Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-29
GIRL SHOTTODEATH':. !.
BY HER UNCLE ON
GRADUATION EVR
Florence Cope, l9 Year.
Old, Victim of kinsmsnn;. y
Rage When She Interfere,
to Save Mother.
Tragedy at Bucks County Farm.
house Followed by AII.Nisb,
Hunt for Man Who Fired Fatal
Shot.

DoYLEsTowN, Pa, Sent, a
ready for her graduation from a.
Philadelphia Business College, prs,,.
Florence Cope, 1s years of age. w,,
shot to death last night hv h..
uncle, John Cope, 42 years OF svo NJ
the home of her father. Clinton cons i.
the little village of Buckingham vsn.,
near here. What prompted the urs,.i
to kill his pretty niece is not entir.l,
clear, although it is believed to be ,s,r,
ousy She had upon several occaso,.
repulsed his caresses, saying she did no,
like him because he drank. He ma,
under the influence OF liquor when m,
shooting occurred Cope escaped an,
has up to this time succeeded in eud.
ing capture by the posse of officers ana
neishbors, who were beating through N,
thickets of Buckingham Mountain all n,
night searching for him.
John Cope, who is a painter living i,
the vicinity. went to the home of hi,
brother. Clinton Cope. at 10 O'Clock la,
night 1t was bright moonlight night
and Clinton Cope was out in the aeId
of his little farm cutting corn The via,
itor was IN an ugly mood from drins
and hurled abusive language at Mr.
Cope. Florence, who was in an rupps,
room of the house, heard the noise be.
low and ran downstairs TO her mother
When she appeared in the room her unel,
called her a vile name and declared:
"Ill shoot you, too"
lie thrust revolver against her Tn,
girl grasped the weapon, but Cope pullei
the trigger and the shot passed through
the girls abdomen. She died within an
hour. uil
After the shooting Cope ran out OF th,
house without shoes. coat or hat.
posse, which included a member OF Ii,
State police, Doylestown police aM
farmers in the vicinity, was organized
But an all-night search of the bulldlnsi
In the neighborhood and wood slopei
OF buckingham Mountain failed to reveal
the hiding place of the slayer. The poss,
is still beating the woods, as it is be.
lleved Cope could not have gotten far
The death of Florence Cope cast deep
gloom throughout the school rooms Of
the Philadelphia Business College, 1911
Chestnut street, where she had been 1
pupil since her graduation from Hlgh
School last year. ~
Miss Edith Ritchie, of Paulsboro, n. j.
pupil at the school, who had been ha
companion since they entered the schOd
together, could not attend class this
morning owing to the shock OF hs,
friends sudden death. The entire schod
was somewhat upset by the tragic ataiE
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 ne11
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 chaIe' +
of Miss Cope's class could not discuss me
affair at ALL so heartbroken was she al E
the news.
Mrs Elizabeth Thompson, a nelghboi
of the slain girl, who is an instructor az
the school, went up on the same tran
with Miss Cope last evening, and sh'
spoke of getting an early train into toWa
this morning TO catch up with some OF
her studies.
The girls death has so upset the seh9a
that graduation day in the college may
have to be postponed until next week.