Evening star., 1924-10-05

wreckage of his plane. But nobody
knew at the time which plane 1t was.
Out of the clouds also came another
plane. and as it flashed across the
starting line only those close to the
judges stand caught sight Of the
number. "Who is 1t, Skeel or Brook
ley?" the crowd demanded. "For
heavens sake who is it?" went up the
cry from all quarters. The announcer
at the microphone was silent. Shortly
after Rex Stoner passed out of sight
on the course the markers on the
large score boards all along the miles
Of grandstand, who were to chalk up
the miles per hour for each lap stimuli
taneously. wrote after the name
''Skeer the word "Out." Immediately
after the crash a rescue party and
crew began digging in the soft dirt,
and tonight the body had not been
recovered.
Curious Crowd Stopped.
The 520-horsepower Curtiss D-12-A
motor of the plane had someway be-
come detached at the last moment
and was soon recovered. 1t was split
down the center. as though sawed by
powerful machine. Maj. Gen. Mason
M. Patrick, chief of the Army Air
Service; Mrs. Skeel, who saw her hus-
band plunge to death. and high Off
cfals connected with the race rushed
to the grave of the flyer. The crowd
made rush for the spot but military
discipline came into play and the
curious were barred
But all the while this is being
written Mills, Brookley and Stoner
were tearing around the 50-kilometer
course for distance of 200 kilo-
meters or l2427 miles. On the first
lap. Mills was two miles faster than
Brookley, with speed of PA miles
per hour and at the finish of the race
he stood first with an average for the
four laps of 1855, Brookley second with
2l4.45 and Stoner a very poor third with
1878 50 miles per hour.
Not until he landed, was it
known what a mighty battle Brook
ley had TO save himself from pos
sble death. Just before the race"
he told the writer, "Skeel said I'll
climb to about 5000 and then dive
across the line. Will you follow me?"
Brookley he said would
Sure SkeeI Would Crash.
Skeel stopped at an altitude of
about $500 feet, Brookley said, and
they both started to dive 1t was not
vertical dive, but the angle they
were travelling almost was straight
down. Soon Brookley's ship began to
rock up and down. a motion equiva-
lent to rocking chair, and he was
forced TO put into play all his eN-
tensive aeronautical knowledge to
pull IL out of the more or less un-
controlled situation. Il saw Skeel
go straight down from the angle he
was flying at and ! was sure he was
going to crash" Brookley continued,
but | thought certain he would jump
with his parachute
That was the last he saw OF his
comrade and he started around the
course with his sensitive plane.
Every time he struck a few bumps
il would begin to rock up and down
and that condition is not pleasant
when flying in a mere shell at PA
miles per hour. When the last lap
had been flown. Brookley zoomed.
circled the field and prepared 10
land, but his speed was so great he
had to get into the air again before
he let the delicate narrow wheels
strike against the rough ground.
Time Far Under Record.
The second attempt was successful.
Mills lost track of the laps he had
made and went around the course a
fifth time to make sure. He is the win
ner of the race. at speed much less
than that established last year by the
Navy and under conditions that dis
tracted the attention of the audience
from the race.
The first prize is $1,000, second
$4,000, and third. $500, all in Liberty
bonds. The fourth prize would have
been $1,000. The prizes were to have
been presented to the winners at d
smoker to be held tonight at which
the world flyers would have been
guests of honor, but the National
Aeronautic Association cancelled the
affair.
Capt. Skeel was very popular In the
Air Service. He had winning per-
sonality and always a smile. He
was born in Ohio and entered the
Air Service about four years ago
from the Infantry. From the be
ginning he was a Jealous hyer and
frequently was reprimanded for TAX
ing unnecessary chances. At the all
meet at Selfridge Field, Mich, he
took off for a flight and just as ne
left the ground his landing gear
dropped off Efforts from the ground
and in the air to acquaint him with
the fact he had no wheels failed and
when he landed there was a bad
crack-up. a short time in the hos
pital was the worst Capt. Skeel suf-
tered He came into national
aeronautical prominence last year AT
st. Louis by winning the John L.
Mitchell trophy race, flown one year
ago today, just before the Pulitzer
event He was the last to start, and
although he flew the same type OF
plane the other entrants did. Thomas
Morse, pursuit, he came In nrst. III
was this feat that figured prominent
" in his selection for the Pulitzer
event this year. In addition to his
widow, he is survived by two
children.
Pearson Death similar.
About month ago, another
sterling Army pilot was killed in
about the same manner-Lieut. Alex
Pearson of McCook Field, who was
flying Navy Curtiss racer at this
field. His death was not attended
by the horrible and gruesome circum-
stances that surround the recovery
of Capt Skeels body, however.
The wings of the Navy racer, which
had been turned over to the Army
for Lieut.. Pearson to fly in the
Pulitzer race, collapsed in rapid
dive, shortly after he had passed
Capt. Skeel. who also was in the air
at the time flying the original Army
racer for practice. The plane lost
TODAY was built for the Pulitzer race
in 1922, and was flown by Lieut..
Maughan. The other one, flown to-
day by Brookley, was entered and
wen second place two years ago by
Lieut.. l.. j. Maitland of Boiling Field.
Todays tragedy marks the first
death in an air meet of this character
since they were established several
years ago. Starting with a speed of
about $50 miles an hour the airplane
builders reached their peak last year
when Lieut.. AL. J. Williams of the