Q. Were the ruffians ever found? A. They were.
Q. How? A. By the wisdom of King Solomon, who ordered twelve Fellow Crafts to be selected from the bands of the workmen, clothed in white gloves and aprons, in token of their innocence, and sent three East, three West, three North, and three South, in search of the ruffians, and, if found, to bring them forward.
Q. What success? A. The three that traveled a westerly course from the Temple, coming near the coast of Joppa, were informed by a wayfaring man, that three men had been seen that way that morning, who, from their appearance and dress, were workmen from the Temple, inquiring for a passage to Ethiopia, but were unable to obtain one, in consequence of an embargo which had recently been laid on all the shipping, and had turned back into the country.
Q. What followed? A. King Solomon ordered them to go and search again, and search till they were found, if possible; and if they were not found, that the twelve who had confessed should be considered as the reputed murderers, and suffer accordingly.
Q. What success? A. One of the three that traveled a westerly course from the Temple, being more weary than the rest, sat down under the brow of a hill to rest and refresh himself; and, in attempting to rise, caught hold of a sprig of cassia, which easily gave way, and excited his curiosity, and made him suspicious of a deception; on which he hailed his companions, who immediately assembled, and, on examination, found that the earth had recently been moved; and on moving the rubbish, discovered the appearance of a grave, and while they were confabulating about what measures to take, they heard voices issuing from a cavern in the clefts of the rocks, on which they immediately repaired to the place, where they heard the voice of Jubela exclaim: "O that my throat had been cut across, my tongue torn out, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea at low-water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, ere I had been accessory to the death of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff"—on which they distinctly heard the voice of Jubelo exclaim, "O that my left breast had been torn open, and my heart and vitals taken from thence, and thrown over my left shoulder, carried into the valley of Jehosaphat, there to become a prey to the wild beasts of the field, and vultures of the air, ere I had conspired to take the life of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff"—when they more distinctly heard the voice of Jubelum exclaim, "O that my body had been severed in two in the midst, and divided to the North and the South, my bowels burnt to ashes in the centre, and the ashes scattered by the four winds of heaven, that there might not remain the least track or trace of remembrance among men or Masons of so vile and perjured a wretch as I am, who wilfully took the life of so good a man as our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff. Ah, Jubela and Jubelo, it was I that struck him harder than you both—it was I that gave him the fatal blow—it was I that killed him outright!" on which they rushed forward, seized, bound, and carried them up before King Solomon.
Q. What did King Solomon do with them? A. He ordered them to be executed agreeably to the several imprecations of their own mouths.
Q. Was the body of our Grand Master, Hiram Abiff, ever found? A. It was.
Q. How? A. By the wisdom of King Solomon, who ordered fifteen (in some Lodges they say twelve) Fellow Crafts to be selected from the bands of the workmen, and sent three East, three West, three North, and three South; and three in and about the Temple, in search of the body.
Q. Where was it found? A. Under that sprig of cassia, where a worthy brother sat down to rest and refresh himself.
Q. Was there anything particular took place on the discovery of the body? A. There was, viz.: On removing the earth till they came to the coffin, they involuntarily found their hands raised in this position to guard their nostrils against the offensive effluvia that 'rose from the grave.