Юрист, защищавший генерала Денхарда от обвинения в убийстве, был застрелен братьями жертвы незадолго до нового суда

Gen. Denhardt: the most interesting life in local history? Published 6:00 am Saturday, August 15, 2026 What do you know about Gen. Henry Denhardt? Since he’s been dead for almost 90 years, the answer may be, “nothing.” But I think a legitimate argument could be made that his life story is the most interesting in Southcentral Kentucky history. His most famous entanglement, the subject of at least two books, came in 1937. At that time, Denhardt, 60, was dating a 40-year-old widow named Verna Garr Taylor, described as the “most beautiful woman in Henry and Oldham counties.” The couple went for a drive in the bluegrass countryside of Henry County one night. What happened during that drive is still unknown, but Taylor wound up dead after being shot in the heart. Denhardt claimed the car had broken down and he went to get some help. When he returned to the car, he said he found Taylor dead after, he claimed, she must have committed suicide. But Denhardt was charged with murder. The general hired the best attorney from his hometown, the illustrious Rodes K. Myers of Bowling Green, to defend him. In a case that drew national headlines, Myers was able to get a hung jury. A retrial was scheduled, but never happened. As Denhardt and Myers were walking down a Shelbyville street the day before the retrial was to begin, Myers recognized three approaching men as Vera’s brothers: E.S., Jack and Roy Garr. “I said ‘General, there are the Garr boys,’ ” Myers later recounted. The general started running but was quickly caught and shot seven times by Roy Garr. E.S. Garr held a gun to Myers’ head, but with Denhardt dead, Roy Garr told his brother to let Myers go. But as the gun was pointed to his head, Myers reportedly exclaimed, “Don’t shoot me, I’m just the lawyer.” The line would later become the refrain of a popular song. A jury later acquitted Roy Garr after he claimed he believed Denhardt had a gun when they ran into each other on the street and had only shot in self-defense. But before that sensational case, Denhardt was a famous figure in the state for decades. He was from a prominent Warren County family, served as Bowling Green city attorney and the head of Warren County government, was a brigadier general in the Kentucky National Guard, was involved in the rescue attempt of Floyd Collins from Sand Cave in 1925, was shot non-fatally in the back by a political rival, and served as the state’s liuetenant governor … and much, much more. On the eve of the 90th anniversary of his death, I have started doing research for a special article about Denhardt. That’s where you (hopefully) come in … I would love to hear from anyone who was related to Denhardt and/or has some local information about him. It’s one thing to dig into archives (which of course will be coming) but it’s another to hear passed-down family stories … You can contact me at [email protected] or at 270-783-3235. —Wes Swietek is the Daily News managing editor.