The Elbert County tribune., 1907-05-16
THREW AWAY DICE
coLoRED SOLDIERS IN A FIT OF
PENITENcE.
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 Kansas regiment
during violent storm at sea- the sac
rifice having been prompted by peni-
tence. 1t was while the negro reei-
ment was on board the ship Vigilance
en- route to Cuba in September. 1898
that a storm converted a score of
boisterous 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
Il 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
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
sell
It's 'leven an l know it," Shoot
de money" Didn't / get coon?"
Little Dick"
Late at night while the games were
running high 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 mighty wave. The shock
was unexpected and in a 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
tle,. 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 a negro preacher on board, the
Rev. John L. Waller. 1t 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
er in his prayer. In a short time
lamentations, means and promises
pntt1d ha r6 hon
a revival meeting in earnest. Nearly
every one OF the 500 soldiers was
either singing or praying. The whole
regiment was Converted in 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 There's 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 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
were given to the sea the storm
a5ated
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 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 a "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 a Cuban
pool hall and whitfield out a pair OF
dice. He sold them for $12.