The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-11
AN AMERICAN MONARCH.
a Workable Robinson Crusoe Re-
Gently Discovered.
Tho Queer Existence of N Lonn Fisher
man Who Nclgns In Solitary Su-
premacy Over AN Island In
Lake A,tchlSan.

tho main land. il y littlo island com
prisinG about an aero Of ground, and
upon this island, fur from the noise
and turmoil OF tho busy world, lives
Dick Bassctt. the hermit, says IL Mich
igan CORE SponGcnt of tho New York
Sunday journal.
Bassc.t is an odd genius, fond OF
quiet and solitude, yet ono OF the most
popular men in his section, known
and liked by everybody. Beyond
few glittcring gcneralitics nothing is
known OF his past lifo, and tho cs-
capado that led to his retirement from
the world is u secret known only to him
self.
lie is bachelor, about fifty-rve
years old, good-looking, we'll edu-
Gated well read and we'll informed,
an invetcratc smoker, q strict tee
totaler, jolly and witty in his inter
course with mon, tho soul of honor in
business transactions and confirmed
fisherman.
On his little island homo, which is O
vcriiablo paradise i'll summer, he has q
small iog cabin comfortably furnished,
miniature chickcn-coop, an icc-houso
and vegetable collar. Tho island is
bordcrcd with n row Of flult trcos,
plums, peaches, apples, pears and cher
ries, and in tho interior is n garden for
potatoes, Strawberries and other small
fruit and vegetables. Ills aero is high
ly cultivated ard very productive, and
;hc crops hc raises more than suffice
for his simple wants. He sells some of
tho surplus and gives much away.
His chief occupation, however, is
fishing. Tho waters about his island
fairly tccm with whitctish ard lake
trout, and ho is an expert in pulling
them in both with tho not and line. He
finds ready market in this city for tho
fish and in the summer sells many to
rcsortcrs. In the carly fall he gets in
his crops and then fishes until Deem
Der, storirJ tho fish away in his ice
boxes for winter shipment
In January he harvests his ice crop,
and then If ho feels like taking little
exercise and enjoying life on moderate
scale, he secures employment in tho
woods and labors in tho lumber camps
until it is timo for him to return to his
island.
His living expenses are merely nomi
nal, and the money he has left after
subscribing for half dozen papers and
magazines no lays away where nobody
knows, and mono knows how much he
has.
lie is honest himself, and he takes it
for granted that everybody else is the
Same. He has no locks on his cabin
door and frequently goes away for
hours ut q Time, leaving his money loose
oil the table. lie has never lost any
thing yet by thieves, and apparently
has 10 fears in that direction.
All thai is known of Bassctt's life is
that he WAS born in the West; that his
father was Il plainsman and ranchman,
and often left Dick alone on the prairie
with tho cat;lo while bo plotted travel
Gus across tho country. When tho w;r
broke out Dick was n sturdy young man
OF twenty-five, and his sympathics wcro
with the North. He enlisted with tho
Fifth Iowa Infantry, and that he served
with gallaniry is attcstcd by eight bull
let wounds in as many different parts OF
his body.
His father and other relatives ad-
hered to the lost Cause, and when tho
war ended nothing could be found Of
any of them. Bassett wandered around
the country, and finally, in 1875, camo
here. He found work ut first among tho
fishermen, and then, taking fancy to
the island, he sQuattcd upon it, and has
since lived there like another Eobinscn
Crusoe.
lie has few choice hens, four or f1vo
cats and dog. and leads quiet and
apparently happy life. Although he
saw much hard service in tho army he
is not pcnsioncr. 10 lost his papers
soon after the war in transmitting them
to Washington, and has failed in every
attempt TO find any Of Old comrades,
and he rarely even thinks now of ap-
plying for financial succor from tho
Government.
a peculiar circumstance in cOnnec-
ton with Bassctts island home is that
it has never been entered on tho Gov
crnmcnt charts. There is no evidence
to be found on tho maps that the island
exists, and he is unable TO acquire any
legal title to IL.
He holds it by tho right OF possession,
and has no fear that any ono will try to
GUST him. This coalition Of affairs has
another peculiar feature. Marion ISL
and. which Is separated from Eassctt's
by but \ few rods Of water, is included
iii PeninSular township, and the owner
Of tho bigger island pays his taxes and
votes in the township, but Bassctts
land, having no legal existence on tho
map, is declared not in tho United
States, and Bassett has no taxos to pay
and is not allowed to vote
1t is held that he is not q citizen of
the United States; that he does not live
in this country, and to all intents and
purposes is Il foreigner In spite of
such trifing annoyances tho solitary in
habitant of tho island takes lifo Dbilo-