Word Merchants at their best...

Tipper Gore, an amateur genealogical researcher, discovered
that her husband's great-great uncle, Gunther Gore, a fellow
lacking in character, was hanged for horse stealing and train
robbery in Tennessee in 1889.

The only known photograph of Gunther shows him standing
on the gallows. On the back of the picture is this inscription:
"Gunther Gore; horse thief, sent to Tennessee Prison 1885,
escaped 1887, robbed the Tennessee Flyer six times. Caught
by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889."

After letting Al Gore and his staff of professional image
consultants peruse the findings, they decided to crop Gunther's
picture, scan it in as an enlarged image, and edited it with
image processing software so that all that's seen is a head shot.

The accompanying biographical sketch was sent to the
Associated Press as follows:

"Gunther Gore was a famous
rancher in early Tennessee history. His business empire
grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets
and intimate dealings with the Tennessee railroad.
Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to
service at a government facility, 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, Gunther passed away during an important
civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which
he was standing, collapsed."