The Oakes times., 1907-08-22
DICE WENT OVERHEARD.
How Regiment Of Crap Shooters Was
Converted at Sea.

How Regiment Of Crap Shooters Was
Converted at Sea.
Five hundred pairs Of dice are lying
OH the bottom of the Atlantic ocean
somewhere off the east coast of the
United States unless the fishes swallow
ed them and carried them away. The
spotted cubes were thrown overheard
by the negroes of the Twenty-third
Kansas regiment during violent
storm ut sea, the sacrifice having been
prompted by penitence. 1t was while
the negro regiment was on board the
ship Vigilancia ell route to Cuba in
September, 1898, that storm, says the
Kansas City Star, converted score of
boisterous crap games into fervent
religious meeting.
The Twenty-third Kansas went from
Topeka to New York city and from
there sailed for Cuba. There was no
sleep on board the Vigilancia the first
night out. 1t is said that practically
all Of the negroes who were not pros
trated with seasickness were shooting
craps. The scene is described as one of
mingled suffering and excitement. The
distressed 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 ves-
sell:
"It's 'leven, an I know it,. "Shoot
de money" Didn't I get a coon?"
Little Dick"
Late at night, while the games were
running high, violent storm broke
suddenly upon the sea. When the
wind struck the Vigilancia rudder
was broken and she whirled round
and round and then dipped down into
the hollow Of mighty wave, The
shock was unexpected, and in a mo-
ment the soldiers were experiencing all
of the horrors of a storm at sea. The
negroes grabbed up the dice and loose
change and huddled together like cat
tie, some of them moaning and others
too frightened to utter 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
q crowd of negroes around him and
spoke thus:
Brethren, the Lord sent this storm
on the heads of sinful crap shooters
If we want to be saved, let US 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 time LAM
entations, means and promises could
be heard on every hand. 1t was re-
vival meeting in earnest. Nearly ev-
cry one of the 800 soldiers was either
singing or praying. The whole regi-
ment was converted" in very few
minutes.
But the rough sea continued. The
colored preacher felt that something
further must be done. An inspiration
flee.
"Our prayers and songs don't pre-
vail!" he shouted. "There's something
wrong. Brethren, the dice must go
into the seal" -,
The suggestion had only to be made.
The dice were tossed into 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 went the storm
abated.
The Rev. John L. Waller held reli-
g1ous services at frequent intervals
during the rest Of the voyage. They
were always well attended. At each
meeting he told his hearers that the
prayers of the righteous had saved the
wicked. Then he urged them all to
remain steadfast.
Nothing was said about crap shoot
ing during the rest of the voyage.
Shortly after the soldiers landed in
Cuba there was pay day. Then it
was that backslider tried to borrow
some dice, but not single pair could
be found in the 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 Cuban
pool hall and whitfield out a pair Of
dice. He sold them for $12. T..