George Pepper, a 23-year old employee of the Museum who had never been in New Mexico, was appointed to lead the expedition, and Wetherill was relegated to a secondary position of supervising the excavations by Navajo laborers.
George Pepper, an inexperienced museum employee from outside New Mexico, was selected to head the expedition, and Wetherill took on a subordinate position overseeing excavation work performed by local Navajo workers.