The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-01 00:00:00

HAY MARKETS.

SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, £3 108 to £5 5s ; clover
£4 103 to £6 103 Od; and straw, 88 to £1 123 per load
Trade dull.
CUMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, £3 108 to £5 lOs ; clover
£4 103 to £6 10s 6d; and straw, £lBs to £1 12s per load
A slow trade.

WHITECHAPEL,--Meadow hay, £3 10s to £5 5s ; clover,
£1 10s to £6 lOs ; and straw, 8s to 1 12a per load. De-
mand inactive.

Extraordinary Case of Mistaken Identity.

One of the most singular cases of mistaken identity that
has been recorded of late years was the subject of a magis-
terial investigation at the Melksham Petty Sessions on
Tuesday last, having been adjourned from a previous day
A respectable man, named Henry Colbourne, was charged
with assaulting a young man named Lee and his mother,
about 10 o'clock on the night of Aug. 24, in the yard of
the Royal Oak Inn, Melksham. There was some dispute
between the assailant and the assailed respecting the pas-
sage to the yard being blocked up by the vehicle of the
latter, the former being thereby prevented from driving
through. From words they came to blows, and the
assailant used his whip and whip handle very freely on
young Lee, and also struck his mother, finally driving
away. The assault was witnessed by a large number
of persons, some of whom had intimately known Mr.
Colborne for terms of 20 years, 18 years, 29 years, and
10 years respectively. These and several other witnesses,
swore positively to the identity of Mr Colbourne as the
assailant, and described how they called to him by name,
tinrinr the progress of the assault to desist. No evidence
could have been stronger or more consistent.

On the part of the defence there were called Mr George
Pritchard, yeoman—Mr John Thomas, yeoman—Mr
Samuel Moore, yeoman—Mr David Clarke, yeoman—Mr
John Gunstone, builder—and Eli Camery, who clearly
proved and accounted for Mr :Colb ,urne's presence from
nine o'clock p.m., un til:a quarter to eleven on the night of
the assault, giving particulars which it was impossible to
dispute.
These wi'nesses were severely oross-examined, but their
evidence was not in the least shaken or impaired.
Mr Smith, who appeared for the defendant, then put a
singular witness into the box, a Mr G. J. Day, and re-
quested him to tell the magistrate what he knew of the
matter. Mr Day then proceeded to say—About ten
o'clock on the night in question I came into the town in
my trap and drove into Mr Whale's yard at the Oak. As
I went into the yard some man took my horse by the head
and began striking it. I asked him what he did it for, and
told him to get out of the way. I gave him a cut with the
whip. Ho pulled off his coat and offered to fight. I up
with my fist and knocked him down. Robert Carpenter
came up and said, "Cousin Colbourne, if you strike that
man again I will knock your brains out." The parties then
went down the yard towards the house, and I went with
my trap into the upper yard. I staid a little time, and then
left. Mr Colbourne was not there. No one struck a blow
but myself. I have come forward voluntarily, that an
innocent man should not suffer for what I did myself. I
had no rest about it, and I came and told Mr Colbourne
this morning that I was the man who did it.

The bench and bar having sufficiently marvelled at the
extraordinary nature of the case, the summons against Mr
Colbourne was dismissed.

THE CROPS IN AMERICA,—A mass of informs

tion as to the crops of the Northern and Western
States and the Canadas, has been collected. On the whole,
there are good crops the count
has had its effect, but not to thery
through.extent
tThe season
has destroying
rodrT so
har-
vests in many places, nor even of reducing themlLinglow the
average. In New York State, for instance, the crop of wheat
is estimated at from one sixth to one half less than usual in
eight or ten counties, while in the remainder it is a full
average crop or more. Corn is much worse in proportion—
the proportions in fact being about reversed, so that in
not more than eleven counties does the yield come up to
the average. In one, Chautauqua, it is one fifth more.
In all the rest, it is from one tenth to two thirds less
than the average. Oats, again, do even worse than this,
but their deficiency is partly balanced by a full average crop
of rye. Hay is at least one third less than usual. Penn-
sylvania reports 42 counties, in which the yield of wheat is
from one sixth to one hill less than usual ; the quality, how-
ever, even where the crop is small, being for the most part
good. Corn is about the same, oats muoh Letter, rye almost
everywhere an average crop. The West, while it does not
rejoice in one of those magnificent harvests which exceed all
estimate and expectation, yields so bountifully as to put at
rest all apprehension of anything like a short crop, and of
soarcity even for the unusual needs of such a year as this.
The great diminution of labour, and the general drought of
three months duration, have not sufficed to reduce the crop
below a fair average, In Illinois, wheat varies a good deal of
different counties—in some is a fourth larger than usual,
in a few is less, in many is about as usual. In the
southern part of the state," says the report, " winter wheat
looks good; spring wheat throughout the state is a little
below the average. Corn promises well all over the state
until it reaches points 200 miles south of Chicago. Crop of
oats larger." In Ohio, wheat is below the average; corn
rather better ; oats decidedly a better crop than usual. In
Michigan it is known that many crops were burned, so that
the average yield is considerably reduced. lowa has suffered
less from drouth than most of the states. Not a single county
is reported as growing a less than average crop of wheat,
corn, oats, or rye, while in many the yield is very large in-
decd, and the quality also frequently beyond the usual stan-
dard. Potatoes, in this state, have done not quite so well, but
hay is in no case below, and in many countries is above, the
ordinary crop. In Indiana, wheat is one fourth less than
usual in Allen county, but everywhere else is stated to be
up to or beyond the average. Corn does not quite so well,
nor the other crops. Kentucky has half a crop of wheat,
full average of corn, and oats and hay. " Tobae,o has suf-
fered in Southern Kentucky, owing to disturbances, but
along the Ohio River the crop will be more than last year.
Dealers estimate the whole crop of the state from one quar-
ter to ono half that of last year; but much depends on sub-
sequent weather before its maturity." Wisconsin has pretty
fair crops throughout—something below the average, but
of good and often extra quality, though the drouth seems
to have prevailed unremittingly.—New York Ts arse.
A CHILD CARRIED OFF RY A PIG,--The Cromarty
correspondent of the John o'Groat Journal states
that on Tuesday last a pig, droves of which are continually
roaming about the Fishertown of Cromarty, attacked a
child of about two years of age, and, catching its left
hand in its mouth, made off, dragging the child along
after it. Hearing the little creature's screams, two men
bolted in pursuit, and, laying hold. of the pig, they found
it necessary to administer a series of kicks before the brute
would let go. Fortunately the child was not seriously
hurt,