Mr. T. D. Gibson, MA., coroner for North Armagh, held an inquiry in the boardroom of Lurgan Infirmary on Saturday night on Frederick Maynard Sinton, of Woodbank, Portadown. Mr. Sinton was fatally injured in a motor collision at Bleary cross-roads at 2 a.m. the same morning.

Inspector Small, Banbridge, conducted the proceedings on behalf of the Crown. Mr. John Gallery represented the owner and driver of the lorry, Robert Finlay, Magherana, Waringstown, and Robert M'Avoy, Corcreaney. Mr. J. Girling appeared for the next-of-kin, and Mr. I. Copeland (instructed by Messrs. C. & H. Jefferson) on behalf of an interested party.

Captain Thomas Ferguson, Banbridge, brother-in-law, said Mr. Sinton was 32 years of age, married, and was a director of Messrs. Thomas Sinton & Son, linen manufacturers, Gilford.

Dr. James Carson, Lurgan Hospital, said Mr. Sinton was brought in at 3.45 on Saturday morning. He was then dead. The cause of death was shock and haemorrhage following laceration of the brain due to fracture of the skull.

Robert Finlay, owner of the lorry, said he was a farmer, and had a livestock lorry. Robert M'Avoy was driver of the lorry, and they had been to Belfast with a load of horses from Keady. Returning from Belfast at night they left a passenger at Edenderry, Portadown, and then proceeded towards Waringstown. Approaching Well's cross-roads, on the main Lurgan-Gilford road, the driver changed down into second gear, and " crawled " out on to the road. Witness looked to the left and right and saw no traffic. When the lorry was almost across the road he saw a car. The driver of the lorry swerved to the right, but the crash occurred. He was positive that there, were no lights on the car at any time. He could not say at what speed the car was travelling.

Witness was thrown out of the lorry and the driver was lying right underneath the chassis. He crawled to the car where he heard groans, and then went to Mr. Well's house for help. The door of the car was fast, and on opening it with a lever they found Mr. Sinton in the driver's seat with his head hanging to the left. He lifted him up and saw that he was dead. It was the back portion of the lorry that the car struck. The car seemed to be on its own side of the road.

The jury returned an open verdict.

The owner and driver of the lorry are detained in Lurgan Hospital.

Mr. Frederick Maynard Sinton, of Woodbank, Moyallon, lost his life in a motor car accident at Bleary, three miles from Lurgan, in the early hours of Saturday morning. A director of Messrs. Thomas Sinton & Co. Ltd., linen manufacturers, Laurelvale and Tandragee, he was aged 32, and was a son of Mr. F. B. Sinton, of Banford House, Gilford.

Mr. Sinton was alone in his car. At a cross-roads there was a collision with a lorry, and he was found dead in the driving seat afterwards. The lorry was driven by Robert M'Avoy, and is the property of Mr. R. Finlay, Waringstown.

At an inquest held in Lurgan Hospital on Saturday by Mr. T. D. Gibson, M.A., coroner, an open verdict was returned.

Mr. G. Phillip Girling, solicitor, Portadown, appeared for the next-of-kin; Mr. Isaac Copeland (instructed by Messrs. C. & H. Jefferson, solicitore, Belfast) for an interested party; and Mr. John Gallery, solicitor, Lurgan, for the driver and owner of the lorry.

Captain Thomas Ferguson, Ballyvarley House, Banbridge, said Mr. Sinton, his brother-in-law, was 32 years of age and was a company director. He was married.

Dr. J. Cardon gave evidence that death was due to shock and hemorrhage following laceration of the brain and fracture of the skull.

Mr. Finlay, owner of the lorry, said M'Avoy conveyed a load of horses to Belfast on Friday, John Hamill and witness accompanying him. They left Belfast between 11-30 and 11-45 p.m. and drove to Portadown, where they left Hamill. They started for Waringstown via Edenderry, and in order to get home they had to pass over the main Lurgan-Gilford road at Bleary crossing.

Approaching the crossing M'Avoy changed down and sounded his horn. Witness looked up and down the road when approaching the corner and saw nothing. The lorry had its full lights on. "When the lorry was about over the crossing," said witness, " I saw all of a sudden the glance of a car. My driver swerved to the left, but the vehicles collided, and I was knocked unconscious."

Witness added that he saw no lights on the car, and when he recovered consciousness he found his driver underneath the lorry, the windscreen of which was completely smashed.

Witness went to the car and found the door caught. He forced it open. Mr. Sinton was in the driver's seat and was then dead.

A juror - Do you want us to believe that there were no lights on the car?

Witness - Yes.

Mr. Gallen - There is another person who will prove there were no lights on the car.

Captain Heriott, public service vehicle inspector, said the car was practically wrecked and the lorry front severely damaged.

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.