The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-14
FURNISHED FALSE FACTS.
A SPECIAL AGENT FOOLS THE
STATE DEPARTMENT.

His Statistics Used in Making Up the
Case of the United States in the
Bering Sea Arbitration-Many OF
the Figures in the Census Reports
From the Same Pen.
WARRINGTON, Nov. 13.-The Post to-day
publishes an article TO the effect that Ivan
Petrof. special agent Of the state Depart
ment, formerly in the census office, has
been detected in the act of furnishing false
information TO this government in relation
to the sealing industry of Alaska, which has
been embodied in the preparation of the
Bering sea case for arbitration. Continu-
ing the article says: "When the state de-
partment began the task some months ago
of preparing the Bering sea case for arbi-
tration it became necessary to secure the
assistance of all experts on the Alaskan
sealing question.
WHY PETRoFF WAS CHOSEN.
"In investigating literature on the re-
sources Of Alaska, the department encoun-
tered the name Of Ivan Petroff more fire.
9uently than that OF any other author
Upon inquiry for him being instituted he
was found to be special agent OF the census
bureau. II was also learned that be had
taken the census of Alaska for the United
States government in 1880 and 1890, and
had written a monograph issued by the bu-
reau OF statistics Of the treasury depart
ment on Alaska. In addition to this he had
also assisted Hubert Howe Bancroft in the
preparation of she latter's history
of the territory. It is quite evident TO the
state department., therefore, that this hither-
to trusted official would be Of valuable as
sistance In the preparation Of the Bering
sea case. PetroR was therefore summoned
from the census bureau to the state depart
ment, and was intrusted with the examina-
ton into and compilation of certain facts
relating to the sealing industry. 1t was not
necessary for him to visit Alaska and bis
work was done in this city.
THE DISCOVERY.
"Some time after he had submitted 10 to
the department. one Of the governments
special attorneys, while examining data.
discovered an error. Closer investigation
showed that nearly the entire information
furnished bv Pstroff hud been falsified, and
in a manner which left no doubt of falsifi-
cation with willful intent TO deceive. This
discovery astounded the state officials
The information had already been
incorporated in the case of this government
as sent to London and formed part of the
arob upon which the United States claim
rested, although IL was not the keystone by
any manner OF means. Inc British govern
ment was at once notified that the United
States had been led into errors of statement
and was informed that O correction would
be made when the counter case, as the
supplementary papers are termed, was SUBJ
mitted.
OFFICIAL CIRCLES EXCITED.
"The discovery created considerable ex-
citement In official circles. The superin-
tendent of the census has been In confer
encs with the President, Secretary of State
and Secretary Of the Interior regarding his
faithless employe. The question has natur-
ally arisen, if Petroff's work has been fslsi-
fed in one instance, are not his census
figures also unreliable9 This Is an INQUIRY
that can only be answered after a tedious
and perhaps expensive investigation Curl
ously epough there Is no law upon the
statute books to meet such a case as this.
Petrof will simply lose his government
position with the knowledge that never
again can he re~euter official life Petroff
is Russian by birth who moved to Alaska
when that country was Russian province.
He lived there forty years. He isnow 60
years Of age. He has been en- adventurous
spirit all his life. He took the census OF
Alaska in 1880 and it was upon recon-
mendation Of Gen. Francis A. Walker that
he was selected to furnish the Alaska statis-
tics for the census which has just been COM
pfeted."
The officials OF the state department
and interior departments, when shown the
article this evening, affirmed its correct
ness, but declined to say anything further.