Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-01-20
pnorEsson MARSH REPLIES


onsology.
Prof. Marsh, of Yale, replies In yester-
days New York Herald to the eight-column
attack made upon him in the Sunday Herald
Of week ago. The reply occupies one
whole page of the paper. In 1t, as the Her
aid says in its display head lines, "Yale's
Professor Picks Up the Gauntlet of the
Pennsylvania Paleontolosist and Does Royal
Battle In Defense Of His Scientific Reputa-
tion." In the topmost big head line the
Herald says, "Marsh Hurls Azoic Facts ct
Cope" Otherwise It says that Prof. Marsh
"Carries the war into Africa, !" thus remind
ing readers of history of the fate that befell
Hannibal, and indirectly foreshadowing the
fate of Prof. Larshs assailant. "Director
Powell In sustained In most vigorous fashion,
and the assailants of his government bureau
are put into defensive attitude" The Her
aid says:
The publication by the Herald q week ego Of the
sst isSorsnds, incompetence and plagiarism 81 he
part Of Director ]. W. Powell and Professor Marsh,
department Of government intrusted to their care,
made sremendous sensation among the scientists
have not YET ceased ss TO Be heard : -
Professor Marsh in his reply says: PRO
lessor Cope has at last placed publicly on
record the ISLANDERS he has secretly been re-
peating for years. He has devoted some OF
his best years to its preparation, and to the
preparation of the public for 1t, and 1t may
thus be regarded as the browning work OF
his life." Major Powell in his able reply
has fully refuted many of the reckless state
ments of Professor Cope and his associates.
Professor Marsh then takes up Professor
Cope's FIRST attack, made through him upon
the National Academy of Science, the highest
scientific body of America of which Professor
Msrsh has for many years been president,
and who was recently reelected Its president
for another six years term. professor
Cope's work justly entities him to enter its
ranks and In 1879 he was elected . member"
"He has SINCE" adds Professor Marsh, "been
q discordant element and in some of the
most important acts of the Academy he has
been In q minority of one." Professor
Marsh then denies as untrue the charge of
Professor Cope that Professor Marsh appoint
ed important committees in the interests of
the Geological Survey and quotes at length
his reasons for the denial. This committee
was so appointed In obedience to the direct
request Of Congress and after most careful
those in the academy best fitted to give ad-
vice on tha subject.
In Prof. Marsh's next address ~ president
of tho academy he gave his reasons In full for
the appointment of the committee In ques-
ton. He could not properly select as it's
members any of those who had taken part in
the controversy between the existing govern
ment surveys, which contention, II was said,
resulted In the passage of the law for the
proposed reorganization" The men ap
pointed were Prof. James D. Dana of Yale,
Prof. w. B. Rogers, the hester of American
geology; Prof. j. 8. Newberry, the State
Reologist of Ohio; Prof w. P. Trowbridgs
Of this city, Prof. Simeon Newcomb and
Prof. Alexander Agassiz-all noted men
eminently lifted to serve.
Professor Marsh further quotes the names
of eminent men in their prospective fields
whom he consulted in references to the ap-
pointnent of important committees, such as
Professor Baird and Professor Langley of the
Smithsonian Institution, Professors Newcomb
and Asaph Hall also of Washington, Profess
sors Agassiz and Wolcott Gibbs of Harvard,
Professors Brush and Young of Yale and
Princeton, and other eminent men. Pro-
feesor Marsh adds: ~ need not add that the
committees have been worthy of the Nation
al academy and OF American science. have
not appointed Professor Cope on any of these
committees.
Can this alone be the cause of Professor
Cope's hostility to the National Academy OF
Sciences. or is 1t possibly due to the fact
that few years since an attempt was made
pei him from the academy ! saved Profess
sor Cope from this disgrace, but he has
shown no gratitude, only renewed hostility.
have the documents still in my possession. p"
Prof. Marsh thus disposes of the charge by
Prof. Cope that the government collections
and those of Yale are hopeleesly mixed up
and that even visiting scientists are not al
lowed to see them:
..The frat statement IL absolutely false and was
fr,lIv al hv Main n
isssf and no mixing with the Yale museum ceiieS
sIrsady been sent to washington, and others will
follow from time to time as their Investigation is
ssThe second part OF the Charge that Visiting sci
entiss not allowed access to these COLLECTIONS
ss but
caution b. eaPsrisncs few years since wsl'
% %
itentiary, visited New iHaven. With cterstic
to snd
Yale museum. This granted, but have since re-
Professor Marsh then ''goes for" Professor
Cope for surreptitiously visiting the most
private rooms Of the Peabody museum, I'M
covering and inspecting photographic plates,
etc., beside visiting Prof. Marsh's own pri.
vate workrooms and examining specimens
which were Prof. Marsh's own private prop
srty. Prof. Marsh says under this head:
This outrage was reported to me the next day BY
the two assistants who had witnessed 1t. and l al
once took prompt measures to redress, a. far ..
possible. the wrong had suffered. PROBE sor Dan.
| the director of our museum. denounced
steps were at once taken 10 prevent any
| visitors from having q chance to repeat it.
The late Prof. B. Silliman happened to b.
innocently the companion Of Cope in Thu
foray, and Immediately wrote to him re-
mindipg him that the visit was of purely con
hdential character and requesting Prof. Cop
not to violate that confidence by making rs
| In print Of the information thus obtained
Prof. Silliman held Prof. Cope to o promis
Il made by the latter not to violate the conf
dence bestowed. Prof. Silliman wrote +
Cope, a. he had heard that the latter ha,
published in the Naturalist and elsewher
something regarding what he had seen II
Prof. Asrsh's private collections. Prof
Marsh adds:
| would have been Inundated by what he had don
and made prompt roparation. On the contrary, b
lish the results Of what he saw, with many falst
hoods added. And yet Professor Cope has the ~
daci,y TO complain that visiting scientists are nc
This raid of Professor Cope on my museum !
only one of many similar acts, in which nearly tn
whole scientific world has suffered His conduct /
1 e
Information am indebted to one OF its hiEhe;
s E
occret. The museums In this country also have M
been free from his dspredations
bridge; the l Peabody Academy, a. Salem; u
Museum Of Columbia college, and especially th
Ct Ct R
ErieyaTcss 4 they choose have the facts fro fro,
.ns n''
Professor Cope's third charge is thss have bee
| for Ceolo~icaI work In addition to q salary