Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-23

Death of Eugene MOorehead, Who Killed
jackson Brandt Fifteen Years AgO-A
Sketch of the Encounter.

Death of Eugene MOorehead, Who Killed
jackson Brandt Fifteen Years AgO-A
Sketch of the Encounter.
Eugene Moorehead, a colored man, who
was quite prominent as a politician in
the years just after the close of the late
war, died in this city on Sunday and was
buried yesterday, his funeral being at
tended by several colored societies and
large concourse of his race.
In the DAYS of reconstruction, Moore
head, having many friends among the
white people, took sides with the Demo-
Gratis or old citizens against the carpet
baggers and Radicals, and was one of the
chief movers in the formation of an
opposition among the cOlOred people, TO
those pestiferous politicians. 1t required
considerable nerve to take such posi-
ton, but MOorehead had the courage, and
appeared to take great delight in ''beard-
ing the carpet-bagger lion in his den."
Politics were in a very doubtful state,
and il was found necessary to organize
the men of MOorehead's stamp into
clubs. and in 1868 several of these Organi-
cations were formed, one of which had
a cOlored man named jackson Brandt
for President and MOOrehead for Vice
President. There was considerable doubt
as to the loyalty of some OF the members
of these clubs to the conservative princi-
pies they professed, and the agitation of
this question led to fatal duel between
Brandt and MoOrehead.
At a meeting OF the club MOorehead
charged Brandt with being a traitor TO
his party. and asserted that he Brandt)
who had been a rabid Loyal Lacquer, was
playing a double game, and had only
Joined the Democratic ranks to betray
them to the enemy. On the Monday pre-
ceding the fatal meeting between these
two colored men, MOOrehead observed
Brandt leaving the house of a noted Radical
and at once accused him of double dealing,
and said, among other things, that he
Brandt had made speech in the Loyal
League, in which he had stated that it was
his intention to wash his hands in the
blood of every Southern man. Brandt
denied the charge, and a hot quarrel en-
sued. which, but for the interposition of
friends, would have terminated in fight
on the spot. They separated, and the
next day Tuesday Brandt sent chal-
lenge to mortal combat to MOOrehead,
Alex. Hardee, Secretary of the COnserva-
tive Club, bearing the missive. On hand
ing the note to MOOrehead Hardee was
asked by him: ''What it was all abOut!'
Hariee replied ''that it was challenge
to fight, and that Brandt had sent it,"
whereupOn MoOrehead, who was unable to
read or write, asked Haruee 10 Tedu IL,
which was done.
Moorehead then asked Hardee to write
an acceptance of the challenge, and state
that he would choose double-barreled shot
guns, loaded with sixteen buckshot, the
distance sixteen PAGES, and the duel at
Screven's Ferry. the meeting to take place
next morning at O'Clock.
The morning of the Sd of June, 1868,
found the parties on their way to the
ground. Brandt was accom- panied by his
second, Alex. Hardee, and MOOrehead by
his, Hayne Spearing. About dozen
friends were at the ferry, but no surgeon.
About quarter past nine O'Clock the pre-
liminaries were arranged, and the OPP
ponents placed opposite each other, six
teen PAGES distant, with dOuble-barreled
guns, each being loaded with sixteen
buckshOt. Brandt seemed somewhat
nervous, while Moorehead was perfectly
cool and collected. At the command both
fired simultaneously, and Brandt fell,
eXclaiming ''Pm not whipped yeti"
Brandt's second went TO him as soon as
he fell, and found that the charge from
MoOrehead's gun had entered both thighs.
Brandt was quite weak from loss of blood,
and he could not stand up, but said if Ehis
second would hold him up he would eX-
change another shot. His second very
properly refused to allow any further hos
tilities.
MOorehead then walked over to where
Brandt was lying and shook hands with
him. With the assistance OF MOorehead
and the others, Brandt was carried to the
boat, brought to the city, PLACED in We
hicle, and carried to his home. DR.. Bull
lOch was sent for, but the sufferer had
been so long without surgical aid that
nothing could be done except to alleviate
his pain. Brandt died two hours and
= - Ii.
severed one and probably both femOral
arteries.