Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1907-07-05
THREW AWAY DICE
coLoRED SOLDIERS IN A FIT OF
P%ENITENCE.
Severe Storm at Sea Caused Impromp-
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 ca. 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 n storm converted Il score Of
boisterous crap games into a fervent
religious meeting.
The regiment e from Topeka to
New York city and from there sailed
for Cuba. There was no sleep on
board the Vigilance the first night out.
l! Is said that practically all OF the ne
Sroes who were not FRUSTRATED with
~seasickness were shooting craps. The
scene is described rs one OF mingled
suffering and excitement. The dis
trcssed pleaded for qgiet and rest.
but were unheeded by the noisy GAM
blers.
Above the cries and means OF the
suffering. such language as this conld
be heard in different parts OF the YES
sci:
ITS 'lcvcn an | know it," Shoot
de money" Didn't | get a COON"
Little Dick"
Late at night while the games were
running high Il violent storm broke
suddenly upon the sea. When the wind
struck h Vigilance Il rudder was
broken and she whirlcd round anu
round and then dipped down into the
hollow Of a mighty wave. The shock
was unexpected and in a moment the
soldiers were experiencing all of the
horrors of n storm at sea. The ne
groes grabbed up thcdicc and loose
change and huddled together like cat.
tie, some OF them moaning and others
100 frightened tn 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 him
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 he 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.
e. in his prayer. In a short time
lamentations. mOan and promises
could be heard on every hand. II was
Il revival meeting In Nearly
every II OF the 500 soldiers was
either singing or praying. The whole
regiment was converted" In a very
few minutes.
But the rough sea continued. Tho
colored preacher felt that something
further must be done. An inspiration
came to him; there must be n sacri.
flee of some kind.
Our prayers and songs don't pre-.
Tail,' he shouted. There's some.
thing wrong. Brethren. the dice must
go into the sea"
The suggestion had only 10 be
made. The dice were tossed into the
angry waters, about 500 pairs. Some
or the negroes also threw In the
money which they had won with the
dice. In half an hour after the dice
were given to the sea the storm
abated.
The Rev. Mr.. Waller held religions
services at frequent intervals during
the rest of the voyage. They were
always well attended. At each meet.
Ing he told his hearers that tho pray.
ers OF the righteous had saved the
wicked. Then he urged them all 10
remain ~steadfast.
Nothing was said about r shoot.
Ing during the rest of the yoyare
Shortly after the soldiers landed in
Cuba there was a pay day. Then Il was
that a "baCkslidcr" tried TO borrow
some dice, but not n single pair couId
be found In the regiment: they had all
bcen consigned to the sea.
This was n condition that couId M,
last. An Ingenious negro soldier stole
an ivory billiard ball from n Cubo,
pool hall and whitfield out a pair Of
dice. lie sold them for $l2.