In a shocking event last night, Prof. W. B. Coleman and Babe Pitts, both respected members of the colored community, were shot and wounded outside the A.M.E. church on Coates Street. The assailant, a negro from Glasgow, had stationed himself outside the church, causing a disturbance.

When Coleman and Pitts stepped outside to address the commotion, they were met with a hail of bullets. Coleman was hit in the leg, while Pitts sustained injuries to both his leg and hand. The shooter fired five shots rapidly, three of which struck Coleman and Pitts.

Following the shooting, the assailant attempted to flee but was pursued by the crowd emerging from the church and others drawn by the sound of gunfire. Officers John Patterson and Pat McGinnis joined the chase and apprehended the shooter in an alley behind the 99 Cents Store. The assailant is now in custody, with strong prospects of facing severe legal consequences.

The two injured men, Prof. Coleman and Babe Pitts, are well-regarded in Moberly, and their recovery is of great concern to the community.