Extracted from The Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX)
Monday, July 15, 1935

Fatal Wound in Breast Is Received by Mrs. Estelle Thelma Cope at Her Home on Sunday

Man Put in Jail

Slaying Follows Visit of Victim to Daughter Living at Grand Prairie

Mrs. Estelle Thelma Cope, 22, was wounded fatally by a charge from a 12-gauge shotgun late Sunday afternoon at her home, 2723 McKinney.

A man giving his name as Joe B. Beckworth, 27, of the same address, surrendered to the city police. He made a statement to Capt. Will Fritz of the homicide division. He was being held in the city jail Sunday night.

Mrs. Cope was employed as a masseuse by Mrs. E. L. Beckworth, 2723 McKinney, mother of J. B. Beckworth.

In addition to Mrs. Beckworth, three other persons were in the house at the time of the shooting. Mitchell Cope, Grand Prairie, ex-husband of the slain woman, was a witness.

The other persons said they were out of the room at the time. They were, besides Mrs. Beckworth, her two other sons, Doyle Beckworth, 2723 McKinney, and Fred Beckworth, 210 Murray.

Witnesses Make Statements.

All the witnesses appeared at the district attorney's office and made statements. They were ordered to appear before the grand jury Monday morning.

Joe Beckworth said he had been discharged from the Army six months ago. He said that he had been going with Mrs. Cope for four months.

Mrs. Beckworth told investigating officers that Sunday morning Mitchell Cope had come by the house to accompany his former wife to Grand Prairie to visit their daughter, Willie Fay [sic Willie Pearl] Cope, 2, who is staying with Mrs. Cope's father, W. E. Dixon, of that city.

Shooting Follows Quarrel.

Cope returned with his former wife Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Beckworth said in her statement to officers, and then left the house. She said that her son and Mrs. Cope began quarreling and then she told the woman that she would have to give up her job.

Mrs. Beckworth said she phoned Cope to come out and get his former wife. He had told her to do this any time she felt it necessary to do so, she added. Cope came out soon after, she said.

Joe Beckworth in his statement said he told Mrs. Cope not to go, but that she started to do so anyway, saying she thought best to leave with her former husband. He said he went to the rear of the house, got the gun and returned.

Cope Flees From Scene.

In a separate statement Cope told officers that he thought he would be the victim of a second shot and started running. He said Beckworth reached for another shell and then pursued him for a short distance outside the house after he had run out the door.

After the shooting Beckworth left the house. He told officers he went to a stand at Cedar Springs and Routh, drank a bottle of soda water and called the police.

Mrs. Cope was shot one time below the right breast. Powder burns were evident on her body. The shooting took place in the front room of the frame house.

Surviving Mrs. Cope are her father, daughter and a brother, Floyd Dixon of Grand Prairie.