一則真實的美國人的文過飾非故事

劉以棟編譯

朱迪·沃爾曼是美國南加州一位專業家譜研究員，她對自己的家庭背景也做了一些相應的研究。結果她發現，美國國會議員哈里·里德的祖爺爺的兄弟，萊姆斯-里德，是作為盜馬賊和搶劫火車犯於1889年在蒙大拿州被吊死。朱迪和議員里德有一個共同的祖爺爺。

萊姆斯-里德唯一已知的照片顯示，他站在在蒙大拿州境內的絞刑架下面。

在照片後面，朱迪看到的是這樣的題詞：
“萊姆斯·里德，盜馬賊，1885年被發送到蒙大拿州監獄。1887年逃脫，六次搶劫蒙大拿火車。被偵探平克頓抓到，於1889年被判罪名成立，處以絞刑“。

朱迪把她收集到的信息，通過電子郵件發送到國會議員哈里·里德那裡，讓他知道他的祖叔叔的背景。

信不信由你，議員里德手下的工作人員發回以下傳略供她的家譜研究：

“萊姆斯·里德是一位著名的蒙大拿州牛仔。他的生意帝國的成長，包括寶馬收購和跟蒙大拿州鐵路業的緊密合作。從1883年開始，他傾注了多年時間為政府服務，後來離開政府去繼續從事他的鐵路方面的事業。 1887年，他是著名的平克頓偵探事件的重要當事人。在1889年，萊姆斯在為他舉行的重要公民儀式上，因為他站立的平台倒塌而不幸去世”。

夥計們！不要低估美國政客的無恥。

英文原文：

Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California , was

doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that

Congressman 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 Montana territory

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 Congressman Harry Reid for information about their

great-great uncle.

Harry Reid:

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