Changes

==Law enforcement career==​

==Law enforcement career==​

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===Minden police chief====

===Minden police chief===

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Like his father, J. D. Batton, was the Minden police chief prior to making his own first run for sheriff.<ref name=crhennigan>Teri Herren, "Deputy C. R. Hennigan: 80-years young and still upholding the law", ''Minden Press-Herald', February 5, 1986.</ref> His brother, [[Jack Batton]], was a [[business]]man and rodeo enthusiast who served on the Minden City Council and as [[mayor]] from 1978 to 1982. At times J. D. Batton was in business with his brother.<ref name=candidacystatement/> In January 1948, while his brother was already a city council member, J. D. Batton lost a race for Webster Parish clerk of court to the incumbent Thomas Jenkins "Tom" Campbell (1895–1968). Batton received 3,037 votes to Campbell's 4,528.<ref>''Minden Herald'', January 23, 1948, p. 1.</ref> Campbell was part of a local political family<ref name="Minden Herald 1947, p. 1"/> whose current members include Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Lonnie Campbell, Jr., and the Bossier-Webster District Attorney [[Schuyler Marvin]].​

Like his father, J. D. Batton, was the Minden police chief prior to making his own first run for sheriff.<ref name=crhennigan>Teri Herren, "Deputy C. R. Hennigan: 80-years young and still upholding the law", ''Minden Press-Herald', February 5, 1986.</ref> His brother, [[Jack Batton]], was a [[business]]man and rodeo enthusiast who served on the Minden City Council and as [[mayor]] from 1978 to 1982. At times J. D. Batton was in business with his brother.<ref name=candidacystatement/> In January 1948, while his brother was already a city council member, J. D. Batton lost a race for Webster Parish clerk of court to the incumbent Thomas Jenkins "Tom" Campbell (1895–1968). Batton received 3,037 votes to Campbell's 4,528.<ref>''Minden Herald'', January 23, 1948, p. 1.</ref> Campbell was part of a local political family<ref name="Minden Herald 1947, p. 1"/> whose current members include Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Lonnie Campbell, Jr., and the Bossier-Webster District Attorney [[Schuyler Marvin]].​

In 1962, Batton hired as a deputy John T. Kennon, Jr. (1928-2005), a nephew of former Louisiana Governor [[Robert F. Kennon]], a former Minden mayor, district attorney, and circuit court judge.<ref>"Kennon Hired As Sheriff's Deputy Here", ''Minden Herald'', May 17, 1962, p. 1.</ref> John Kennon later served as the Minden city marshal and ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in the 1971 Democratic primary against O. H. Haynes, Jr.​

In 1962, Batton hired as a deputy John T. Kennon, Jr. (1928-2005), a nephew of former Louisiana Governor [[Robert F. Kennon]], a former Minden mayor, district attorney, and circuit court judge.<ref>"Kennon Hired As Sheriff's Deputy Here", ''Minden Herald'', May 17, 1962, p. 1.</ref> John Kennon later served as the Minden city marshal and ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in the 1971 Democratic primary against O. H. Haynes, Jr.​

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====Accomplishments====​

====Accomplishments====

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Batton listed his principal accomplishments as sheriff: 24-hour patrols, opening a sheriff's sub-station in Springhill, a parish-wide radio communications system, rescue trucks, escorts for funerals and school events, expansion of the criminal investigation office, and the establishment of a juvenile officer position,<ref>''Minden Press-Herald'' (advertisement), October 19, 1967, p. 8</ref><ref>''Minden Press-Herald'' (advertisement), November 3, 1967, p. 6</ref> which was proposed to be jointly funded by the sheriff, the cities of Minden and Springhill, and the Webster Parish Police Jury. Willard Harvey McClung (1932-2017) was appointed to the position and sworn into office by 26th Judicial District Judge [[Enos McClendon]].<ref>"Full time juvenile officer sought for Webster Parish", ''Minden Herald'', February 8, 1962, p. 1.</ref> In 1974, McClung ran for mayor of Minden but lost the Democratic nomination to[[J. E. "Pat" Patterson]],<ref>"Pat Patterson is Democrat Mayor Nominee", ''Minden Press-Herald'', August 19, 1974, p. 1.</ref> who then unseated the Republican incumbent, Arthur Thomas "Tom" Colten (1922-2004).

Batton listed his principal accomplishments as sheriff: 24-hour patrols, opening a sheriff's sub-station in Springhill, a parish-wide radio communications system, rescue trucks, escorts for funerals and school events, expansion of the criminal investigation office, and the establishment of a juvenile officer position,<ref>''Minden Press-Herald'' (advertisement), October 19, 1967, p. 8.</ref><ref>''Minden Press-Herald'' (advertisement), November 3, 1967, p. 6.</ref> which was proposed to be jointly funded by the sheriff, the cities of Minden and Springhill, and the Webster Parish Police Jury. Willard Harvey McClung (1932-2017) was appointed to the position and sworn into office by 26th Judicial District Judge [[Enos McClendon]].<ref>"Full time juvenile officer sought for Webster Parish", ''Minden Herald'', February 8, 1962, p. 1.</ref> In 1974, McClung ran for mayor of Minden but lost the Democratic nomination to[[J. E. "Pat" Patterson]],<ref>"Pat Patterson is Democrat Mayor Nominee", ''Minden Press-Herald'', August 19, 1974, p. 1.</ref> who then unseated the Republican incumbent, Arthur Thomas "Tom" Colten (1922-2004).

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Early in 1959, Sheriff Batton joined Otis F. "Bill" Minter, Sr. (1902-1960), his successor as police chief, and Dr. Thomas A. Richardson (1911-1976), the Webster Parish coroner, in the investigation of the mysterious death of Minden railroad engineer Marcelous Douglas Cheshire (1906-1959), who was found with a blow to his head and his wallet missing on January 4 in the parking lot of a local grocery store. He died three days later in a [[Shreveport]] hospital. Cheshire and his wife, later Ruth Cheshire Lowe (1906-1991), owned the Joy and the Joy Drive-In theaters in Minden,<ref>"M. D. Cheshire Rites Today; Probe Started",  ''Minden Herald'', January 8, 1959, p. 1.</ref> both long since closed. The investigation first focused on Duke E. Schultz (1929-1999),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1162360|title=Duke E. Schultz (1929-1999)|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 9, 2014}}</ref> a then 30-year-old gasoline station attendant with a history of arrests, a suicide attempt, and mental instability. Batton said that he believed Cheshire was struck by a rubber hammer used in service station work.<ref>"Sheriff Holds Cheshire Suspect", ''Minden Press'', September 14, 1959, p. 1.</ref> Nevertheless, after more than a half-century, the Cheshire death remains unsolved.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mindenmemories.net/obituaries/1900-29/1900-1929.htm|title=1926: M. Douglas Cheshire|publisher=mindenmemories.net|accessdate=September 12, 2014}}</ref>​

Early in 1959, Sheriff Batton joined Otis F. "Bill" Minter, Sr. (1902-1960), his successor as police chief, and Dr. Thomas A. Richardson (1911-1976), the Webster Parish coroner, in the investigation of the mysterious death of Minden railroad engineer Marcelous Douglas Cheshire (1906-1959), who was found with a blow to his head and his wallet missing on January 4 in the parking lot of a local grocery store. He died three days later in a [[Shreveport]] hospital. Cheshire and his wife, later Ruth Cheshire Lowe (1906-1991), owned the Joy and the Joy Drive-In theaters in Minden,<ref>"M. D. Cheshire Rites Today; Probe Started",  ''Minden Herald'', January 8, 1959, p. 1.</ref> both long since closed. The investigation first focused on Duke E. Schultz (1929-1999),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1162360|title=Duke E. Schultz (1929-1999)|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 9, 2014}}</ref> a then 30-year-old gasoline station attendant with a history of arrests, a suicide attempt, and mental instability. Batton said that he believed Cheshire was struck by a rubber hammer used in service station work.<ref>"Sheriff Holds Cheshire Suspect", ''Minden Press'', September 14, 1959, p. 1.</ref> Nevertheless, after more than a half-century, the Cheshire death remains unsolved.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mindenmemories.net/obituaries/1900-29/1900-1929.htm|title=1926: M. Douglas Cheshire|publisher=mindenmemories.net|accessdate=September 12, 2014}}</ref>​