Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-29
GIRL SHOT TODEATH
BY HER UNCLE ON /.
GRADUATION EVE
Florence Cope, 19 Year
Old, Victim of Kinsman' !.
Rage When She Interfere,
to Save Mother. \
Tragedy at Bucks County Farm.
house Followed by AlI.Niph,
Hunt for Man Who Fired Fatal
Shot.

DoYLEsTowN, Pa, Sent. % ,,t
ready for her graduation from, a..
Philadelphia Business College nro,,-
Florence Cope, 1S years of age Wa,
shot to death last night bv -.
uncle, John Cope, AZ years of ara i,
the home of her father, Clinton Conc !,
the little village of Buckingham vsno.
near here. What prompted the urc.
to kill his pretty niece is not en,r0,.
clear although 1t is believed to be ,ea,.
ousy. She had upon several occss,o,.
repuised mis- caresses, saying she did ma,
like him because he drank He w,.
under the influence of liquor when N.
shooting occurred Cope escaped an,
has UP to this time succeeded in a,,s.
ing capture by the posse of officers ana
neighbors, who were beating through IN.
thickets OF Buckingham Mountain all lan
night searching for him.
John Cope, who Is painter living in
the vicinity, went to the home of nj,
brother, Clinton Cope. at 10 O'Clock la,,
night. 1t was bright moonlight nigh,
and Clinton Cope was out in the field
of his little farm cutting corn. The via.
itor was IN an ugly mood from drink
and hurled abusive language at Mr,,
Cope. FloreDce, who was in an upper
room of the house, heard the noise be.
low and ran downstairs TO her mother.
When she appeared in the room her uncl.
called her a vile name and declared:
"I'll shoot you. too"
lie thrust revolver against her. Tn,
girl grasped the weapon, but Cope pulled
the trigger and the shot passed through
the girls abdomen. She died within an
hour.
After the shooting Cope ran out of the
house without shoes, coat or hat
posse, which included member of tn.
State police, Doylestown police and
farmers in the vicinity, was organized
But an all-night search of the buildings
in the nelghborhood and wood slopes
of buckingham Mountain failed to reveal
the hiding place of the slayer. The posse
is still beating the woods, as 1t is be.
lleved Cope could not have gotten far
The death OF Florence Cope cast deep
gloom throughout the schoo! rooms Of
the Philadelphia Business College, l0li
Chestnut street, where she had been
pupil since her graduation from High
School last year.
Miss Edith Ritchle, of Paulsboro, N. j..
a pupil at the school, who had been her
companion since they entered the school
together, could not attend class this
morning owing to the shock OF her
friends sudden death. The entire school
was somewhat upset by the tragic affair
As late as Yesterday afternoon Miss
Cope spoke to Joseph Leming, the presi'
dent of the school. regarding her gradua-
tion. which was to take place on next
Friday she was one of the most en-
thusiastic pupils that has ever ATTENDED
our school," said Mr.. Leming this after
noon. The teacher who has had charge
of Miss Cope's class could not discuss the
affair at all, so heartbroken was she az
the news.
Mrs Elizabeth Thompson, nelghbof
OF the slain girl, who Is an instructor az
the school, went up on the same train
with Miss Cope last evening, and she
spoke of getting an early train into town
this morning to catch up with some OF
her studies.
The girls death has so upset the schooi
that graduation day in the college may
have to be postponed until next week