in his exertions to bring the culprit to a proper sense of his awful condition. The criminal, aroused to a sense of religious duty, communicated to his Clergyman that what he had stated to the Magistrates upon his examination, was wholly false, and confessed he alone was the murderer.

It will be recollected by our readers that the prisoner attempted to relieve himself from the imputation of murdering the deceased Fisher, by stating that two persons were guilty of the murder, and that he was present, though not an active agent in the business. In accounting for his motive in perpetrating the awful deed, he said, that he and Fisher (the deceased) left the house together, with an intention to go into the township to enjoy the evening. They were perfectly good friends and had been so for some time before - that having walked together a distance of about 30 rods from the house, he observed some stray horses among the wheat crop, one of which was within a short distance of him, when he laid hold of a rail, which lay on the ground, and thereupon aimed a blow at the horse; it struck his companion Fisher. The latter, by the force of the blow, fell to the ground. The night was dark, but he quickly discovered his mistake, and in raising Fisher up, found that he was in an almost lifeless state. Fearful of communicating the circumstance to any one he watched by the insensible man for some time, when finding life was extinct, he raised him on his back, and in that position carried the deceased to a distance of about fifty yards. For that night he left the mangled victim among some rushes, which grew on a marshy spot of ground, and which was strongly impregnated with alum.

Having done this, he returned to his home. There was a jovial company of hard working labourers, who had met to spend the evening - but he escaped to rest. "Ah," said the wretched man, "the evening before this fatal occurrence I was happy; I could boast of being a free man; I had my two or three servants at command, and my orders were obeyed; I was possessed of property; I had a relative who was dear to me, but now how can I dare to meet the face of an honest man to-morrow." The man died penitent, but left the confession of his guilt to be made known by a person who sat up with him the previous evening. A few moments only sufficed for his dissolution.

continue onto Part III