Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a crowd of people.

1879		‘Autobiog. of a Thief’ in Macmillan’s Mag. (London) XL 501: Then he rammed my nut (head) against the wall and shook the very life out of me. This got a scuff (crowd) round us.
1887		‘Dagonet’ ‘A Plank Bed Ballad’ Referee 12 Feb. n.p.: I guyed, but the reeler he gave me hot beef / And a scuff came about me and hollered.