The Prescott daily news., 1907-05-18
THREW AWAY DICE
ccloRED SOLDIERS IN A FIT OF
 PENlTENCE.
severe Storm at Sea Caused impromp. tu 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 off 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 a violent storm at sea, the sac rifice having been prompted by peni- tence It was while the negro regi- ment was on board the ship Vigilance en route to Cuba in September. 1898, that storm converted a score of loisterous crap games into a 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 Vigilance the first night out. I. 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 trossed pleaded for quiet and rest, but were unheeded by the noisy gam blers
 Above the cries and moans of the suffering, such language as this could be heard io different parts of the yes. sel:
 Its 'leven an know it" Shoot dc money" Didn't get a coon?" Little Dick"
 Late at night while the games were running high a v&Ien; slorm broke suddenly upon tt- sea u nen ,he wind struck the E ruider was broken and she whirled round and round and then dipped down into the hollow of mighty wave.
 The storm ragged for an Tour, the soldiers thinking that every moment would be the last. Fortunately there was a negro preacher on board, the Rev John l.. Waller. It was for him to rise to the occasion. He gathered a 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'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 e. in his prayer In a short time lamentations, moans and promises could be heard on every hand. IL was a revival meeting in earnest Nearly every one of the 500 soldiers was either singing or praying The whole regiment was converted" in a very few minutes.
 But the rough sea continued The colored preacher felt that something further must be done An inspiration came to him; there must be a sacri- fee of some Kind
 Our prayers and songs don't pre- vail he shouted "Theres some thing wrong Brethren, the dice must go into the sea"
 The suggestion had only to be made. The dice were tossed into the angry waters, about 300 pairs. Some of 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
 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 a condition that could not last. An ingenious negro soldier stole an ivory billiard ball from a Cuban pool hall and whittled out a pair of dice. He sold them for SIP.