Monday, January 26, 2009

How the Goverment Puts a "Spin" on Things..


Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher here in southern California, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Harry Reid's great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. Both Judy and Harry Reid share this common ancestor.




Harry Reid


The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory.



On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research his this inscription: 'Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.
So Judy recently e-mailed Congressman Harry Reid for information about their great-great uncle.

Believe it or not, Harry Reid's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:

'Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory . His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.'

NOW THAT is how it's done folks! That's real SPIN.

9 comments:

hale-bopp said...

Good story, SER, but always check Snopes before posting something like that. Status: False (but yes, a funny hypothetical example of extreme spin!)

SER said...

Now I's so depressed...guess I'll go watch a true story like Transformers.....

Anonymous said...

It may be false, but hell; he's a politician.....there's always the potential.

hale-bopp said...

That's okay, SER. Remember, I am a skeptic to the extreme :)

And the thing about these is that they always sound plausible enough to fool people. That's how they live on.

homemomof2 said...

True or not, that ... was ... awesome.

Beejay said...

Ser, let me tell you about my Great Uncle...ta-dah and, Hale, this one is true...I did the research with my cousin (recently found, by the way)...

Suring, WI in the early 1900's. Uncle Charles, Carl, or Anton (his actual given name) marries a woman named Pauline. Second marriage for her. Her wonderful husband says 'take the kids, I don't want them.' Uncle Carl, Charles, (Anton) marries the woman...moves her to Suring WI. She decides she does not like Suring (one horse town that it is and to this DAY is)...divorces him, takes the children and moves to the metropolis of Green Bay, WI. Poor Uncle (whatever the hell his name is at this point) tries to bring her back, flowers, gifts, whatever. Anyway, she has become a 'woman of the evening...' (whew, isn't this fun). Anyway, notifies him that she is putting the children in an orphanage. (Ooops, forgot to tell you, Uncle What-his-name adopted these children). He goes to Green Bay and begs her not to do this...his health is failing (woman problems). She laughs at him. He come back late at night and awaits her return from...oh you know. Anyway, he shoots her in the head and then (and this is embarrassing to my Dad and my brothers)shoots himself in the head..wait he is not dead, so he shoots himself again. He dies the next day. Good old Aunt Pauline, however, survives, and later on decides she has found God...tells everyone she is Charles, Carl, Anton's widow and lives to a ripe old age of something like 86 or 87.

Now, the funny part is that in 1946, Pauline's son goes to the courthouse in Fond du Lac county and wants to make sure that his adoption by Carl, Charles, Anton is legal and that his last name is indeed that of my Great Uncle, which is my maiden name. Ta-dah. There is more, but I have bored you enough.

Beejay said...

Geesh, that was long!

MinnesotaChick said...

Aw come on Beejay!!!!!!!!! Finish the story!

SER, I thought it was pretty darn funny, true or not!

Beejay said...

It gets boring, and I mean really boring after that.