Changes

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>​

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Batton announced a crackdown on obscene telephone calls at a time in which Caller ID was unavailable. "Persons making those calls will be apprehended and brought to trial," Batton promised while he noted a recent six-month jail sentence received by one violator.<ref>"Crackdown promised on obscene calls", ''Minden Press'', July 29, 1963, p. 1.</ref>​

Batton announced a crackdown on obscene [[telephone]] calls at a time in which Caller ID was unavailable. "Persons making those calls will be apprehended and brought to trial," Batton promised while he noted a recent six-month jail sentence received by one violator.<ref>"Crackdown promised on obscene calls", ''Minden Press'', July 29, 1963, p. 1.</ref>​

====Reelection by four disputed votes, 1959====

====Reelection by four disputed votes, 1959====