The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-14
MADE FALSE REPORTS
Agent Petroff's Actions Cause Con-
siderable Excitement.
FALSE INFORMATION GIVEN.
Belief That His Census Figures OF Alaska
are Unreliable-The Governments
Behring Sea Case May be PreJudiced
Seriously by His Acts.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14.-The Post pub.
fishes an article stating that Ivan Petroff,
special agent of the State department,
and formerly in the census Office, had
been detected in the act OF furnishing
false information to this government in
relation to the seal industry of Alaska
and which had been embodied in the
preparation Of the Behring Sea case for
arbitration.
The article says that when the State de-
partment began the task some months
ago OF preparing the Behring Sea case for
arbitration, IL became necessary to secure
the assistance OF all experts on Alaskan
and sealing questions. II was learned
that Petroff had taken the census OF Alas
ka Tor the United States government in
1880 and 1890, and had written the mono
graph issued by the bureau Of statistics
for the Treasury department on'Alaska.
He had also assisted Hubert Howe Ban
croft in the preparation OF
The Latter's History
OF the territory. Petroff was therefore
summoned from the census bureau to the
State departme mt and was intrusted with
the examination into, and compilation of,
certain facts relating to the sealing indus
try. His work was done in this city.
Some time after he had submitted re-
port to the department, one OF the gov
crnment's special attorneys while examin-
ing the data, discovered an error. Closer
investigation showed that nearly the entire
information furnished by Petroff had been
falsified, but in manner which left no
doubt of Justification with wilful intent to
deceive.
This discovery astounded the state Of
fcials. The information has already been
incorporated in the case OF this govern
ment, as sent to London and formed a
part OF the arch upon which the United
States claim rested. The British govern
ment was at once notified that the United
States had been led into errors OF state
ments and was informed that a correction
would be made when the counter case, as
the supplementary papers are termed, was
submitted.
The article further says that the discov-
cry has
Created Considerable Excitement
in official circles. The superintendent OF
the census has been in conference with
the President, secretary OF state and the
secretary Of the interior regarding his
fsithless employees. The question has
arisen, IL Petroff's work has been falsified
in one instance, are not his census figures
also unreliable?
This is an inquiry that can only be an
swered after tedious and perhaps expen-
sive investigation. There is no law to
meet such a case as this, and Petron will
simply lose his government position, with
the knowledge that he can never re-enter
official life.
Petroff is a Russian by birth. He lived
in Alaska forty years. He is now sixty
years OF age. II was upon the recommen-
dation OF Gen. Francis A. Walker that he
was selected to furnish the Alaskan sta
tistics for the census just completed.
Officials of the state department and in
terror department when shown the article
affirmed its correctness, but declined to
say anything further.