The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-11-23
Van Dorf Record.
The Engineer Of the Rochester
Lantern Works
Under ARREST FOR INoENDIARIsM.

sonao Curious Condolences That Caused
To $50 Frequent Where He IL Employed
Some discriminating nsiances-An
other Heap OF Dead Discovered will,
Nine Crushed Bodies In II.
ROCHESTER, N. ", Nov. Is A startling
episode ia connection with the recent fire
was the arrest Tuesday night by Chief De-
tective Hayden and Capt. Mccormick OF the
engineer OF the Lantern works. John Van
korit. The fact Of the arrest was kept secret
until yesterday afternoon, on account OF the
excitement prevailing. VanIorff has O
family. and cams to Rochester eight years
ago from Syracuse. His previou, residence
was in Pennsylvania. The attention o. the
police here was lrst called to Vankorfr when
no was a brakeman on the Buffalo, New
York &c Philadelphia railroal Several
loaded freight cars were burned, ED he was
suspected of incend arisn. The cses was in
vss'igated. but in the absence Of positive
proof nothing was done. Later he worked
"a stationary engineer on Broadway in this
city, and durins that time the building
twice caught fire, but the flames were ex-
tinguished with pals of water. The third
time the place took fire it burned down, and
it was discovered that the pals and buckets
had disappeared, having been thrown into
the canal. VankorH was suspected, but
again there was an absence OF proof. Be-
fore this he had been employed rs engineer
at the Morse Sash and Blind factory. That
place was burned twice willis he was EN-.
ployed here.
There are several other similar cases
which look suspicious l.. NJ. Gould's gro
Gerry on West avenue took fire at one time.
and Vankorf was not only the first man to
discover it, but he showed Gould where it
started and removed "a ba e Of cotton waste
with which the fire had been started. This
was saturated with oil, and had evidently
been taken from q car At another. time
Vankorf was taken to the city no pital, hav-
ing fallen in a At and sustainedsa cut in the
head. While at the hospital complaints came
to tho police OF the disappearance Of sun
dry articles. Chief Hayden asked IL
Fankorir was still at the hospital and being |
answered in tie affirmative said: "If you
dol't look out you will have n fire in the
building A few days afrer fire was dis
covered at the hospital in a barrel of rubbish
or old clothing in a clothes press. Vankorff
was then discharged from the hospital. He
was arrested some years ago on a charge Of
stealing "a watch, but. although the fact was
proven mud a%cknowled ged, he was let off OH
account Of his family. There are other
charges against him.
When. therefore, Chief Hayden learned
that Vankorf had been the engineer OF the
Lantern works. she latter was placed under
surveilisnce, and watchei closely since Sat
urday. He il now under arrest OH suspicion |
Of having started the hrs which resulted in |
such great loss OF life and property. When |
charuah with Tho rri,,a Iva IapiaI ouu |
knowledge OF the origin OF the fire. He has |
for years shown signs of mental derange-
ment. In tho opinion OF the police he has a
mania for setting fire to places, discovering |
the fire and then taking credit for hts vigil
ance and activity. a
. The disaster Is the worst ever known In
this part of tho coontry. Day after day
bodies are exhumed from the ruins, and the
search Is pushed with energy.
At 0 o'clock yesterday morning two con-
gress CATERS we're seen projecting above a
heap Of rubbish at the foot of the stairway |
near the elevator well. After the removal
of the surrounding debris it was found that
heap or bodies lay beneath, and the
work Of exhuming them was at once begun.
One Of the shoes which had attracted atten-
ton was partly consumed, while the other
q portion Of a boys foot. The
men had evidently attempted TO escape
the stairway, and we're overcome by
the smoke or enveloped In flames. They I
seem to have suffered more from the effects
Of the flames than the others.
When the corpses were at last laid bare
they presented a horrible sight. While some
had been ut the bottom OF the heap l
were In a comparatively good state OF pre-
the limbs Of all were crushed out
Of shape. and two Of the bodies were locked
in a lost embrace so closely that they could
not be separated. In all nine bodies were
from this quarter Of the ruins, making
exbumed since 3 o'clock Tuesday
afternoon. They we're placed in boxes and
to the undertaking rooms.