The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-14

WASHINGTON, D. c., Now l3.-The
Post to-day published an article 10 tho
effect that Ivan Petrof, a special agent
OF tho state department andformerly in
the census Office, has been detected in
the act OF furnishing false information
to the government in relation to tho
seal industry of Alaska, which has been
embodied in the preparation OF the
Bering Sea case for arbitration. Contin-
uing the article says:
"When the state department began
the task some months ago Of preparing
tho Bering sea case for arbitration it be.
came necessary to secure the assistance
of all experts on Alaskan sealing ques-
tions. Investigating the literature on
the resources OF Alaska the department
encountered the name of Ivan Petroff
more frequently than that OF any other
author Mr.. Petrof was summoned
from the census bureau to the state de-
partment and he was intrusted with the
examination into and compilation Of
certain facts related to the sealing in
dustry. 1t was not necessary for him
to visit Alaska, and his work was done
in this city. Some time after it had
been submitted to the department one
of the governments attorneys,
while examining the data, dis
covered an error. Closer investigation
showed that nearly the entire intorma-
ton furnished by Petroff had been falsi-
fed. and in manner which left no
doubt OF Justification with willful intent
to deceive. This discovery astounded
the state department officials. The in-
formation had already been incorpor-
ated in the case OF this government as
sent to London, and formed part OF
the arch upon which the United States
claim rested, although it was not the
keystone by any manner OF means. The
British, government was at once noti-
fed that the United States had been
led into errors OF statement, and was
informed that correction would be
made when the counter case, as the sup
Elementary papers are termed, was sub
mitted. The discovery has created con-
siderable excitement in official circles.
"The superintendent OF the census
has been in conference with the presi-
dent, tho secretary of state and the sec
retary OF the interior regarding his
faithless employe. The question has
naturally arisen if Petroff's work has
been falsifled in one instance, are not
his census figures also unreliable? This
is on inquiry that can only be answered
after tedious and perhaps expensive in-
vestigation. Curiously enough, there
is no law upon tho statute books to
meet such case US this and Mr. Pet
rolf will simply lose his government
position, with the knowledge that he
never again eau re.enter official life.
Petrofi is Russian by birth, who
moved to Alaska when the country was
a Russian province and he lived there
forty years. He is now 60 years Of age.
He has beerf an adventurous spirit all
his life. He took the census OF Alaska
in 1880 and it was upon the recon-
mendation of General Francis A.
Walker that he was selected to furnish
the Alaskan statistics for the census
which has just been completed"
Officials OF the state department and
interior department when shown the
article this evening affirmed its correct
ness but declined to say anything
further.