New York Dispatch

MORE RUFFIANISM—CONFLICT BETWEEN A Body of Rowdies And the Police.—Early on Thursday morning, a party of roughs crossed the Roosevelt street ferry from New York, and when their fare was demanded on the Williamsburgh side, they refused to pay. The ferry master thereupon refused to allow them to pass out of the gate, and called upon the deck hands for assistance. They immediately responded to his call, and brought up from the boat crowbars which are used on board. These weapons the roughs wrested from the employees of the company, and commenced a deadly assault upon all who impeded their progress. One of them struck the ferry master, Mr. Henry Crofton, over the head with one of the crowbars, inflicting a very serious wound. The tumult was so great that officers Frank Codner, David McFarland and Samuel J. Hoyt, of the Forty-fifth Precinct, were attracted to the spot. Upon the appearance of the officers, the roughs assailed them with the weapons they had, and officer Codner was hit on the head with a crowbar, receiving a dangerous wound. The officers, after using their firearms, managed to arrest some of the ruffians, who were taken to the Forty-fifth Precinct station house and locked up. Two of them were brothers, named Lane, and David and Timothy O'Connor. The Lanes are so injured by shots from the revolvers of the officers that they were sent to the City Hospital. But for the coolness and discretion of officer David McFarland, there would have been a fearful tragedy to record, as he restrained, at the peril of his own life, his brother officers from using the means which the law allowed them, to arrest and restrain the ruffians. Besides the injuries the ferry master received at their hands, an attache of the company, Mr. Heffernan, was so badly injured as to be unable to resume his duties at the ferry. Officer Codner is suffering from a contusion of the head, and is unable to answer roll call.