In April 1832, Constables Dent took station at the rear of the Oddfellows with colleagues Jeffrey and Bodycote. Dent knocked on the door, upon gaining entrance began to search the house, being certain there were tipplers in there, hearing a rattling of jugs. The company ran into the yard, but finding the back entrance blocked they took refuge in the privy and were found by the constables. In his defence, landlord told the court that those in his house were the committee of the Odd Fellows Lodge and were conducting business connected with it.
Witnesses confirmed Perry’s statement, but the magistrates reiterated that under the law beer houses must be free from any company after 10pm. Alderman Rawson mockingly commented that it was ‘werry pecoolier’ that the committee chose such a ‘foul arbour’ (privy) to conduct business but ‘perhaps they were acting in compliance with their order.’ The bench read the following portion of the act:
No person licensed to sell beer under this act shall have or keep his house open for the sale of nor shall he suffer any beer to be drunk in or at such a house, at any time before 4 o’clock in the morning, nor after 10’oclck in the evening, on any day of the week, nor at any time between the hours of 10 0′ clock in the forenoon and 1 0′ clock in the afternoon, nor between 3 and 5 0′ clock in the afternoon on Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas Day, any such person found shall forfeit the sum of 40/-
Perry was duly fined 40/-
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