I received this an an Email recently and thought the lesson in writing too good to pass up. Besides, it’s funny.
Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California , was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered Congressman Harry Reid’s great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in1889. 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!
Ramblings of a Raconteur 
It is humorous, but just in case you didn’t know…It is a joke. It’s not true. The same story has been passed around in emails about a “Remus Rodham” a “Gunther Gore” and a “Robert Biden.” Besides the changing of the names, the emails are almost identical.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/humor/horsethief.asp
Interesting! I loved the clever rewrite.