Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-08-28
IN A KINGDOM OF ONE.
A MAN WHO is AN. INDEPEND-
EMIT NATION BY HIMSELF.
His Island Is Not On the Map, So Nobody
Claims It-He Cannot Vote In
Elections, but They Can't
Make Him Pay Taxes.

Dick Basset is about 80 years old
wears full beard tinged with gray, is
quiet and unassuming, well read and
intelligent. He arrived in this city
about fourteen years ago and took up
his residence in deserted fishing
cabin on the beach far from the abode
of men. He built boat and most of
his days were spent on the waters of
the bay with fishline in hand He was
mystery then is almost as much
mystery to-day although, through
casual remarks and occasional obser-
vations he has dropped within the
hearing OF friends, some inkling of his
career has become known.
Basset remained a year in his fish
ing cabin on the beach. and then he
took possession of the little island
miles out in the bay, lying between
Marion island and the mainland, so
near TO either that a narrow strip of
water separates him from the large
island on one side and the mainland
on the other. The island comprises
but Il single acre of land. and when he
took possession was covered with a
heavy growth OF virgin forest trees,
appearing from distance like little
tuft of green rising out of the water.
says the Chicago Tribune. He cleared
the land without assistance leaving a
row of large trees as border TO his
plantation. He erected cottage of
boards, which he hewed out of the
trees he chopped down, and since then
he has lived alone on the island quiet
ly, and, TO all appearances, happy and
contented. He has planted fruit trees
and vines, and the land produces
enough vegetables and fruits to supply
his simple wants. In summer he fishes
on the bay, both with line and net and
realizes a substantial income from the
sale of the fish in this city and at the
summer resorts near by.
He is said TO have accumulated n
competency. but OF his worldly affairs
Dick Basset is as reticent as of his
early life. He has good sized ice
house, which he fills every winter,
takes several daily papers and maya
zines. has well-selected library,
mainly of travel and history and has
a queer collection of old pipes, chiefly
corncobs and briers.
He is an inveterate smoker but
rarely drinks, and has never been
known to gamble. He frequently
spends the winter alone on the island.
with an occasional hunting expedition
to vary the monotony while some win
ters he seeks employment in the lum-
Der camps. Many summer resorters
have visited his island. both while he
was at home and when he was away.
The Indians never think of passing in
their canoes without making a call
and yet his confidence has pever been
betrayed. II the visitors arc hungry
they help themselves to the food spread
on the table, but a. near as he can calcu-
late, Basset has never missed dollar
in money.
But there is strange circumstance
in regard to the island. 1t is so small
and insignificant that it has never
been surveyed, and Bassett has not
been able to secure legal title to it
from the government To his in
quiries he has been informed from
Washington that such an island can
not be found on the charts and maps,
and therefore has no legal existence.
In consequence OF this decision from
Washington the authorities of Grand
Traverse county hold that Bassett is
not a resident of the United States and
not citizen, and that he cannot vote.
Living within a stones throw of Mar
ion Island and the mainland. both on
the government charts. he is declared
an alien and disfranchised.
He accepts the decision with COM
mendable philosophy. finding consola-
ton in the fact that he is exempt from
all taxation, township county and
state alike. He does not own very
much, it is true, but if he were worth
n million he would escape the assessor.
Yet there are inconvenience in his
situation. He is practically an indie
pendent monarch. all by himself, and
can exercise all the privileges and
rights of one of Gods anointed.
He can declare war or treat for peace
can levy tariff for revenue only or
for protection to his infant industry of
raising potatoes and eggs. can possibly
coin his own money and enter into
offensive and defensive alliance with
other nations. He is as much of
monarch as the king of any of the
Cannibal islands, and under the pres
ent Interpretation of the laws, could
eat few summer resorters or wander
ing missionaries without fear of the
United States or Michigan laws.
a Subterranean Lake.