A NEW ROLE

NZ Truth, Issue 1199, 22 November 1928, Page 9

A NEW ROLE

Mumf ord Was Not A Dead 'Un

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Rep.) There is probably no more maligned person m the sporting world than the horse-trainer, and his ears must burn with the threats ventilated when his favored runner is among the also starteds. DITCHFORKS, axes or poison may be the favorite means suggested by the disappointed punter for dispatching the wily trainer ot the also-ran, but m the interests of the trainer perhaps it is just as well that the heart will never grieve for what the ear cannot hear or the eye see. Whether James Gaskin had a' grieveance over a slow horse was never proved, but, s if, the story of Arthur Mum ford be true, Gaskin had designs on Mumford's headpiece and threatened to dissect it with a knife. Mumford is a well-known horse trainer of Waimataitai, near Timaru, and, pleading self defence, 'he was successful m having an assault charge against him dismissed by Magistrate C. R. Orr-Walker. Gaskin was admitted to the Timaru Public Hospital late at, night suffering from a cut which, it was alleged, had been caused when Mumford struck at his head with an axe. Gaskin's side of the story was to the effect that Mumford had threatened to slice off his top-piece and had actually swung the axe at witness, and to save himself, Gaskin had raised his arm m protection and thereby suffered a deep cut on his left-hand. . Under cross-examination -by Lawyer L. M. Inglis, Gaskin assessed the quantity of liquor he had had that day at two or three spots. Mumford declared that Gaskin was -the 1 aggressor, and had come home to .defendant's hut about 10 o'clock at night fighting drunk. Mumford said he suffered Gaskin's having for about an hour and a -half, and he became annoyed at Gaskin's threat to chop defendant's head off: Thinking that Gaskin would carry his threat into effect, Mumford jumped out of bed and gathered* up an axe for defence. Gaskin made a grab at the weapon, and while doing so cut his arm. . The S.2VT. considered that Gaskin had been drunk and that Mumford had acted when he thought his life was m danger, so he dismissed the charge..