In October, 1788, Sevier returned home from the frontier and appeared openly among the people. At Jonesboro in company with some personal followers, he was charged by a returned soldier with failing to prevent, when he had the power, the murder of certain friendly Indians, and there was a quarrel, followed soon afterwards by another in the vicinity. A door was thus opened to the revival of animosities and to violent procedures against him for grave reasons of State. He was pursued during the night by armed men, was sought for at several houses, and found about sunrise, when he surrendered without resistance. After running the risk of injury from his enemies in the first flush of their wrath, he was led a prisoner to the county town and from there was sent under guard to Morganton, North Carolina. In the journey, his hands were unbound, and he attempted to escape. The earliest historian of Tennessee has been followed by the second in stating that Sevier failed in that attempt and in representing that he was rescued by a few of his friends from the custody of the sheriff, in the presence of the judge, at Morganton: but according to an oral tradition which has been recently published and appears to be authentic, Sevier succeeded in escaping while on the way to that town. The narrative heretofore accepted as accurate beyond doubt, is, in substance, appended, and also, the statement lately made, in contradiction of it.[15] In November of the same year, the Legislature of North Carolina excluded Sevier from its amnesty to political offenders and from all State offices, but he was elected with great unanimity to the State Senate in August, 1789. Of that body he was admitted as a member--not without a brief delay after his appearance at the capital; and subsequently he was appointed to his former office of Brigadier General of the western counties, now included in East Tennessee. [Illustration: WILLIAM G. BROWNLOW.] CHAPTER V. SHADOWS OF COMING EVENTS--POLITICAL HARANGUES--A SUSPECTED “INCENDIARY”--BIBLE SOCIETY COLPORTEUR IN SCOTT COUNTY. “When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks; When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand; When the sun sets, who doth not look for night? Untimely storms make men expect a dearth: All may be well; but if God sort it so, ’Tis more than we deserve, or I expect.” SHAKS., _Richard III_.