She wasnt there long. Psychopaths are driven by their need for control. Although Marjorie was brought up in the familys opulent Glensheen Mansion and attended Dana Hall Prep School in Massachusetts, she was nevertheless troubled, and at age 16 she was actually given the label sociopath during a stay at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, in the summer of 1949. Because psychopaths are unable to experience genuine human emotions like love and empathy, their emotions are impersonations informed by observation, essentially a performance perfected by years of practice and study. In January 2004 Marjorie Congdon was released from prison after serving ten years of her fifteen year sentence for arson. Additionally, two other men shes been close to have died in what some have regarded as suspicious circumstances. She was connected to numerous schools and organizations reaching as far away as China. Her trustees earlier had cut Marjorie off from the Congdon millions, after the. January 26,1985 Her appeal is turned down, so Marjorie begins serving her time for the arson and fraud conviction. In the late 1960s, the Congdon family decided to donate the estate to the University of Minnesota Duluth, although not until Elizabeth died. Marjorie had a penchant for arson. Congdon was the only surviving child of mining magnate Chester Congdon, who built the lavish mansion in 1909. She and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were living in Colorado and were flat broke.. He was treated for a possible heart attack but released after doctors couldnt determine the cause of his illness. Marjorie could not have been pleased. The man who actually committed the murder was Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Elisabeth Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, according to MinnPost. Marjorie and Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976. She put her foot down. Elisabeths face was purple, her mouth hanging open. Whether or not he had taken the pills of his own volition was never determined. And I have taken all the necessary precautions to keep myself safe. Pietila was beaten with a candlestick holder. The last I heard, she was calling herself Marjorie Hagen and living in the Southwest. "She got no bulk sum after the murders - she basically lost it all . Marjorie Hagen, then known as Marjorie Caldwell, was accused of conspiring with her then-husband, Roger Caldwell, to kill Elisabeth Congdon, 83, and hernight nurse in the Congdon mansion in Duluth . One month before the murder Marjorie got a prescription for Antabuse. How can I tell how big my Cockapoo will be? Some psychopaths are highly successful, exercising wealth and power, but no less dangerous for all that. When Marjorie was three, Elisabeth adopted a second daughter who she named Jennifer. Marjorie was a compulsive spender and liar, and eventually Dick LeRoy had enough and divorced her on April 29, 1971. They didn't think they could prove the death was murder. They know exactly what theyre doing. She warned Roger if he wouldnt do something about his drinking, she would. In 1983 Roger Caldwell confessed to the Glensheen killings, pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder. That has always bothered me. Much of the following information came from the book Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes and Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings by Gail Feichtinger, John Desanto, Gary Waller, and John E. Desanto (2005:X-Communication). As before, she was not considered a flight risk, so she was permitted to visit her husband one last time before being escorted to prison. She delivered hospital meals. They are callous and opportunistic and care nothing about you. It was a three or four course meal, with fine china and polished silver. Velma was covered in blood. Elisabeth, fearing publicity, did nothing. The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. SCL: I always say, Mother Nature was the only mother I ever had. The mansion was constructed as the family home of Chester Adgate Congdon. Then at the age of thirteen she did something that wouldve been a warning sign to any criminal psychologist, had there been such a thing in 1945. '', DeSanto, who helped author "Will to Murder," a book on the Glensheen murders, said: "My thought is that it is inevitable. If they want something from you, they will stop at nothing to get it. Marjorie is a text book example. How do I setup my iPhone 13 for the first time? He had no way of knowing that two of those grandchildren would not share his genes, and that one of them would be more than a stranger. But in the big picture a greater public service could be done by acknowledging the tragedy and handing out information on psychopathology. The child shed adopted was olive skinned with straight, black hair and was so nearsighted she had to wear thick glasses. With Roger out of prison under supervision and a retrial looming, authorities decided to strike a deal rather than risk an acquittal. It is estimated that 1% of the population are psychopaths. The Gateway to Hell in Tagus, North Dakota. But in reality it was just the opposite. MinnPost thanks these generous donors: INDIVIDUALS AND FOUNDATI0NS Blandin FoundationOtto Bremer FoundationBush FoundationSage & John CowlesDavid . In 1984, Marjorie was convicted of arson in the burning of the Mound, Minn., home she had just sold but remained an insurance beneficiary. From an early age, Marjorie showed signs of devious behavior, and as a teenager she was diagnosed as a sociopath. The investigators werent buying it. "So they said, 'Do what you gotta do.'". When I began my research, I discovered so many amazing things. Prone to arson, Marjorie was suspected of torching her home in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, but the matter was dropped. She was sentenced two and a half years in prison and fined $10,000. The LeRoys moved to an eight bedroom house at 4705 Fremont Ave. No. I started out with a Gothic feel, really influenced by Cabaret, Chicago, and Sweeney Todd, he says. When she returned home at age eighteen, she began stealing money again. Withdrawing further, Marjorie began to act strangely, pulling out her own hair and laugh in an odd manner. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. Though one of the suspects was convicted, and later signed a confession, some elements of the crime remain mysterious, and it has persisted as a source of continued fascination. The police investigation quickly focused on Elisabeth's daughter by adoption, Marjorie Caldwell, 44, and Marjorie's husband, Roger, 43, in a murder-for-inheritance plot. It was then that he decided to build his dream home on the shores of Lake Superior. If they change to focus to be more about history and the house, Ill reconsider. Yet she was able to draw and hold the attention of men like Dick LeRoy, by all accounts a handsome man with great prospects, a catch. He died in 1916. As a result, no autopsy was possible. The combination of Antabuse and alcohol can produce seizures, congestive heart failure and even death. It happened because she lacked a conscience. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. The Congdons are notable for many things, and the docents dont want those accomplishments overshadowed by the taint of Marjorie Congdons behavior. He passed the bar and took a job as a high school principal in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. She had him cremated before police could determine a cause of death. After other evidence was discovered at their home in Denver, Marjorie tried to poison Roger, but he was sent to Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park on July 5, and was ready to be handed over to Duluth police on July 7, 1977. "Certainly, it isn't surprising she's back in the news today. Glensheen Mansion is a five-story structure with several staircases. How many of the Andes Survivors are still Alive? The Caldwells were broke, living in Colorado, and had been asking Miss Congdon for money to buy a ranch. Marjorie Congdon has been diagnosed a psychopath. The building was designed by Minnesota architect Clarence H. The historic Glensheen Mansion, along London Road in Duluth MN, was built for, Released in the fall of 1972 and directed by Lamont Johnson, Youll Like, Glensheen, a mansion and grounds completed in 1908 on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, was built by Chester and Clara Congdon. Is there a movie about the Glensheen Mansion? Your email address will not be published. On June 27, 1977, the aged heiress to a vast mining fortune is killed along with her night nurse at Glensheen, a posh mansion perched on the Lake Superior coast. People are drawn to psychopaths like moths to a flame. "It was clear she was then on a path to wanting to speed up her inheritance," said DeSanto, who's a judge now and co-author of a book on the case, "Will to Murder.". [Elizabeth Congdon never fully recovered, and spent the last decade of her life unable to engage in many of her previous activities]. The staff rarely saw her. Their mother Hagen's previous wife was in a nursing home in 1980 when she collapsed into a coma and died after Marjorie allegedly was seen feeding her something from a jar. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell with her attorney Ronald Meshbesher. We hope Marjorie doesnt show up at the theater with a box of matches, Poling says. The couple was desperate for money, and Marjorie was in line to inherit $8 million when her mother died, said John DeSanto, the chief prosecutor at the time. "The big mystery still is, did Roger do it alone or with someone else there, and how involved if at all was Marjorie? conniving.''. The Creepiest Town in America: Danvers, MA. I found out that her classmate at Vassar was the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Marjorie Hagen was again arrested on a murder charge but it was dropped for lack of evidence. Im doing work now with Youth Link, and some of the proceeds from this book will go to help young people at risk of sexual trafficking. So they made a deal. Whatever the diagnosis revealed was something Elisabeth would never tell anyone. All Rights Reserved. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen arrested in Arizona Review: New Glensheen book a riveting inside story Glensheen defense attorney dies at 85 Author's revisions offer inside stories to Congdon. And new things are happening. Twelve years after the murders, he committed suicide. Police suspected that Roger Caldwell flew from Colorado to Minneapolis, drove to Duluth, and committed the murders under cover of darkness. You think youre in a Gothic murder mystery, and then humorous elements come in and you end up popping into different worlds.. As early as 1966 when she was married to Dick LeRoy, the family garage mysteriously burned to the ground. MP: In the book, you implicate her in numerous murders across the country, although she never served time for any. Is she still living? They agreed. Tucson police wouldn't discuss what led to the charges, citing an ongoing investigation. While darkly comic elements pepper the musical, Poling emphasizes that he and Hatcher have been respectful of the victims. A deposit of iron ore had been found sixty miles to the north in the Mesabi range, and Pittsburgh steel magnate Andrew Carnegie had shown an interest in it. She was so much more than the last day of her life. The killings were carried out by Roger Caldwell, allegedly at the urging of his wife, Congdons adopted daughter Marjorie, though she was later acquitted of conspiracy to murder at a trial. She taught me to give back. She was accused of murdering her third husband, although those charges were dropped. Rogers trial resulted in two consecutive life sentences, handed down on July 10, 1978. "She got no bulk sum after the murders she basically lost it all," Feichtinger said. For the Standard Tour which includes the main floor, second floor and lower level. All marjorie congdon caldwell hagen artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. Caldwell served five. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. In an act brazen for the time, Elisabeth traveled to New York City on a summer day in 1932 and adopted a child. "In recent years, she has kept a surprisingly low profile," she said in 2017. Her regrets would be of a different, more vexing nature. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen's son is a candidate for a state judge spot. Caldwell served only five years in prison; in 1983, he was released after confessing to the murders. SCL: You never turn your back. Hare, Robert D. Phd. Her nurse is also killed, bludgeoned with a candlestick. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by her exorbitant spending. The public needs to be educated. Marjorie Caldwell and her attorney, Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979. Editors note:This article was produced as a part of a collaboration between The Growler Magazine and 89.3 The Current, Minnesotas non-commercial, member-supported radio station playing the best authentic, new music alongside the music that inspired it. Marjorie did not call the fire department. When it opened two years after the murders, tour guides were instructed not to talk about them, because of the sensational nature of the crimes, and because it was still so raw and emotional for the families. The Guilford Press, 1999, Hendry, Sharon Darby. TUCSON, Ariz. -- Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen, the 74-year-old woman acquitted in connection with the June 1977 deaths of her mother and her mother's nurse at Duluth's Glensheen mansion, was taken into custody Thursday night at a Tucson assisted-living facility and booked into Pima County Jail on suspicion of theft, forgery, fraud and computer tampering. Peter Treworgy LeRoy, born September 2, 1953, Suzanne Congdon LeRoy, born November 1, 1954, Andrew Webster LeRoy, born March 30, 1956, Rebecca Warner LeRoy, born October 23, 1957, Heather Mannering LeRoy, born June 23, 1959, Richard Webster LeRoy, Jr., born September 13, 1960. Marjorie's second marriage was to a man named Roger Sipe Caldwell. They were set to inherit millions of dollars when Elisabeth died. As far as I know, she is still living. Roger. "She was knitting at the defense table," said Kimball. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. Marjorie was released from prison on January 5, 2004, to much trepidation. Im interested in at-risk youth, and drawn to help people in difficult situations. But nothing could be further from the truth. Marjorie remains estranged from all but one of her seven children from her first marriage and has had no contact with the Congdon family since the murder case, Feichtinger said. Avoid being drawn in. [She served time for arson.] Amy Goetzman writes about books, authors, libraries and the Twin Cities literary scene. Candance Renalls is a retired Duluth News Tribune reporter and freelance writer. Partnering with a friend, Congdon obtained leases for iron ore properties that contained ore mixed with sand. And they ended up acquitting her. Rather, they seek money as a means of control. Condgon was found smothered with a satin pillow. They win people over, before bending them to their will. He did a masterful job. These days few Americans find it cynical to observe that our justice system is vulnerable to the influences of wealth and celebrity. What they did is public record.. Within hours of their return, Hagen was dead. Her attempts for earlier release on parole met. Before she was arrested, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her friend cremated. She is released 21 months later. In his will Chester Congdon bequeathed his home and fortune to his wife and children, and by succession to his grandchildren. Has Ruxandra Porojnicu left Coronation Street? Marjorie Congdon was accused of plotting the death of her wealthy mother, Elisabeth Congdon, and nurse Velma Pietila, who were found dead at the Congdon estate almost 40 years ago. Congdon Caldwell married Wally Hagen in 1982. A tour guide shares historical facts and interesting details about the mansion and Congdon family. MP: You have a hard time calling Marjorie Caldwell your mother. Product details Publisher : Zenith City Press; 4th edition (May 1, 2009) She wanted the money, and she was not content to wait for her inheritance. Antabuse is a prescription drug that reacts badly with alcohol. But it didnt stop there. In 2005, the museum reversed course. Poling says he and Hatcher are acutely aware that audience members for Glensheen will include members of the victims families, investigators who worked on the caseand possibly even Marjorie Congdon Caldwell. But the charges were dropped after prosecutors failed to get a grand jury indictment. She is sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. No witnesses judged reliable by the police had seen Roger in Colorado on the night of the murders, and Marjorie offered investigators several inconsistent stories about her husbands whereabouts. The evidence pointed toward Marjorie. He was found guilty and given two life sentences. At great personal expense, Congdon hired a mining engineer to develop a washing mill that could remove the sand. She knew they were unlikely to front her the cash, so she sent Roger to make the plea. In late 1992, before sentencing for arson, she was allowed 24 hours to transport her ailing husband from Tucson, Ariz., to their home in Ajo. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Tags: Glensheen, Majorie Congdon, Summer 2017, Sign up for the Artful Note newsletter, our guide to the good life delivered right to your inbox. Thats different from a psychopath. She helped found a baby clinic in Duluth that eventually became a Planned Parenthood. They are friendly and engaging. An additional note: The History Theatre musical, "Glensheen" is on stage starting July 6 and runs through July 30, 2017. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy: Yes. Relations between Marjorie and her family members were highly strained, and the Congdon estate closely monitored all communication between Marjorie and her mother. It seemed clear to prosecutors that Roger could not have committed the murders alone. Stained glass window above the stairway landing at Glensheen mansion where Velma Pitiela was murdered. Marjorie ended up with about $40,000 a year from a Congdon trust plus Wallace Hagen's pension, according to Feichtinger. Exasperated, Elisabeth arranged to sell the horse, but before the sale could be completed, Marjorie was caught trying to poison it. Roger Caldwell, when he was arrested for the murders of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, in St. Louis County, on July 8, 1977. They never suspected what was about to happen. In 1990, Hagen and her husband moved to Ajo, Ariz. One year later, authorities said Marjorie Hagen used a kerosene-soaked rag to try to burn down a neighbor's home. Glensheen, a new musical about the crime by acclaimed playwright Jeffrey Hatcher and music by The Suburbs Chan Poling, opens October 3 at St. Pauls History Theatre. The murders at Glensheen mansion were sloppy. Clarity means quality, and , We cant fight it any longer. No witnesses survive, and the cops in a small northern Minnesota city have to make their case based on purely circumstantial evidence. Her nurse that night, 66-year-old Velma Pietila, had just retired and was looking forward to relaxing and traveling with her husband; shed been convinced to return to work for one more night because the regular nurse was on vacation. Sadly, Marjories mother neglected to mention Marjories psychological problems to her new husband before he married her. They are not creepy. Whats more, investigators found a dark hair near Velma Pietilas body. Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.; Charles W. Leavitt, Jr. 2023 The Growler Magazine. "She lives in very nice properties," Gail Feichtinger, co-author of "Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes & Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings," who continues to keep track of Marjorie's whereabouts and crimes told the News Tribune in 2017. WALLY HAGEN On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Women's Prison for burning down her and Wally's home in Mound, Minnesota. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We are largest Know-How Listing website, total [total_posts] questions already asked and get answers instantly! In a city that bears the Congdon name at nearly every turn (this week, when a fire damaged Duluths historic Traphagen House, it was even noted that the Congden family had lived there while their Glensheen mansion was being constructed), her legacy is long, yet her individual accomplishments have largely been forgotten. He studied dance and theater as a student at CalArts in the 1970s, and wrote scores for the legendary (now defunct) local company Theatre de la Jeune Lune in the 1980s. They married on August 7, 1981, in North Dakota; Marjorie had not bothered to divorce Roger and is still wanted for bigamy in North Dakota. Caldwell's conviction was. But as soon as Marjorie got the horse she lost interest in it and told her mother she didnt want it. "People do see her out and about. When jewelry matching that taken from Glensheen, and a convenience store receipt from the morning of the crime printed in the MinneapolisSt. Sociopaths have a conscience, but their moral compass is weak. But she could also make up fibs faster than anyone could keep track of. In 1960 Dick was still working as an insurance agent in an office above Miracle Mile in St. Louis Park. June 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the Glensheen Mansion murders. She bought her things. Guests are constantly , The term craft is ambiguous at best. Marjorie kept on spending, writing bad checks and driving her new husband deeper and deeper into debt. She got along swimmingly with the other inmates, and she sent a bouquet of flowers to the warden every week. Its one of Americas great houses. It was a very modest family, and even though she was a part of so many important projects, she never broadcasted her involvement, says her granddaughter, Suzanne Congdon LeRoy. When we were invited to dinner, it was never casual. At the time, it was not possible to separate ore from sand, so the ore was worthless. The court granted him a new trial. In 2010, her attorney's court motion to remove her from intensive probation so she could get into an assisted living complex was denied. From 1952 to 1954, the LeRoys lived at 2744 Salem Ave., a bungalow built in 1941. Shop for marjorie congdon caldwell hagen wall art from the world's greatest living artists. We remember all the wrong things about Elisabeth Mannering Congdon. Suzanne is estranged from her mother, telling MinnPost interviewer Amy Goetzman in 2014 that the last shed heard, her mother was calling herself Marjorie Hagen and living in the Southwest. MP: In your memoirs, your grandmother seems to be a much greater influence on you than your own parents were. No one is born a sociopath. We don't really hide from it, but it's definitely not our number one marketing message to get out there.". A satin pillow was lying over Elisabeths face. The shores of Lake Superior near Glensheen Mansion. Roger Caldwell was identified by a Duluth cab driver who remembered taking him out to Glensheen on the night of the murders. She told the new buyers she wanted to do some work on the house before handing it over to them. Everybody loves a murder mystery! "It really was like a house in a time capsule.". Thats when Marjorie got an idea. In 1985, she was imprisoned. Soon, Marjorie turns into the stepmother from hell. "I think also a downside of the murder is that people always viewed it from that lens, even in the history community," he said, "that they kind of forget it's actually this incredibly important historic site for our state. Curiously, he never said who did. Your email address will not be published. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=180027192065175"; The next morning Walter Hagen was found dead, the victim of an apparent suicide. in Minneapolis in 1957, but took good care of the new, pregnant owner of the Huntington house, giving her all of her maternity clothes and sending up strawberries to the hospital. "I don't have any comments about the facts of the new crime," DeSanto said Saturday. Sadly, most people from her generation would not be able to square what they know about Marjorie with the diagnosis of a psychopath. We sold it.. It was the stuff of an Agatha Christie novel. Hagen endorsed and deposited an $11,000 check into a bank. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Member donations are crucial to the work of our nonprofit newsroom. He and his wife, Mary, live near Kettle River, Minnesota, enjoying time with their seven grandchildren. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. 15091511 E. Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota. Suddenly his ore was worth a fortune. Four years into his sentence, though, Roger Caldwell walked out of prison, never to return. She eventually paid her lawyer out of the income from her $750,000 trust fund. How much does the Glensheen Mansion cost? Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone. She was convicted of attempted arson, and the judge allowed her to go home before reporting to prison to make arrangements for her 84-year-old husband. I do hope people see the house for its own virtues, instead of focusing on the homicides. Suspicions about Marjorie were already heightened by a 1974 incident in which Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her daughter. Most Minnesotans know of Marjorie Congdon as the woman who was tried and acquitted of conspiring with her then husband, Roger Caldwell, to murder Marjorie's mother, heiress Elizabeth Congdon. Will you still be able to buy Godiva chocolate? Then the story took another turn when the Minnesota Supreme Court court threw out Roger Caldwell's conviction based on the new evidence introduced at Marjorie's trial. She parted ways with her second husband, Roger Caldwell, after the trials. On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Womens Prison for burning down her and Wallys home in Mound, Minnesota. A stroke had left her mobility and speech seriously impaired, requiring full-time medical supervision. At the age of twelve Marjorie began spending her mothers money with a vengeance, running up her charge accounts at local merchants. Marjorie was charged with murder but charges were dropped. Sadly, he was only able to enjoy his home for seven years. How do you feel about the recent moves to open up the private areas of the house to the public? Investigators quickly identify two suspects with a classic motive: struggling financially, the suspects stood to inherit millions upon the victims death. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by . A nineteenth century masterpiece of hand-carved oak, stained glass, damask wall coverings and handmade rugs, it sits on twelve acres of land that slopes gently to the shores of Lake Superior.
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