One woman left the plantation without a pass. The overseer caught her
and whipped her to death.

No slave was ever allowed to look at a book, for fear he might learn to
read. One day the old mistress caught a slave boy with a book, she
cursed him and asked him what he meant, and what he thought he could do
with a book. She said he looked like a black dog with a breast pin on,
and forbade him to ever look into a book again.

All slaves on the Coffer plantation were treated in a most inhuman
manner, scarcely having enough to eat, unless they would steal it,
running the risk of being caught and receiving a severe beating for the
theft.


Interviewer's Comment

Mrs. Butler lives with her daughters, has worked very hard in "her
days."

She has had to give up almost everything in the last few years, because
her eyesight has failed. However, she is very cheerful and enjoys
telling the "tales" her mother would tell her.

Submitted December 28, 1937
Indianapolis, Indiana