The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-06-20
THREW AWAY DICE.
coLoRED SOLDIERS IN A FIT OF
PENITENcE.
Severe Storm at Sea Caused lmpromp
tu Revival Meeting IN Earnest
No More Crap Shooting
During That Voyage.

1NfiHH tHdt No1dHes
Five hundred pairs OF dice are lying
on the bottom OF the Atlantic ocean
somewhere of the east coast of the
United States. unless the fishes have
swallowed them and carried them
away, says the Kansas City Star The
spotted cubes were thrown overheard
by the negroes of a Kansas regiment
during violent storm at sea. the sac.
riiice having been prompted by peni-
tonce il was while the negro regi-
ment was on board the ship Vigilance
en- route to Cuba in september. 1898.
that a storm converted a score of
Doisterous crap games into q fervent
religious meeting
The regiment went from Topeka to
New York city and from there sailed
for Cuba. There was no sleep on
board the vigilahca the first night out.
= Is said that practically all of the ne.
groes who were not prostrated with
seasickness were shooting craps. The
scene is described as one of mingled
suffering and excitement The dis.
trcssed pleaded for quiet and rest,
but were unheeded by the noisy gam.
biers.
Above the cries and means of the
suffering. such language as this could
be heard in different parts of the yes.
sci:
IT'S leven an / know it," Shoot
Dc money!" Didn't | get coon?'
Little Dick"
Late at night while the games were
running high a violent storm broke
suddenly upon the sea. When the wind
struck the Vigilance rudder was
broken and she whirled round and
round and then dipped down iA..,s the
hollow OF mighty wave. The shock
was unexpected and in moment the
soldiers were experiencing all of the
horrors of storm at sea. The ne.
groes grabbed up thedice and loose
change and huddled together like cat
tie, some of them moaning and others
too frightened to utter a sound.
The storm ragged for an hour, the
soldiers thinking that every moment
would be the last. Fortunately there
was negro preacher on board, the
Rev. John l.. Waller. It was for him
TO rise to the occasion. He gathered
crowd Of negroes around him and
spoke thus:
Brethren. the Lord sent this storm
on the heads Of sinful crap shooters
II we want to be saved let's pray"
Then he dropped down on his knees
and his voice was heard praying above
the noise Of the storm.
The soldiers Joined with the preach.
er In his prayer In short t!fae
lamentations, means and promises
could be heard on every hand. II was
a revival meeting In earnest Nearly
every one OF the 500 soldiers was
sither singing or praying The whole
regiment was converted" in a very
few minutes.
Bat the rough sea continued. The
colored preacher felt that something
further must be done An inspiration
came TO him; there must be sacri-
nce OF some kind.
"Our prayers aud songs don't pre-.
vail" he shouted There's some
thing wrong Brethren, the dice must
70 into the sea"
The suggestion had only 10 be
made The dice were tossed irto the
angry waters. about 500 pairs. some
Of the negroes also threw IN the
money which they had won with the
dice. In half an hour after the dice
we're given to the sea the storm
abated
The Rev. Mr.. Waller held religious
services at frequent intervals during
the rest OF the voyage They were
always well attended At each meet.
ing he told his hearers that the pray
ers OF the righteous had saved the
wicked, Then he urged them all 10
remain steadfast.
Nothing was said about crap shoot.
ing during the rest OF the voyage.
shortly aftel the soldiers landed in
Cuba there was pay day. Then Il was
that a "backslider" tried to borrow
some dice, but not single pair could
be found In tie regiment: they had all
been consigned to the sea
This was condition that could not
last An ingenious negro soldier stole
an ivory billiard ball from a Cuban
pool hall and Whitfield out a pair Of
dice He sold tbem for Si2