Changes

Gleason filed for a third term in 1959<ref>"Gleason Announces His Intentions for Re-Election," ''Minden Herald,'' April 20, 1959, p. 1.</ref> but died of a [[heart attack]] in the Minden Sanitarium three months later. Services were held at the Evergreen [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church. He is interred at Minden Cemetery. In addition to his wife, he was survived by two other sons, William Ernest "Cotton" Gleason, Sr. (1919-1980), an educator who taught at [[Minden (Louisiana) High School|Minden High School]], relocated to Plaquemine in Iberville Parish and later returned to Evergreen, where he is interred at Evergreen Cemetery,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Gleason&GSfn=William&GSmn=E&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=66212140&df=all&|title=William Ernest Gleason, Sr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=June 11, 2020}}</ref> and Charles E. Gleason of [[Shreveport]]; a brother, Raleigh Rogerson Gleason (1903-1964), a bank vice-president from Minden, and a sister, Gladys G. McGritinsey of Shreveport.<ref name=edg /> Another brother, William Charles Gleason (1890-1957), lived in [[Baton Rouge]].<ref name=idagleason/>​

Gleason filed for a third term in 1959<ref>"Gleason Announces His Intentions for Re-Election," ''Minden Herald,'' April 20, 1959, p. 1.</ref> but died of a [[heart attack]] in the Minden Sanitarium three months later. Services were held at the Evergreen [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church. He is interred at Minden Cemetery. In addition to his wife, he was survived by two other sons, William Ernest "Cotton" Gleason, Sr. (1919-1980), an educator who taught at [[Minden (Louisiana) High School|Minden High School]], relocated to Plaquemine in Iberville Parish and later returned to Evergreen, where he is interred at Evergreen Cemetery,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Gleason&GSfn=William&GSmn=E&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=66212140&df=all&|title=William Ernest Gleason, Sr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=June 11, 2020}}</ref> and Charles E. Gleason of [[Shreveport]]; a brother, Raleigh Rogerson Gleason (1903-1964), a bank vice-president from Minden, and a sister, Gladys G. McGritinsey of Shreveport.<ref name=edg /> Another brother, William Charles Gleason (1890-1957), lived in [[Baton Rouge]].<ref name=idagleason/>​

Mrs. Gleason did not contest the seat in the primary held on December 5, 1959. Instead, son William Gleason filed for the position. He ran moderately well in the Democratic primary but finished in fourth place, thirty-one votes behind Minden businessman Frank Burnett  Treat, Jr. (1923–1994), the third-place candidate. The coveted runoff  berths went to Parey Pershing Branton (1918-2011), a businessman and a former president of the Webster Parish School Board from Shongaloo, and the Minden attorney, Henry Grady Hobbs (1923-2012), a Sarepta native later long active on the Webster Parish Library Board.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=henry-hobbs&pid=162069317#fbLoggedOut|title=Henry Hobbs obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times'' |date=January 2, 2013|accessdate=January 3, 2013}}</ref> Hobbs led Branton in the primary, 1,634-1,504, but in the runoff, Branton prevailed by 16 ballots: 4,300 votes (50.01 percent) to 4,284 (49.99 percent). Branton carried only two of the five wards in the parish to take the seat.<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 11, 1960</ref> Branton was then elected without [[Republican Party|Republican]] opposition in the April 19, 1960, [[general election]], in which Republican [[Francis Grevemberg]] opposed the victorious Democrat, [[Jimmie Davis]], who was elected to his second nonconsecutive term. Branton then held the seat until 1972, though Hobbs ran unsuccessfully for the position again in 1967 against Branton.​

Mrs. Gleason did not contest the seat in the primary held on December 5, 1959. Instead, son William Gleason filed for the position. He ran moderately well in the Democratic primary but finished in fourth place, thirty-one votes behind Minden businessman Frank Burnett  Treat, Jr. (1923–1994), the third-place candidate. The coveted runoff  berths went to Parey Pershing Branton (1918-2011), a businessman and a former president of the Webster Parish School Board from Shongaloo, and the Minden attorney, Henry Grady Hobbs (1923-2012), a Sarepta native later long active on the Webster Parish Library Board.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=henry-hobbs&pid=162069317#fbLoggedOut|title=Henry Hobbs obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times'' |date=January 2, 2013|accessdate=January 3, 2013}}</ref> Hobbs led Branton in the primary, 1,634-1,504, but in the runoff, Branton prevailed by 16 ballots: 4,300 votes (50.01 percent) to 4,284 (49.99 percent). Branton carried only two of the five wards in the parish to take the seat.<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 11, 1960</ref> Branton was then elected without [[Republican Party|Republican]] opposition in the April 19, 1960, [[general election]], in which Republican [[Francis Grevemberg]] opposed the victorious Democrat, [[Jimmie Davis]], who was elected to his second nonconsecutive term. Branton then held the seat until 1972, though Hobbs ran unsuccessfully for the position again in 1967 against Branton.

==Cotton Gleason case==​

==Cotton Gleason case==

 

Tereafter, William E. "Cotton" Gleason was arrested in 1961 for having given [[barbiturate]]s known as "Yellow Jackets" to at least two female students at Minden High School. On February 2, 1962, he received a $1,000 fine and a two-year sentence, both suspended. Four months later he was [[pardon]]ed by Governor Jimmie Davis.<ref>"Gleason Is Given  Full Pardon by Governor Davis," ''Minden Press,'' June 25, 1962.</ref> After his arrest, Gleason resigned from Minden High School. He then hired Shreveport attorney [[Whitfield Jack]], brother of his late father's House colleague, Wellborn Jack, to procure reinstatement, having claimed that his resignation was under emotional duress. However, Gleason was not re-employed by the Webster Parish School Board.<ref>"Richardson Re-Elected President of Parish School Board," ''Minden Herald,'' January 4, 1962, p. 1.</ref>​

Thereafter, William E. "Cotton" Gleason was arrested in 1961 for having given [[barbiturate]]s known as "Yellow Jackets" to at least two female students at Minden High School. On February 2, 1962, he received a $1,000 fine and a two-year sentence, both suspended. Four months later he was [[pardon]]ed by Governor Jimmie Davis.<ref>"Gleason Is Given  Full Pardon by Governor Davis," ''Minden Press,'' June 25, 1962.</ref> After his arrest, Gleason resigned from Minden High School. He then hired Shreveport attorney [[Whitfield Jack]], brother of his late father's House colleague, Wellborn Jack, to procure reinstatement, having claimed that his resignation was under emotional duress. However, Gleason was not re-employed by the Webster Parish School Board.<ref>"Richardson Re-Elected President of Parish School Board," ''Minden Herald,'' January 4, 1962, p. 1.</ref>​

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