Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-02-28

A DUEL BETWEEN NEGROES.
How Question Of Social Standing was Set
tled-Muskets the Weapons.

tled-MuskotS the Weapons.
from the Philadelphia Times.l
Negroes have been known to
fight duels in the South. Only
two months ago q couple of them,
as black as Erebus, met on a duel
ling field, from which only one re-
tired. The most conspicuous affair
between negroes that now remem.
Der, however, took place In Savan-
nah, or near Savannah, Ca, in
1872. The quarrel hinged on their
respective positions in society.
their names were Eugene Moore
head and Jackson Brand. Both
were leaders of some prominence.
Each Of them owned sort of res
taurant. The caucuses usually
took place in one of their saloons,
whore, over q plate of free ice
cream, they would mature their
plans. Suddenly Eugene discov-
cred that these conferences took
place usually In Jackson's saloon.
He asked Brand to meet him the
next night at his (Eugene's) sa-
loon. Brand declined to do so,
using such haughtiness Of manner
that Eugene was constrained to
suggest that perhaps with empha-
sis on the perhaps) Brand thought
his saloon twas kind of o low
place." Brand, moved by q spirit
Of truth, was obliged to confess
that he did 80 view it. At this
Eugene suggested to Brand that
perhaps he considered himself
somewhat above him (Eugene) in
the social scale. Brand again &C.
knowledged the force of Eugene's
suggestion; and Eugene proposed
to give him q chance to settle the
question Of his superiority.
The proposition being gladly ac-
copied by Brand, the next
question was the method Of
settlement. Itwould not do for
them to indulge in the old rough
and.tumble African fight
"ths fight Of their fathers"
and they determined to adopt
the custom endorsed by the white
folks. Eugene, therefore, chal-
longed Brand to meet him in NOR
tai combat. Brand accepted the
verbal challenge, named mus
kets as the weapons, across the riv-
er as the place, and the next MORN
ing as the time. The arrangements
were made verbally. 1t was agreed
that no one should accompany
them but the boatmen who were to
pull them to the place of meeting.
30 the next morning, in the gray
dawn, two boats pulled out from
the city wharf. A single oarsman
propelled each craft, and in the
bow of each sat tall, determined
negro holding in his arms q mus
ket.
The opposite side reached, the
combatants saluted each other
stiffiy, aud plunged into the woods.
The oarsmeu waited in their boats
until result had been reached aud
IL had been determined whether
Eugene or Brand stood highest in
society. One of the stipulations
was that each man should put just
as many bullets in his musket as
he wanted to. Taking advantage
of this allowance, Eugene poured o
full handful Of slugs into his musk
ct, and announced himself ready.
Brand took his position, and the
word was given. 1t is not definite
ly known which gave the word, or
how it was managed. All that we
know 10 that two terrific explosions
were heard, and Eugene, walking
to the edge of the woods, announced
that he had killed Brand. Brand
was found lying upon his face, rid
died with the bullets which Eugene
had put in his gun. AS the duel
took place on Carolina sell, no de-
cided legal steps were taken that I
am aware of, and the noise of the
duel soon died out.