Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1907-06-21
THREW AWAY DICE
coLoREp SOLDIERS IN A FIT OF
PENITENcE.
Severe Storm al Sea Caused Im2.omp-
tn Revival Meeting In Earnest
No More Crap Shooting
During That Voyage.

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 n Kansas regiment
during a violent storm at sea. the sac.
rifice having been prompted by peni.
tence. 1t 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
religious meeting.
The regiment went from Topeka to
New York city and from there sailed
for Cuba. There was no sleep on
board the Vigilance the first night out.
i. Is said that practically all of the ne.
groes who were not Frustrated with
s~easickness were shooting craps. The
scene is described as IL OF mingled
suffering and excitement. The dis.
tressed pleaded for quiet and rest,
but were unheeded BY the noisy gam.
blers.
Above the cries and means Of the
suffering, such language as this could
be heard In different parts Of the YES,
sci:
ITS 'leven an l know it," "Shoo,
de money" Didn't | get n .coon?'
Little Dick"
Late ut night while the games were
running high Il violent storm broke
suddenly upon the sea. When the wind
struck the Vigilance a rudder was
broken and she whirled round and
round and then dipped down into the
hollow Of a mighty wave. The shock
was unexpected and in n moment the
soldiers were experiencing all OF the
horrors OF q storm nj sea. The ne
groes grabbed up thcdice and loose
change and huddled together like cat
tie, some OF them moaning and others
100 frightened 20 utter a sound.
The storm ragged for an hour, the
soldiers thinking that every moment
would be the last. Fortunately there
was a negro preacher on board. the
Rev. John l.. Waller. 1t was for hin
10 rise to the occasion. He gathered
a crowd of negroes around him and
spoke thus:
Brethren, the Lord sen this storm
on the heads of sinful crap shooters
II We want to be saved lets 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
or In his prayer. In n short time
lamentations. means and promise.
could be heard on every hand. 1t was
n revival meeting in earnest. Nearly
every n OF the 500 soldiers was
either singing or praying. The whole
regiment was converted" in n very
few minutes.
But the rough sea continued. Thu
colored preacher felt thai something
further muat be done. An inspiration
came to him; there must be a sacrI
flee OF some kind.
Our prayers and songs don't pre-
vail" he shouted. There's some
thing wrong. Brethren, the dice mus
go into the sea"
The suggestion had only TO h,
made. The dice were tossed into IN,
angry waters. about 500 pairs. Some
OF the negroes also threw I'm In,
money which they had won with tho
dice. In half an hour after the die,
were given TO the sea the storm
abated.
The Rev. Mr.. Waller held religion,
services at frequent intervals durlpe
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 tho
wicked. Then he urged them all tc
remain stcadfast.
Nothing was said about Gran shoot
Ing during the rest of tho VOYAGE
Shortly after the soldiers landed If
Cuba there was a pay day. Then Il wa,
that a "baCkslidcr' tried to borrow
some dice. but not a single pair conf
be found In the regiment; they had nj
been consigned to the sea.
This was a condition that could nol
last. An Ingenious negro soldier stoI,
an ivory billiard ball from a Cuban
pool hall and Whitfield out n pair nj
dice. lie sold them for sI2.