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In October 1964, Cawthorn was appointed to head the [[Lyndon Johnson|Johnson]]-[[Hubert Humphrey|Humphrey]] campaign for DeSoto Parish.<ref name=obit/> However, the parish voted 75.9 percent for the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Barry Goldwater|Goldwater]]-Miller slate. Goldwater was only the second Republican since 1876 to carry the Louisiana [[electoral vote]].<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' November 4, 1964, p. 1.</ref> Cawthorn also sat on the steering committee of the Johnson campaign for Louisiana's 4th congressional district,<ref name=obit/> in which [[U.S. Representative]] [[Joe Waggonner]], a Democrat from Bossier Parish, was unopposed for his second full term in office.​

In October 1964, Cawthorn was appointed to head the [[Lyndon Johnson|Johnson]]-[[Hubert Humphrey|Humphrey]] campaign for DeSoto Parish.<ref name=obit/> However, the parish voted 75.9 percent for the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Barry Goldwater|Goldwater]]-Miller slate. Goldwater was only the second Republican since 1876 to carry the Louisiana [[electoral vote]].<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' November 4, 1964, p. 1.</ref> Cawthorn also sat on the steering committee of the Johnson campaign for Louisiana's 4th congressional district,<ref name=obit/> in which [[U.S. Representative]] [[Joe Waggonner]], a Democrat from Bossier Parish, was unopposed for his second full term in office.​

In a suit heard in 1966 seeking to reclaim $160,000 to the estate of her late husband, [[Blanche Long]], the widow of former Governor Earl Long, indicated that on or about August 20, 1960, Cawthorn delivered $6,000 in cash in Marksville in Avoyelles Parish to Long. Some two weeks later, Long died after victory in a campaign against fellow Democrat Harold B. McSween for Louisiana's since disbanded 8th congressional district.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leagle.com/decision/19661054186So2d868_1926.xml/LONG%20v.%20MATTHEWS|title=Long v. Matthews|date=1966|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref>​

In a suit heard in 1966 seeking to reclaim $160,000 to the estate of her late husband, [[Blanche Long]], the widow of former Governor Earl Long, indicated that on or about August 20, 1960, Cawthorn delivered $6,000 in cash in Marksville in Avoyelles Parish to Long. Some two weeks later, Long died after victory in a campaign against fellow Democrat Harold Barnett McSween (1926-2002) for Louisiana's since disbanded 8th congressional district.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leagle.com/decision/19661054186So2d868_1926.xml/LONG%20v.%20MATTHEWS|title=Long v. Matthews|date=1966|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref>​

Cawthorn was later reinstated to the practice of law. He owned the Melody Ranch at Mansfield and operated Mammoth Finance Company in [[Shreveport]]. He was also a [[petroleum]] investor.<ref name=obit/>​

Cawthorn was later reinstated to the practice of law. He owned the Melody Ranch at Mansfield and operated Mammoth Finance Company in [[Shreveport]]. He was also a [[petroleum]] investor.<ref name=obit/>​

==Sudden death==​

==Sudden death==​

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Shortly before his death, Cawthorn had been the defense attorney in Bossier Parish for the former rodeo star Jack Favor (1911-1988), who was falsely accused and convicted in 1967 of the 1964 murders of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Richey, operators of a bait stand near Haughton. After a seven-year period of incarceration at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in West Feliciana Parish, Favor was exonerated in a second trial in 1974. After Cawthorn's death, the co-counsel, James B. Wells of [[Bossier City]], who believed in Favor's innocence, continued to represent his client. The exoneration of Favor required a lawsuit against the then warden at Angola, C. Murray Henderson, Jr. (c. 1920-2004)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/1972771348FSupp423_1712|title=Jack G. Favor v. C. Murray Henderson, Jr., Warden, Louisiana State Penitentiary|date=May 16, 1972|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref> and a request before a federal judge to grant a second trial on the premise that the trial court judge, [[O. E. Price]], along with Bossier Parish Sheriff [[Willie Waggonner]], the chief deputy and successor as sheriff, Vol Dooley, and District Attorney Louis Harvey Padgett, Jr. (1913-1980), had illegally conspired to rig the trial to convict Favor despite knowledge of his innocence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://truthinjustice.org/LA-list.htm|title=List of Louisiana Wrongful Convictions Overturned since 1966|date=November 23, 2003|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=February 6, 2014}}</ref>​

Shortly before his death, Cawthorn had been the defense attorney in Bossier Parish for the former rodeo star Jack Favor (1911-1988), who was falsely accused and convicted in 1967 of the 1964 murders of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Richey, operators of a bait stand near Haughton. After a seven-year period of incarceration at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in West Feliciana Parish, Favor was exonerated in a second trial in 1974. After Cawthorn's death, the co-counsel, James B. Wells of [[Bossier City]], who believed in Favor's innocence, continued to represent his client. The exoneration of Favor required a lawsuit against the then warden at Angola, C. Murray Henderson, Jr. (c. 1920-2004)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/1972771348FSupp423_1712|title=Jack G. Favor v. C. Murray Henderson, Jr., Warden, Louisiana State Penitentiary|date=May 16, 1972|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref> and a request before a federal judge to grant a second trial on the premise that the trial court judge, [[O. E. Price]], along with Bossier Parish Sheriff [[Willie Waggonner]], the chief deputy and successor as sheriff, Vol Dooley, and District Attorney Louis Harvey Padgett, Jr. (1913-1980), had illegally conspired to rig the trial to convict Favor despite knowledge of his innocence.<ref>"List of Louisiana Wrongful Convictions Overturned since 1966, ''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' November 23, 2003.</ref>​

Cawthorn died on [[Veterans Day]] 1967 of a sudden illness in Memorial Hospital in [[Lake Charles]], where he was stricken while on business. A week before his passing, Cawthorn had been defeated in a Democratic primary for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives for DeSoto, Sabine,  and Red River]] parishes in a two-member district by incumbent [[Joe Henry Cooper]] of Mansfield and subsequent Judge John S. Pickett, Jr., of Many in Sabine Parish.<ref name=obit/> Though defeated for the legislature, he had won in the same election a seat on the Louisiana Democratic Executive Committee for the 38th representative district.<ref name=obit/>​

Cawthorn died on [[Veterans Day]] 1967 of a sudden illness in Memorial Hospital in [[Lake Charles]], where he was stricken while on business. A week before his passing, Cawthorn had been defeated in a Democratic primary for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives for DeSoto, Sabine,  and Red River parishes in a two-member district by incumbent [[Joe Henry Cooper]] of Mansfield and subsequent Judge John S. Pickett, Jr., of Many in Sabine Parish.<ref name=obit/> Though defeated for the legislature, he had won in the same election a seat on the Louisiana Democratic Executive Committee for the 38th representative district.<ref name=obit/>​

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Cawthorn and his wife, Merle Sloan Cawthorn (1919-1998), had a daughter, Melody Merle Cawthon (born c. 1954). He is interred at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in DeSoto Parish alongside his brothers, W. B. Cawthorn (1900-1963) and Fred Cawthorn (1908-1940).<ref name=obit/>​

Cawthorn and his wife, Merle Sloan Cawthorn (1919-1998), had a daughter, Melody Merle Cawthon (born c. 1954). He is interred at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in DeSoto Parish alongside his brothers, W. B. Cawthorn (1900-1963) and Fred Cawthorn (1908-1940).<ref name=obit/>​