Rock Island daily Argus., 1892-11-14
THE ARGUS.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER ID, 1892.
His FIGURES LIED.
Uncle Sam Deceived by a Rus.
Sian American.
FALSE REPORT IN THE SEAL CASE.

Compromising the United states Case Be
fore the Arbitrators-An Alaskan Ex-
pert Makes Up Report Entirely with
Reference to What Is Needed, Regard
less of What Is True-Gossip About the
Meeting of Congress-Measue es That
Will Come Up Dec. ..
WASHINGTON, Nov 14-The Post pub
fishes an article to the effect that Ivan Pc
troff, special agent of the state depart
ment and formerly in the census office, has
been detected in the act of furnishing false
information to this government in relation
10 the seal industry of Alaska, which has
been embodied in the preparation of the
Behring sea case for arbitration. Officials
of the state department and interior de-
partment when shown the article affirmed
IT'S correctness, but declined to say any
thing further. The Justification of the
facts is a serious matter, because it would,
" undiscoverednow, have discredited the
whole case for the United States
Ran Across Ivan Petrons Name.
The article says: when the state de
partment began the task some months ago
of preparing the Behring sea case for arbi-
tration it became necessary to secure the
assistance of all experts on Alaskan and
sealing questions. In investigating the
literature on the resources of Alaska the
department encountered the name of Ivan
Petrof more frequently than that of any
other author, and, upon inquiry for him
being instituted, he was found to be a spe-
cial agent of the census bureau 1t was
alsO learned that no had talar, ba oa,s,,S
OF Alaska for the United States govern
ment in 1880 and 1890 and written the
monograph issued by the bureau of statistics
OF the treasury department on Alaska In
addition TO this he had also assisted HUI
bert Howe Bancroft in the preparation of
the latter's history of the territory
With WilIfuI Intent to Deceive.
"1t was quite evident to the state depart
ment. therefore, that the hitherto trusted
official would he of valuable assistance in
the preparation of the Behrihg sea case.
Mr.. Petroff was thereupon summoned from
the census bureau to the state department,
and he was intrusted with the examination
into and compilation of certain facts relat-
ing to the sealing industry It 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 depart
ment one of the governments special attor-
neys while examining the data discovered
an error. Closer investigation showed that
nearly the entire information furnished by
Petrof had been falsifed and in a manner
which left no doubt of Justification with
willful intent to deceive.
Notified the British Government.
"Ths discovery astounded the state de
partment officials The information had
already been incorporated in the case of
this government as sent to London and
formed Il 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 notified that the United States had
been led into errors of statement and was
informed that a correction would be made
when the counter case, rs the supplement
tary papers are termed, was submitted
The discovery has created considerable ex-
citement in official circles.
Cannot Punish the Rascal
"The superintendent of the census has
been in conference with the president, the
secretary of state and the secretary of the
interior regarding his faithless employe
The question has naturally arisen, if Pc
troff's work has been falsified in one in
stance, are not his census figures also un-
reliablea This is an inquiry that can only
be answered after tedious and perhaps ex-
pensive Investigation. Curiously enough
there is no law upon the statute books to
meet such a case this. and Mr.. PetroI
will simply lose his government position
with the knowledge that never again can
he enter official life"