Where and when was the only time the guillotine was used in North America to execute someone charged with murder?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Pierre_and_Miquelon

'The only time the guillotine was ever used in North America was in Saint-Pierre in the late 1800s. Joseph Néel was convicted of killing a Mr. Coupard on the "île aux Chiens" on December 30, 1888, and executed by guillotine on August 24, 1889. The guillotine had to be shipped from Martinique and it did not arrive in working order. It was very difficult to get anyone to perform the execution; finally a recent immigrant was coaxed into doing the job. This event was the inspiration for the film, The Widow of Saint-Pierre (La Veuve de Saint-Pierre) released in the year 2000. The guillotine is now in a museum in Saint-Pierre.'

"The only time the guillotine was ever used in North America was in Saint-Pierre in the late 1800s."

This is not true. While I don't know about the use of the guillotine in North American murder cases, I do know that Frenchman Victor Hugues used one extensively as an agent of the French Revolution in Guadeloupe, from 1794 through 1798. Guadeloupe is part of the West Indies, specifically, in the Lesser Antilles, and is regarded as part of North America.

The convention which succeeded the committee of safety chose him in February, 1794, as commissioner to the French West Indies, with orders to reconquer Guadeloupe from the English. Hugues sailed from Aix on 23 April, 1794, on the frigate " La Pique," with only a small force. He sighted Pointe g Pitre on 24 May, and found it occupied by a strong British garrison. He then resolved to attack Basse Terre, and, landing there on 30 May, captured the fortress Fleur de l'Epee, which commanded the bay, drove the English out of the city, and, following them, besieged and took, 6 June, Pointe g Pitre, which was defended by 4,000 men. Meanwhile the English admiral Jervis had brought to the besieged some re-enforcements, and, unable to defend Pointe a Pitre against overwhelming forces, Hugues retreated to the country, and. calling to his aid the negroes, armed 2,000 of them, with which force he again assumed the offensive. On 6 October, he obliged the English general to surrender in his camp of Barville with his whole force, in which were comprised 800 French emigres and 900 colored soldiers, Hugues ordered 300 of the emigres to be shot as traitors, and condemned 100 of the colored soldiers to the public works. After this bloody execution, he set himself at work to pacify and organize the colony, visiting every city of importance and carrying with him the guillotine. For his cruelties he was soon called the "Robespierre" of the West Indies. - http://famousamericans.net/victorhugues/ .

Thanks for the correction DG. My answer was the same as Jenny's.

From what I saw, your answer is correct; there was, apparently, only one use of a guillotine to execute a murderer. Hugues executed people for various crimes against the state, like speaking out against the Revolution, not changing fast enough, overcharging for bread, etc.

Over charging for bread?
Thank god this guy kicked the bucket. The price of bread is fine.

However, he'd have to get a new blade on his guillotine to keep up with the number of complaints about the price of cigarettes here.

S’ils n’ont plus de pain, qu'ils mangent de la brioche.


(OK, OK, she didn't really say it, but I had to use that line somewhere, and where better than here?)