The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-02-12
AN AMERICAN MONARCH.
A Veritable Robinson Crusoe Re-
Gently Discovered.
The Queer Existence of Lone FISHER
man who Rsigns in Solitary SUI
premacy Over an Island IN
Lake Michigan.

bay, living between Marion lSltnu anu
the main land. is a little island COM
prising about an acre of ground, ana
upon this island, far from the noise
and turmoil of the busy world, lives
Dick Bassett, the hermit, says Mich
igan eorrespor lent of the New YORK
Sunday journal.
Bassett is an odd genius, fond of
quiet and solitude, yet one of the most
popular men in his section, known
and liked by everybody. Beyond
few glittering generalities nothing is
known of his past life, and the es-
capade that led to his retirement from
the world Ia a secret known only to him.
self
He is bachelor, about fifty-fve
years old, good-looking, well edu-
Gated, we'll read and we'll informed,
an inyeterate smoker, strict tee
totaler, Jolly and witty in his inter
course with men, The soul OF honor In
business transactions and confirmed
fisherman
On his little island home, which is
yeritable paradise in summer, he has
small log cabin comfortably furnished,
miniature chicken-coop, an ice-honse
and vegetable cellar. The island is
bordered with row of frult trees,
plums, peaches, apples, pears and cher-
ries, and in the interior is a garden for
potatoes, rawberres and other small
fruit and vegetables His acre is high
ly cultivated and very productive, and
the crops he raises more than suffice
for his simple wants. He sells some OF
the surplus and gives much away.
His chief occupation, however, is
fishing The waters about his island
fairly TEEN with whitefsh and lake
trout, and he is an expert in pulling
them in both with the net and line. lie
finds ready market in this city for the
fish and in the summer sells many to
resorters. In the early fall he gets in
his crops and then fishes until Decem-
ber, storing the fish away in his ice
boxes for winter shipment
In January he harycsts his ice crop,
and then if he feels like taking a little
exercise and enjoying life on moderate
scale, he secures employment i'll the
woods and labors in the lumber camps
until it is time 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 he lays away where nobody
knows, and none knows how much he
has.
He is honest himself and he takes 1t
for granted that everybody else is the
same He has no locks on his cabin
door, and frequently goes away for
hours at time, leaving his money loose
on the table. He has never lost any
thing yet by thieves, and apparently
has no fears in that direction.
All that is known of Bassetts life is
that he was born in the Vest that his
father was plainsman and ranchman
and often left Dick alone on the prairie
with the cattle while he piloted travel
ers across the country. When the wal
broke out Dick was a sturdy young man
of twenty-five and his sympathies were
with the North. He enlisted with the
Fifth Iowa Infantry, and that he served
with gallantry is attested by eight bul
let wounds in as many different parts o.
his body.
His father and other relatives ad
hered to the lost cause, and when the
war ended nothing could be found o
any of them Bassett wandered aroun(
the country, and finally, in 1885, came
here. He found work at first among tn,
fishermen, and then, taking fancy t.
the island, he squatted upon it, and ha
since lived there like another Robinson
Crusoe.
He has few choice hens, four or fv,
cats and dog, and leads quiet AM
apparently happy life. Although h,
saw much hard service in the army h,
is not pensioner. He lost his paper
soon after the war in transmitting then
to Washington, and has failed in ever.
attempt to find any of old comrades
and he rarely even thinks now of ar
plying for financial succor from tn
Government
A peculiar circumstance in conneC
tion with Bassett's island home is tina
it has never been entered on the Gov
ernment charts. There is no evidenc
to be found on the maps that the islam
exists, and he is unable to acquire an
legal title to it,
He holds it by the right OF possession
and has no fear that any one will try t
Oust him. This condition of affairs ha
another peculiar feature. Marion is
and, which is separated from Bassett
by but few rods of water, is include
in Peninsular township, and the owne
of the bigger island pays his taxes an
votes in the township, but Bassett
land, having no legal existence on tn
map, is declared not in the Unite
States, and Bassett has no taxes to pa
and Is not allowed to vote.
1t is held that he is not a citizen {
the United States; that he does not liy
in this country, and TO all intents an
purposes is foreigner. In spite {
such trifling annoyances the solitary il
habitant Of the island take, life phil,
sophically and is supreme ruler of h
little domain.
boats In Siam.