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pigdog47 · ‎02-25-2013

Haven't checked whether this story is a fabrication, or truthful, but it has a good ending:

Judy Harper an amateur genealogy researcher in Northern Ontario, was doing some personal work on her own family tree.
She discovered that Prime Minister Stephen Harper's great-great uncle, Remus Rudd, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Winnipeg in 1889.
Both Judy and Stephen Harper share this common ancestor.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows at the
Manitoba Provincial Jail. On the back of the picture Judy obtained during
her research is this inscription:
'Remus Rudd horse thief, sent to Stoney Mountain Jail 1885, escaped
1887, robbed the CP AND CN trains six times. Caught by Mounted Police Force, convicted and hanged in 1889.'

Judy recently e-mailed Prime Minister Harper for information about their
great-great uncle, Remus Rudd.

Believe it or not, Harper's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:

"Remus Rudd was famous in Ontario during the mid to late 1800s. His
business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets
and intimate dealings with the CP and CN Railways.. Beginning in 1883, he
devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking
leave to resume his dealings with the railroads. In 1887, he was a key
player in a vital investigation run by the Mounted Police Force. In 1889,
Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honour when
the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."

prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil · ‎02-25-2013

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/remus-rudd-hanged-horse-thief-hoax.shtml

puckstopshere · ‎02-25-2013

From Hoax Slayer:

Circulating story claims that Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's great-great
Uncle Remus was hanged as a horse thief and train robber in 1889 and that the
Prime Minister's staff answered a query about this politically unfortunate
ancestral connection with a piece of classic political spin that attempted to
present Uncle Remus's nefarious activities in a positive light.

Judy Rudd an amateur genealogy researcher in southern Queensland’s, was
doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd great-great uncle, Remus Rudd, was hanged for horse stealing
and train robbery in Melbourne in 1889. Both Judy and Kevin Rudd share this
common ancestor.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows at the
Melbourne Gaol:

On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her
research is this inscription: 'Remus Rudd horse thief, sent to Melbourne Gaol
1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Melbourne-Geelong train six times. Caught by
Victoria Police Force, convicted and hanged in 1889.'