Changes

====Accomplishments====

====Accomplishments====

​

​

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).

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>