New-York tribune., 1886-05-16
FATAL WORK or A GANG.
MURDEROUs ATTACK ON A POLICEMAN.

FELLED WITH A BEER KEG AND BEATEN WITH
sToNEs-rHREE RUFFIASs CAUGHT
A brutal and unprOvoked assault which will
probably end in the death Of the victim occurred last
evening at Eightcthst and the Boulevard. "A Ofcer
Simon l.. Ferdon. OF the Thirtyhrst Precinct was pa
trolling his beat at 730 o'clock he set upoE at the
locality mentioned By gang of Eleventh'ave.
rufians and before assistance could reach
him he had received blow from
beer keg which smashed In his SKULL
making him unconscious. As soon as aid could be sum-
moned an ambulance took tho Ninety ninth Street
Hospital. where ne lay at midnight in dying condition.
The hafdozen assailants fed as soon as their victim
fell but the attack had many witnesses and before the
evening by the assistance OF Captain Murphy
Detective Wagner officers the ruiisns who led
the brutal attack were caught
Officer Ferdon had just reached the eud OF
his beat. which extends along the Boulevard from
Eghtierh to Nintieth ss region occupied by only
few scattered shops and shaues. when he sped crowd
OF young men loungDg about the corner near pie OF
beer kegs. In a goodnatu tone he asked them 10
move on " and they apparently as Willingly starteu
to go around Their purpose was not peace
able one, however. for as soon as Ferdons back was
turned beer keg Weighing ton pounds hurled by Will
lam Brady age sixteen, the youngest OF the crowd,
struck the officer in the head knocking him senseless
This was the signal for the rest OF the
gang and, headed by John f. Brady anu
James c. Brady, ages twenty-five and twenty. brothers
the ruan who threw the kegthey attacked the ocer
with stones and CLUBS The cries and sound OF the blows
from the wrctches they beat the bruised ana uncon
scious form OF their victim aroused the people in the
neghborhood and two women and several men who had
witnessed the beginning of the attack ran to the spot
and begred them to desst No officer in sight. and
though none OF the gang was under the influence OF
liquor they continued to beat the PROSTATE officer
An excited and almost breathess man rushing Into
the police station at Oue-hundredth-st. near Ninth
was the first ntmation the police had OF the affair
Hastily dispatching the reserves the sergeant tee-
graphed for an ambulance. When Ferdon reached the
hospital his injuries were not known to be fatai put
examination showed that he had received compound
fracture of the skull and many bruises on his head.
back and abdonan. The wound in the head was three
inches long and one in breadth. extending from point
directly over the left eye entirely across til forehead
The cash. presumably madc by sharp cage OF slohe'
ia an ugly gaping and aroused the greatest concern IN
the mind Of House Surgeon Rau The examination
was followed by an attempt to extract the broken
pieces Of bone which could plainly be seen, when the
patient became totally unconscious and gave signs OF
sinking raptily A Coroner telegraphed for In
haste to take the officers ante-mortcm statement 10
case be rallied sufficiently.
As soon as he learned OF the assault Captain Murphy
OF tho Thirty lost time in getting out
the best men his force in citizens dress TO
hunt down the would.be murderers. The gang
40 u known TO the police John
E. Brady the eldest of the three brothers mentioned
having already been prison several times Tor MINOR
orecue. CAPTAIN Murphy in person, with Detective
Warner and friendly who knows all the gang
nv sight started in quest of the different members mo
news Of he mrierous attack had spread through the
MINER West side district rapidly, and by o'clock, when
reporter visited the locality crowds OF excited men
and women discussing its details ana hs-
tennp 10 tho accounts given by the many
Witnesses OF the affair. The names OF the assailants
were On every ones tongue and, OF they were
ro,vncre 10 be found Fearing arrest If not bodily
HARM they should be caught. they had hid In their
bomes or with friends and it was at this point the oh
GERS had the most difficulty
The Brady boys were first sought. Their home Is at
lrst.st and West End ave-, and here captain
Murphy and his detectives first tried The doors were
barricde eectng entrance Two OF the Drothers
were found seated coolly at taoe. AZ
tns sight of the captain, who Is stalwart
man the rufins felt tany attempt at escape was al
most useless. but sprlnGing up tosetne' fncy ,h
rial to iump to the ground. but not quick enough
ana I'm moment tLey were secured IaAeh 10 the
IN I'm different cells. AZ lOOcock the youngest orother
William found by an officer and joined MS orothers
in their confinement ,,, ,o.uoo. .to,,
They nave all bad records aud III personal aI
nearapce are considered ruiians or the worst type. Al
ioniVh tie arrest Of two others OF tue gang was re-
nnrted and CAPTAIN Murphy promises by daylight 10
have the entire gang under lock anu key. Ihceats
against the Brady brothers. around whom co'npo.o
ci,in of proot of and unprOyoked assat eAisus
we're frequently heard last night III the LOCALITY where
the affair occurred. -, ho,i, i,. his fallovv n Nj
. ,nd nv others who knew him. He quiet In the
discharge OF his duty and was popular WIN he dherrh
oiosse. i'm he came III contact lie nds peeh
on rho force for time but last evening was the
az, ine lie was assigned the beat which proved 10
h. disastrous to him. At late hour the report from tue
hospital was that the wounded man WAS sun a''o'