The other day, I received an email from a friend and collegue now retired and living in the beautiful Canadian city of Belleville ON. Knowing genealogy is one of my favorite subjects, he apparently felt I should read about how one can manipulate the truth. The email reads as follows:
Qte
Judy
Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California, was doing
some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Senator 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.
The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the
gallows in
On
the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research is 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 Senator 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's how it's done, Folks!
That's
real POLITICAL SPIN.
The same narrative is told about Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and many others for years. Therefor, always check your sources.
And Judy Wallman, the California researcher? Well, I haven't been able to locate her. In any case, I hope my collegue isn't angry at me for questioning his email. If anything, it's funny and cleverly written.
|
Monday 30 January 2012
Check your sources
Labels:
genealogie,
Reid,
Wallman
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