一则真实的美国人的文过饰非故事

刘以栋编译

朱迪·沃尔曼是美国南加州一位专业家谱研究员，她对自己的家庭背景也做了一些相应的研究。结果她发现，美国国会议员哈里·里德的祖爷爷的兄弟，莱姆斯-里德，是作为盗马贼和抢劫火车犯于1889年在蒙大拿州被吊死。朱迪和议员里德有一个共同的祖爷爷。

莱姆斯-里德唯一已知的照片显示，他站在在蒙大拿州境内的绞刑架下面。

在照片后面，朱迪看到的是这样的题词：
“莱姆斯·里德，盗马贼，1885年被发送到蒙大拿州监狱。1887年逃脱，六次抢劫蒙大拿火车。被侦探平克顿抓到，于1889年被判罪名成立，处以绞刑“。

朱迪把她收集到的信息，通过电子邮件发送到国会议员哈里·里德那里，让他知道他的祖叔叔的背景。

信不信由你，议员里德手下的工作人员发回以下传略供她的家谱研究：

“莱姆斯·里德是一位著名的蒙大拿州牛仔。他的生意帝国的成长，包括宝马收购和跟蒙大拿州铁路业的紧密合作。从1883年开始，他倾注了多年时间为政府服务，后来离开政府去继续从事他的铁路方面的事业。 1887年，他是著名的平克顿侦探事件的重要当事人。在1889年，莱姆斯在为他举行的重要公民仪式上，因为他站立的平台倒塌而不幸去世”。

伙计们！不要低估美国政客的无耻。

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