Inquest

An inquest was held at Fovant, on the body of  Jacob Light. It appeared that on the preceding Thursday evening, about half-past eleven o'clock, he left an inn in the village, for the purpose of proceeding to his dwelling, about a mile from that place. He had walked as far as Lime-way-road, when, overcomeby liquor, he lay down on the right side of the road, where he remained during the night.

About 6 o'clock in the morning a waggon came down the hill, and the driver, on reaching the spot, heard a crack, as if a wheel had broken. On examination, however, he found that the noise had proceeded from the crushing of the man's head, one of the wheels having passed over it.

The body was taken on to his house, and left in the lower apartments, when, through the neglect of his wife, who it was supposed was intoxicated at the time, one of his dogs (the deceased being a rat-catcher) actually devoured the greater part of the man's head.

Verdict - “Accidental death, with a deodand of 1s, on the waggon.”