Be sure you read the very last ‘article’. It does do a ‘spin’ on the story!
Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher 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
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 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 is how it’s done folks! That’s real SPIN.
January 9th, 2009 at 11:01 am
One more reason for journalism of verification
Posted by Thomas Mitchell
Monday, Jan. 05, 2009 at 03:20 PM
I’ve heard a lot of rumors about Harry Reid. Checked out more than a few. I might even believe a couple we couldn’t prove.
But Harry Reid’s great-great uncle Remus Reid was hanged as a horse thief? Darn, too good to be true and it took about 30 seconds after the letter to the editor came in over the electronic transom to dismiss it. (Not sure that allegation is even considered defamation out West, where a scoundrel in the gene pool is something to brag about.)
Dave and Carol sent us an e-mail asking: “Have you seen this?” and included a forwarded e-mail with the subject line: “Spinning a Story!”
It included a mug shot of the usually dour Majority Leader Reid and a photo of a purported hanging in Montana in 1889.
It claimed a genealogist found that she and Harry shared this common ancestor and that on the back of the photo of the hanging was written:
“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.”
The best part is that this “relative” claimed to have received confirmation from Reid stating:
“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.”
That’s a good story. So good in fact that Snopes.com reports virtually the same e-mail has been sent about politicians named Rodham, Gore, Dion and Stevens, as well as Reid.
Well, it was fun while it lasted.
January 9th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Barry, If you are reliant on SNOPES for your stance, save yuour time. SNOPES is a PROVEN Liberal organization and bends truth to FIT THEIR NEEDS! SHEESH!
January 10th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Don’t believe Snopes or anyone blindly, but use them. Fortunately Snopes has a long established record of truth telling. I don’t know or care if they are liberal so long as they tell the truth. In general liberals are not liars; They just have defective thinking. BTW I’m a conservative from long before Regan and I believe that one of the biggest enemies of the conservative cause are the ones among us who pass around BS as truth and cannot tell the difference. It just becomes proof of ignorance.
January 14th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I knew somebody would respond by saying Snopes is a liberal lying website, so I thought I’d pass these along:
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/942/story/440070.html
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_remus_reid.htm
http://users.hal-pc.org/~berrys/Tom%20Ketchum.html
Notice the picture of the guy dangling at the end of the rope in the last one?
BTW, I agree with Mr. Jim Burns comments.
January 14th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
July 19th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
I saw this and was sooooo excited because I cannot tolerate this fellow and was delighted to see this story. I also am a family history freak and we all have things in our closet so off to the census I went and could not find the name Remus Reid anywhere near the Territories’ in that time frame. I then went searching further and snopes was the one of the places. It was good while it lasted, like a cold drink in the heat (no cool aid for me) but sorry to say I could not find
truth to this issue.
Di
November 4th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Who cares if it’s true or not?
Take a cue from Saul Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals”. Because half the fun is in annoying pompous prigs like Obama, Pelosi, and Reid.
“The fourth rule carries within it the fifth rule: Ridicule is man’s mast potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage” Saul Alinsky; “Rules for Radicals”.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Who cares if it’s true or not?
Take a cue from Saul Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals”. Because half the fun is in annoying pompous prigs like Obama, Pelosi, and Reid.
“The fourth rule carries within it the fifth rule: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage” Saul Alinsky; “Rules for Radicals”.