THURSDAY, APRIL 27. Thom. Cole, whose moral vision could never yet discover any difference between possession and ownership, where a horse was concerned, was brought before me this morning, mounted on a fleet steed belonging to a citizen of the town. He had removed the brand of the rightful owner and substituted his own; but the disguise was easily penetrated, and the horse identified. Thom. averred the horse was found on his rancho; but he was ordered to deliver him to his proper owner, who stood by to receive him. At this moment Thom. sprung into his saddle and was off, horse and all, in the twinkling of an eye. I applied to Gen. Mason for a file of soldiers; they were promptly ordered, and stationed on the three streets, through one of which Thom. must make his egress from town. He soon came sweeping on at the top of his speed, when he suddenly found three muskets levelled at him, with an order to dismount. There was no discharge in that war, and down he jumped, and was soon delivered over to me. How changed! a moment before setting the whole world at defiance; and now praying to be saved from the fleas of the prison. As the flea could only punish him without benefiting the town, I determined to reach him through another channel, by which both purposes should be answered; and fined him fifty dollars for contempt of court. So Thom. lost his horse and fifty dollars, and got a lesson of humiliation which quelled his spirit like a wet blanket thrown on a flaxen flame. TUESDAY, MAY 2. I was roused from my sleep last night by a loud, hurried knocking at my door, and a voice exclaiming, “Alcalde, alcalde!” On reaching the door I found there a young Mexican, the clerk of a store near by, without hat or shoes, and only a blanket wrapped around him. He told me the volunteers had broken into his store, and were robbing the money-chest. By this time my constable was up, and, throwing on our clothes, we hastened with the clerk to his store; but not a human being was to be seen. He showed us the bolt that had been forced, the chest that had been broken, the pistol that he had snapped, and the wound that he had received on the head. I sent the constable to the captain of the volunteers, who immediately searched his quarters, where he found every man in his berth, except those on guard. With these unsatisfactory results I returned to my office and bed, and directed the constable to keep an eye on the clerk.