and we want you to decide which of us is entitled to it." I
turned to the man who had the horse, administered an oath to him, and
then examined him as to where he got the horse, of whom and when,
whether he had a bill of sale, whether there was any mark or brand on
the animal, and, in short, put all those questions which would
naturally be asked in such a case to elicit the truth. I then
administered an oath to the other man and put him through a similar
examination, paying careful attention to what each said. When the
examination was completed I at once decided the case. "It is very
plain, gentlemen," I said, "that the horse belongs to this man
(pointing to one of them) and the other must give him up." "But,"
said the man who had lost and who held the horse, "the bridle
certainly belongs to me, he does not take the bridle, does he?" I
said, "Oh no, the bridle is another matter." As soon as I said this
the owner of the bridle turned to his adversary and said, "What will
you take for the horse?" "Two hundred and fifty dollars," was the
instant reply. "Agreed," retorted the first, and then turning to me,
he continued: "And now, Mr. Alcalde, I want you to draw me up a bill
of sale for this horse which will stick." I, of course, did as he
desired. I charged an ounce for trying the case and an ounce for the
bill of sale; charges which were promptly paid. Both parties went off
perfectly satisfied. I was also well pleased with my first judicial
experience.

Soon after my election I went to San Francisco to get my effects; and
while there I purchased, on credit, a frame house and several zinc
houses, which were at once shipped to Marysville. As soon as the
frame house was put up I opened my office in it, and exercised not
only the functions of a magistrate and justice, but also of a
supervisor of the town. I opened books for the record of deeds and
kept a registry of conveyances in the district. I had the banks of
the river graded so as to facilitate the landing from vessels. The
marshal of my court, elected at the same time with myself, having
refused to act, I appointed an active and courageous person in his
place, R.B. Buchanan by name, and directed him to see that peace was
preserved, and for that purpose to appoint as many deputies as might
be necessary. He did so, and order and peace were preserved
throughout the district, not only in Marysville, but for miles
around.

As a judicial officer, I tried many cases, both ci