Claims extracted
14
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 14 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
61/100
The Sydney Morning Herald's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Entertainment
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
The local legend starts like all good ghost stories do: with a mysterious disappearance, suspicious townspeople and the unnerving appearance of an apparition with a message.
asserted
stories → start → message
However, it’s how the ghost story is remembered and celebrated 200 years later that sets Campbelltown in south-west Sydney apart from any other Halloween tradition in Sydney.
asserted
Campbelltown → ’ → Sydney
The Festival of Fisher’s Ghost, an event that runs for two weeks until November 8 and features a range of ghost-themed community celebrations, is held in honour of Frederick Fisher and the story of his death.
asserted
that → run → death
Colourful floats and performers took over the town centre on Saturday in a “ghost parade” – an event residents have been wanting to return for six years.
asserted
residents → take → years
Campbelltown City Council Mayor Darcy Lound said there was still great interest in the ghost of Fred Fisher.
asserted
Lound → say → Fisher
“There’s still people who say today [that] you can still hear noises in our historic Campbelltown Theatre because that’s where his house basically used to sit, where the old Town Hall Theatre is now,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → Theatre
“There’s a thing there when they lock up, they say ‘goodnight, Fred’, and it’s a tradition that still goes today.”
Campbelltown City Council’s record of Fisher shows he was a farmer who mysteriously disappeared in 1826 after giving his neighbour, George Worrall, power of attorney over his farm while he served a short prison sentence.
Despite Worrall saying Fisher had sailed for England after being released from jail, the townspeople were suspicious, especially after he sold Fisher’s horse and belongings.
asserted
sold → ’ → horse
Fisher’s disappearance remained unsolved for a few months, the case reopening only after new information appeared in an unexpected way: through a ghost sighting.
asserted
information → remain → sighting
“A bloke by the name of John Farley was in the pub having a couple of beers, and ... he was walking home and came across the bridge, and says he’d seen this ghostly figure sitting on the bridge, pointing to an area of the paddock,” Lound said.
asserted
Lound → have → paddock
“So John Farley, in a panic, ran back into the pub and said he’s seen a ghost, it’s pointing to the paddock.
asserted
it → run → paddock
As the story goes, Farley was right and Fisher’s body was found in the paddock.
asserted
body → go → paddock
Worrall was arrested and found guilty of his murder, and later hanged.
asserted
Worrall → arrest → murder
It’s a tale Lound says residents are still fascinated by, describing it as Campbelltown “through and through”, and the reason why the tradition of the Fisher’s Ghost Festival has continued for 70 years.
asserted
tradition → ’ → years
For the believers, the ghost of Fisher is set to make an appearance throughout the festival – although this version is depicted as a smiling costumed ghost wearing sneakers.
asserted
version → set → sneakers
The Aporia
