Evening star., 1937-04-23

Mrs. Vern1 Carr Taylor comely
,ptdoU and fancee OF Brig, Gen.
Henry II. Denhardt. military and
political figure in Kentucky. 1Das
found slain in ditch along lonely
road on night OF November S, last.
Near the body Was the generals
service rerolper Denhardt 1UaS
arrested and charged Tith the
sldpino.
BY tbs Associated Press.
NEW CASTLE, KY, April 23.-The
Commonwealth declared today tests
made after the death of Mrs. Verna
Carr Taylor showed Brig. Gen Henry
H. Denhardt had fired pistol and
that there were blood spots on his
coat.
Similar tests made on the hands of
the comely widow, Commemorative
Attorney H. B. Kinsolving, declared
showed negative results.
Kinsolving declared tests showed 30
70 80 blood spots on Denhardt's coat
and that witnesses would prove Dem
hardt did not go near the body after
1t was found in a roadside ditch near
mere the night of last November 6.
The statements were made as the
commemorative attorney outlined his
case to the jury, chosen last night
He had previously declared he could
prove the 40-year-old widow, fiancee
OF the bald, portly ex-Lieutenant Gov
ernor. was not melancholy and in a
mood for suicide. He said Denhardt
mad told the men who found the body
that he feared she had killed herself
and that he had previously taken his
pistol away from her.
klnsolvlng declared she was not a
woman given to melancholia and pc
rlods OF depression. She was in good
health and happy.
Engagement of Widow.
He said she became a widow four or
nve years ago and that her husband
left her laundry business and two
young daughters" to rear. He told of
her meeting Denhardt and becoming
engaged to him and of the day of last
November which the couple spent to-
gether in Louisville and of the auto
mobile ride that night that ended in
her death on roadside near here.
The little court room, which seats
500 spectators, was crowded TODAY.
Plainly dressed farm women sat on the
hard wooden benches knitting. They
we're attracted largely by interest in
what Mrs. Taylor's two daughters
would testify. The Commonwealth
subpoenaed thenl-Mrs. Mary Pryor
Taylor Brown, %, and Frances Tay-
lor. Ito testify their mother was
not melancholy. The defense has in
dlcated 1t would show the daughters
had made their mother unhappy by
objecting to her engagement to Den
hardt.
Among the spectators were boys and
girls OF school age, apparently playing
"hooky'' for the trial. The town
populat ton was crowded and in its one
'hot spot mechanical phonograph
had blared dance music until early
dawn.
Kinsolving told the jurors that the
automobile in which Denhardt and
Mrs. Taylor were riding stalled miie
or so from La Grange. He said it
was Mrs. Taylor who walked up the
road for help when the car stalled
again.
Saw Denhardt Move Car.
The commemorative attorney then
said G. R. Baker would testify that
Denhardt came to his home to use
the telephone, but that Baker had
none, that -four or five minutes later"
Baker and his wife heard a shot up
the road, and saw Denhardt moving
the car from the spot near where Mrs.
Taylor's body was found later.
Kinsolving added that Baker heard
q sharp noise like a crack" when he
stepped out on his front porch and
that Denhasdt said, wasn't that Sec
ond shot awful" and later told Baker
Il believe something has happened to
Mrs. Taylor" and then later "she was
the finest woman ever knew"
kinsolving said J. B. Hundley and