Richmond Palladium

Correspondence of the Baltimore Sun.
PHILADELPHIA July 27, 1842.
Atrocious Murder!

A man named Noah Lougee, who kept a broker's office in Third street, above Chestnut, was murdered this morning at about a quarter past six o'clock, by a man who entered his office, it is supposed, for the purpose of robbing him. Mr. Lougee received one or two stabs in the side from a dirk, one of which entered his heart and produced death almost instantly. From the appearance of the wound, it would seem that the murdered man was stabbed across the counter, although he afterwards got to the door, and attracted attention by an indescribable noise, with his hands tightly pressed against his breast. The assassin, though he resorted to the stale custom of being himself the loudest alarmist, crying, "Stop thief!" "Stop thief!" and "Murder!" was immediately pursued by a number of citizens who heard the cries, and was finally captured, after a vigorous chase, in the fourth story of a warehouse in Front street, near Walnut, where he had endeavored to secrete himself.

On being arrested, the only reply he made to questions asked of him, was, "he called me a liar!" but it is reported that he subsequently confessed to officer Russell that he purposely excited a quarrel with Mr. Lougee, with the intention of robbing and murdering him. The dirk with which he killed his victim was found in a heap of sand and mortar, at the corner of Third and Chestnut streets, where he had thrown it in his flight. Subsequently on searching the prisoner a dirk sheath was found fitting exactly to the dirk which he was seen to throw away. On examination before the Mayor he stated his name to be Milton J. Alexander, and said he had never before seen the deceased.

The murderer first stated that his name was Smith, but he afterwards denied it, and refused to give his real name, because, as he said, he did not wish to disgrace his family.

In his confessions, he told the police officers that he was courting a young woman, who refused to marry him unless he could raise five hundred dollars. He stated that his motive in committing the murder was to raise a sufficient sum to effect this matrimonial alliance.

Mr. L. was formerly a broker in Cincinnati, and kept also an office at Louisville. His office, among others, was mobbed during the late riots at Cincinnati, at about which time he privately came to this city, and was here some time before he went into business.

He was 45 years of age, and has a wife and three or four children, who reside at No. 26 Sansom street. He was in the habit of opening his office before he took breakfast, and also kept open in the evening. This accounts for his being in the office at so early an hour as that at which the murder was committed, and may probably have been the cause of his having been selected as the victim. It was almost the only place where money is kept open at that hour.

The alleged murderer is a tall, stout, well dressed young man, said to be a Southerner, and apparently not more than 25 years of age. After his arrest, he made no resistance, but quietly accompanied his captors to the office of the Mayor.

The impression is pretty general that the murder was premeditated, with a view to a robbery of the broker's money.

Much excitement has prevailed in the streets the most of the day, and the press has been quite unable to satisfy the demand for slips containing an account of the affair.