The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-05-21
SPEED HOLMAN
KILLED in CRASH
Accident Occurred at Omaha
In Presence of 10000 Hor-
rified Spectators
KNOWN In SAUK CENTRE
Exhibited at Stearns County
Accepted Death Rather
Than Kill and Main

Charles. w. (Speed) Holman, in
innate friend of Col. Charles A.
Lindbergh, and quite well known
in Sank Centre, as he had appear
ed at the Stearns county fair sew
eral times, was instantly killed at
Omaha Sunday when his plane
crashed while he was maneuver-
ing IN the presence Of 10000 at an
aerial exhibition.
When the accident occurred
Speed was travelling upside down
at the rate Of. 800 miles per hour
He was within a couple Of hundred
feet Of the ground and attempted
to right his plane. failing in this
he tried to gain altitude, also failed
Sensing that he would likley crash
into the granstand, killing and
manning many he delibertely
crashed, sacrificing his life to save
others.
Mr.. Holman was one Of Amer
ica's foremost aviators. He started
making records in 1928. His last
was a Is mile free for all race al
Omaha few hours before his
tragic death.
Mr.. Holman was not on the reg
ular program. One of the stunt
filters failing to appear Speed
agreed to take his place. The fol.
lowing is a list of the outstanding
records made by this remarkable
aviator:
1923-Won stunt flying contest,
national Pulitzer races, st. Louis
1924-Took second place in ION
to Dayton" race, Minot, N. D., to
Dayton, Ohio. Prize money, ST.
300.
1927-Won national air derby
New York to Spokane in 10
hours, AZ minutes. Prize money,
$4,000.
1927-won Spokane to Port
land race by 81 seconds from
Eddie Ballough, 300 miles. Prize
money, $1,000.
192s-Established worlds rec
ord of 1433 consecutive loops in
five hours over st. Paul airport.
Record still stands.
1928-Won Los Angeles to Gin
,inatti air derby. Prize money $500
1929-Established air mail speed
record for commercial planes over
established route, Mime
apolis to Chicago, $50 miles, in one
hour and 48 minuets.
1929-Piloted first commercial
plane ever to make an outside
loon Did it 10 times.
1929-Won first annual Gardner
trophy race, Memorial day, st
Louis to Indianapolis and return,
averaging 157 miles per hour. Prize
money, $3.50; also possession of
Gardner trophy cup valued at $500.
1929-Won 800 cubic inch closed
course race at national aeronau-
teal races, Cleveland. Prize
money, $500.
1930-Won $4,000 Thompson
trophy natioal air races, Chicago.
1930-Eestablished new speed re-
cord for commercial planes from
to Chicago; one hour
and 40 minutes.
1931-Won 25-mile free for all
plane race at Omaha, May 16.
The body arrived in Minneapolis
Tuesday morning. Mr.. Holman was
an active and ardent Mason. The
funeral was held from the Scot
fish Rite Cathedral, Minneapolis,
today, Thursday, at 2:30 p. m. The
remains were laid to rest in Aca-
STA, Masonic cemtery, near Men
dota This cemetery is located in a
direct line of air mail route be-
tween the Twin Cities and Chi
cago. The body will be laid to rest
at the highest point Of the ceme-
terry. Mr.. Holman had often ex-
pressed to his wife the wish that
when he passed on to be buried in
this cemetery.
Another splendid flier has been
to satisfy the greed Of
Mr.. Average American Citizen for
q Roman Holiday.