The Washington herald., 1907-06-16
Dice All. WENT OVERHEARD
Regiment of Craps Shooters Con.
verted at Sea.
Negro Soldiers from Kansas Were
Scared by Storm and Preacher
Rounded Them Up.

Five hundred pairs OF dice are lying
on the bottom Of the Atlantic Ocean
somewhere of the coast Of the United
States. unless the fishes have swallowed
them and carried them away. The spot
ted cubes were thrown overheard by the
negroes Of the Twenty-third Kansas Reg
iment during a violent storm at sea, the
sacrifice having been prompted by peni-
tence. Il was while the negro regiment
was on board the ship vigilancia en- route
to Cuba IN September. 1898, that storm,
says the Kansas City Star, converted q
score Of boisteTou5 craps games into
fervent religious meeting.
The Twenty-third Kansas went from
Topeka 10 New York City and from there
sailed for C,rba, There was 10 sleep on
board the Vigilancia the first night out
1t IS said that practically all Of the
negroes who were not prostrated with
seasiclzness were shooting craps. The
scene is described as one OF mingled suf-
fering and excitement. The distressed
pleaded for quiet and rest. but were IN
needed by the noisy gamblers.
Above the cries and means Of the sut-
fering such language as this could be
heard in different parts OF the vessel:
Tts leven. an I know It." Shoot de
money" Didn't ! get a coon?" Lit
tie Dick"
Late at night while the games were
running high a violent storm broke sud
denly upon the sea. When the wind
struck the Vigilancia a rudder was broken,
and she whirled round and round. and
then dipped down into the hollow OF q
mighty wave The shock was unexpected.
and In a moment the soldiers were ex-
periencing all OF the horrors Of a storm
at sea. The negroes grabbed up the dice
and loose change and huddled together
ike cattle, some Of them moaning and
others TOO frightened 70 utter q sound.
The storm ragged for an hour. the SOL
diers thinking that every moment would
be the last. Fortunately, there was a
negro preacher on board, the Rev. John L.
Waller. II was for him 10 rise 20 the oc-
ca.iOn. He gathered a crowd Of negroes
around him and spoke thus:
Brethren. the Lord sent this storm on
the heads Of sinful craps shooters, II we
want to be saved let's pray"
Then he dropped down on MS knees and
his voice was heard praying above the
noise Of the storm
The soldiers Joined with the preacher IN
his prayer In a short time lamentations,
means and promises could be heard on
every hand. Il was a revival meeting in
earnest. Nearly every one Of the 500 SOL
diers was either singing or praying The
whole regiment was converted" in a very
few minutes.
But the rough sea continued. The col
ored preacher felt that something further
must be done. An inspiration came to
him; there must be a sacrifice.
Our prayers and songs don't prevail
he shouted. There's something wrong.
Brethren, the dice must go into the sea 90
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 religious
services at frequent intervals during the
rest Of the voyage. They were always
we'll attended. At each meeting he told
MS AedItiS tAhN eAS PAo9 SA0 u NIio iiBul-
eous had saved the wicked. Then he
urged them all to remain steadfast.
Nothing was said about craps shooting
during the rest Of the voyage Shortly
after the soldiers landed in Caba there
was a pay day Then It was that q
''backslider' tried TO borrow some dice
but not a 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
4 billiard ball from a Cuban pool hall and
Whitfield out a pair Of dice. He sold them
/ for 80