mber 18th, 1894, while he was crossing a railroad track
in the town where he lived, (Coffeyville, Kansas,) he was struck by a
railroad engine, and sustained injuries from which he died on December
21st, at the age of a little over seventy years. A few days thereafter
the members of the bar of the county held a memorial meeting in his
honor, which I was invited to attend. I was then judge of the Kansas
7th Judicial District, and my judicial duties at the time were such
that I could not go, and hence was compelled to content myself by
writing a letter, which was later published in the local papers of the
county, and which reads as follows:

"Erie, Kansas,
"December 22, 1894.

"Hon. J. D. McCue,
"Independence, Kansas.

"My Dear Judge:

"I received this evening yours of the 20th informing me of the
death of my old comrade and regimental commander during the war
for the Union, Col. Dan Grass. I was deeply moved by this sad
intelligence, and regret that I did not learn of his death in time
to attend his funeral. I wish I could be present at the memorial
meeting of the bar next Monday that you mention, but I have other
engagements for that day that cannot be deferred. It affords me,
however, a mournful pleasure to comply with your request suggesting
that I write a few words in the nature of a tribute to our departed
friend and comrade, to be read at this meeting of the bar. But I am
fearful that I shall perform this duty very unsatisfactorily. There
are so many kind and good things that I would like to say about him
that throng my memory at this moment that I hardly know where to
begin.

"I served in the same regiment with Col. Grass from January 7th,
1862, to December 15th, 1864. On the last named day he was taken
prisoner by the rebels in an engagement near Murfreesboro, Tenn. He
was subsequently exchanged, but by that time the war was drawing to
a close, and he did not rejoin us again in the field. In May, 1865,
he was mustered out of the service. During his term of service with
us, (nearly three years,) I became very well acquainted with him,
and learned to admire and love him as a man and a soldier. He was
temperate in his habits, courteous and kind to the common soldiers,
and as brave a man in action as I ever