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5. Restoring Authenticity: Judging Frank Hamilton Cushing's Veracity
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boundary separating amateur and professional was coming into focus, and it was apparent to all which side of the line Abbott was on. Soon Abbott would lose the only job in archaeology he’d ever have. It was, perhaps, inevitable. Placed in a position at the University of Pennsylvania he had so long coveted, he discovered the reality of museum work and the demands of aggressive ¤eldwork were not nearly so appealing as imagined from outside. He never quite recovered from his dismal start in the summer of 1890. Yet, Abbott’s undoing wasn’t solely the result of poor job performance. The Great Paleolithic War had taken its toll. Like Putnam nearly two decades earlier, Culin was concerned that Abbott’s “loose methods” were detrimental to the reputation of the University Museum and undeserving of receiving the “of¤cial approval of respectable institutions” (Culin to Holmes, August 1, 1892, William H. Holmes Papers, Smithsonian Institution Archives [WHH/SIA]). It was clear by the late summer of 1892 that Culin did not anticipate Abbott would be at the University Museum for the long term, but Mercer might (Culin to Holmes, August 1, 1892, WHH/SIA). Since Culin and Brinton, on Abbott’s board of supervisors, were in a position to do something about the matter, and Pepper was growing increasingly dismayed at Abbott (and thus not likely to be protective of him), the outcome was inevitable. Abbott had sensed it too and by the late summer of 1892 was writing Putnam to tell him that he would have to “give up” when his museum year ended that fall. Abbott, of course, took none of the blame. “What I was warned, but laughed at, three years ago, has more than come to pass, and I cannot see how with a trace of self-respect, I can remain, for I do not believe the offensive actions of the Board of Managers will be re-called” (Abbott to Putnam, August 28, 1892, FWP/HU). Apparently Abbott was offended that the board recognized it was Mercer who deserved the credit for the ¤eldwork done under Abbott’s auspices; he was unhappy about not receiving a twohundred -dollar annual raise; and he chafed at being subordinate to Culin (Madeira 1964:20). Once again, Abbott made overtures to the ever-patient Putnam to take him back. Putnam, fearful of being seen as meddling in another institution’s affairs and happy with the arrangements he’d made with Ernst Volk (and perhaps only too happy not to have to deal with Abbott as an employee), took several months to answer Abbott’s letter, and then urged Abbott to stick it out at the University Museum—that he could offer nothing C. C. Abbott, the American Paleolithic, and the University Museum 83 at the Peabody. He warned Abbott, too: “If you make another change it would injure you very much” (Abbott to Putnam, August 28, 1892; Putnam to Abbott, November 14, 1892, FWP/HU). Abbott hung on through his annual term, managed to get reappointed, but spent much of 1893 embroiled in the Paleolithic controversy, which— unfortunately for him—both Culin and Brinton were closely following. Worse, they each considered Holmes’s Trenton critique (as Brinton put it) “a very strong case against the Abbott ¤nds,” one that would “greatly aid in placing the Delaware Valley relics in their proper cases” (Brinton to Holmes, March 9, 1893, WHH/SIA). To which Culin added, the matter was now perfectly clear and convincing save to those (he had Abbott in mind) “who court notoriety at any expense” (Culin to Holmes, March 29, 1893, WHH/ SIA). There was little Abbott could do to salvage his standing at the museum and through the summer of 1893 little he actually tried to do—¤eldwork included (though he did visit Mercer in the ¤eld on occasion). Finally, on October 13, 1893, Abbott got of¤cial word from Brinton that his long-faltering curatorship was over. Henry Mercer was the heir apparent . Two weeks after he was ¤red, Abbott had a long, angry meeting with Mercer and Pepper, Abbott yelling he’d been “swindled” by the museum and Pepper—who must have felt he’d already stood by Abbott too long—swearing he would not make any ¤nancial settlement with Abbott. Mercer stepped in to calm matters. Abbott, fearful he’d lost any chance of receiving severance pay, offered to recall what he’d said. Pepper graciously accepted the offer, agreed to a settlement, and...