Joseph Baker (pirate)

Joseph Baker ["Joseph Boulanger"] (d. May 9, 1800) was a Canadian pirate, known primarily for the failed mutiny and hijacking of the merchant schooner "Eliza" in 1800.

Although little of his early life was known, Baker signed aboard the West Indies bound merchant schooner "Eliza" in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Soon after leaving port, Baker seized control of the ship with two other crewmen, Peter LaCroix and Joseph Berrouse, attacking the first mate during night watch and throwing him overboard. Wounding the Captain, a William Wheland, the three held him hostage while they discussed how to sell the cargo. As none of the sailors were able to navigate the ship, they accepted an offer from Wheland to sail them to the "Spanish Main" so they could rendezvous with other pirates in order to sell the cargo at a port.

Although promising to spare Wheland's life in exchange for sailing the ship to a safe haven, Bakder reportedly bragged to LaCroix and Berrouse that he planned to kill him once in sight of land. After a time however, Wheland managed to surprise his captors, locking LaCroix and Berrouse in the ships hold as they were below decks taking inventory of the ships cargo. Sneaking up behind Baker, who was at the wheel, he chased Baker up the mainmast and forced him to lash himself to the mast.

Sailing into St. Kitts, Wheland turned the mutineers over the U.S. naval authorities who transported the three on the "USS Ganges" back to Philadelphia where they were tried by a U.S. Circuit Court for murder and piracy from April 21-25, 1800 and sentenced to death by hanging on May 9, reportedly to the cheers by the large number of spectators.

Further reading

*Baker, Joseph. "The Confession of Joseph Baker". Philadelphia: Richard Folwell, 1800.