She was given 15 years, but on October 30, 1992, Wally was found dead, a day before she was to report to prison. Marjorie used her inheritance to acquit her of the murder of the person who controlled her inheritance. What does Louis Osbourne do for a living? Accordingly, when Marjorie was thirteen, Elisabeth bought Marjorie a horse she had been demanding. 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. They consider the legacy of Chester Congdon and his family too important to be tainted by the troubling story of her atrocious behavior. "People still won't talk to me on the record, because they're still afraid of retaliation," she said. Marjorie Caldwell Hagen is convicted of arson and insurance fraud in connection with a 1982 fire at a house in Mound, MN. She was introverted and spent most of her time reading alone or playing by herself in the nooks and crannies of the vast mansion. 15091511 E. Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota. We remember all the wrong things about Elisabeth Mannering Congdon. The stables at Glensheen Mansion where Marjorie was discovered trying to poison a horse. Two days after Roger Caldwell was sentenced, Marjorie was arrested and charged with conspiracy. After the murders, someone stole Velma Pietilas car and left it at the airport, suggesting the killer had fled the city. How do you feel about the recent moves to open up the private areas of the house to the public? Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.; Charles W. Leavitt, Jr. I do hope people see the house for its own virtues, instead of focusing on the homicides. 40 years later, Hartman said the murders are still fresh and raw for members of the Congdon family, some of whom sit on the museum's board. Dumbest of all, a rare Byzantine coin that had been taken from Elisabeths Congdons room on the night of the murders turned up in Roger Caldwells home in Golden, Colorado. When Elisabeth was found murdered, it didnt take long for the investigation to zero in on the Caldwells. She was short, wide at the hips and bookish looking. All Rights Reserved. Caldwell was a bad alcoholic. They married two months later. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. How do I setup my iPhone 13 for the first time? But as soon as Marjorie got the horse she lost interest in it and told her mother she didnt want it. We were invited for dinner several times. Authorities said she began serving her sentence in 1993. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the fire at her neighbor's home and to a concurrent eight years for the storage yard fire. MP: Your book includes two riveting and fairly disturbing courtroom dramas the murder trial [starring a sneering Ron Meshbesher] and the settlement of your grandmothers estate. She parted ways with her second husband, Roger Caldwell, after the trials. An additional note: The History Theatre musical, "Glensheen" is on stage starting July 6 and runs through July 30, 2017. The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. Elisabeth Mannering Congdon, Chester Congdons third daughter, didnt prefer the company of men, at least not to the extent that she would marry one. In spite of the fact that it came to light during the trial that Marjorie had attempted to poison her mother on a previous occasion, Marjorie was acquitted. To control that wealth mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie. While Marjorie stood to inherit millions after her mother's death, she actually got a pittance in comparison. May 17, 1988 Beyond the sensational nature of the crime, a fortune worth millions was at stakeand family members immediately identified a suspect who stood to gain a substantial fraction of that fortune. In this light, Marjories difficulty in making friends at school can be seen as trial and error, a long learning curve that resulted in her emerging as an engaging, charismatic young woman at the age of nineteen, enough to snare a man like Dick LeRoy. How much does the Glensheen Mansion cost? Later, I became interested in infectious disease and HIV. SCL: I visited archives all over the country. As far as I know, she is still living. Who lived in the Glensheen Mansion? 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. Since Marjorie's release from prison, she has lived in several senior residential communities in Tucson, where neighbors often had conflicts with her and her service dogs. DULUTH Trouble continued to follow Marjorie Caldwell after her 1979 trial and acquittal for murder conspiracy in the slayings of her mother and her mother's nurse at Glensheen. The bottle in question was some type of clear spirit, , Bartenders everywhere know that people hate vermouth. As a single woman, this bordered on the scandalous, but Elisabeths regrets would have little to do with the social opprobrium her action invited. Her attempts for earlier release on parole met. Marjorie Congdon became Marjorie LeRoy on June 30th, 1951. No one had taken the time to write about what a remarkable woman my grandmother was. Then he graduated as class valedictorian from seminary school before taking a law degree at Syracuse University. The book shop promotes books about the homicides and I didnt want this book to be with them. If she could not get it by lying, cheating and stealing, she would find some other way. They are not trying to get money to feed a desire for things. In 1988, Roger took his own life, leaving a suicide note that read in part, referring to the Glensheen victims, I didnt kill those girls., Theres a lot of ground to cover, says Poling, around why the trials of Roger and Marjorie ended so differently. Marjorie Caldwell served two prison terms for arson, and she's been linked to several mysterious deaths. On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Womens Prison for burning down her and Wallys home in Mound, Minnesota. We see that you have javascript disabled. "It really was like a house in a time capsule.". At many times, her life was filled with loss, illness and hardship, and yet she was always optimistic. Police said they believed he was exposed to natural gas from the kitchen stove through a garden hose. I had 22 years with her and she impacted me so much in that time, and always after. It happened because she lacked a conscience. So is she no longer a threat? They didn't think they could prove the death was murder. She was accused of attempting to deposit his $11,181 inheritance into her account after he died. 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. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. I have had no contact with her for 40 years. Stained glass window above the stairway landing at Glensheen mansion where Velma Pitiela was murdered. Overnight, Congdon became a very wealthy man. Elisabeth named her Marjorie. Marjorie Congdons sudden magnetic appeal to men is remarkable in light of the fact that she was in no way conventionally attractive. They were set to inherit millions of dollars when Elisabeth died. The blood type turned out to be type O; the same blood type of Velma Pietila and Roger Caldwell. She remains a free womanthough shes been twice convicted of arson or attempted arson, and served two sentences for those crimes. A psychotic is someone who is out of touch with reality. The LeRoys moved to an eight bedroom house at 4705 Fremont Ave. No. In 1951 Marjorie found herself in St. Louis, Missouri, and married Richard Dick Webster LeRoy, an insurance executive. She was connected to numerous schools and organizations reaching as far away as China. In an act brazen for the time, Elisabeth traveled to New York City on a summer day in 1932 and adopted a child. She professed her innocence in the Ajo fire at trial. Glensheen director Dan Hartman talks about a Congdon family portrait. "She brought a birthday cake in for one of the lawyers one day. In 2005, the museum reversed course. I started out with a Gothic feel, really influenced by Cabaret, Chicago, and Sweeney Todd, he says. Roger Caldwell, when he was arrested for the murders of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, in St. Louis County, on July 8, 1977. Does the Glensheen mansion have an elevator? She always seemed like a nice person. Who wrote youll like my mother?Jo HeimsNaomi A. Hintze. Suddenly his ore was worth a fortune. In fact, LeRoy herself learned about many of her grandmothers projects only when she began to research her new book, Nightingale: A Memoir of Murder, Madness, and the Messenger of Spring, Kitai Press. Is there a movie about the Glensheen Mansion? js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=180027192065175"; After a long trial, it took the jury just twenty-four hours to convict Roger Caldwell. Nor was anyone else in the Congdon family. Partnering with a friend, Congdon obtained leases for iron ore properties that contained ore mixed with sand. The Creepiest Town in America: Danvers, MA. She was arrested and convicted of second-degree arson and insurance fraud. "Certainly, it isn't surprising she's back in the news today. 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. In a plea bargain, the remainder of Rogers prison sentence was dismissed as authorities hoped his confession would implicate Marjoriethough that didnt turn out to be the case. Marjorie and Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976. If you can make a difference in even one life, its meaningful. Is she still living? In 1935 Elizabeth adopted another daughter and named her Jennifer. Congdon's son-in-law, Roger Caldwell, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in 1978. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. In 2007, Marjorie was charged with fraud, theft, forgery and computer tampering after befriending a man in his 70s and becoming his power of attorney. Avoid being drawn in. "She got no bulk sum after the murders she basically lost it all," Feichtinger said. SCL: My grandmother donated the estate to the University of Minnesota Duluth in the 1960s, and now Glensheen is run by the UMD fine arts department. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; During her lifetime, the Duluth mining heiress and philanthropist worked quietly to shape the community and culture of her northern town. As early as 1966 when she was married to Dick LeRoy, the family garage mysteriously burned to the ground. Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy, one of Marjories daughters, recently published a biography of her late grandmother, highlighting Elisabeths philanthropic legacy. Back at home, her third husband, Walter Hagen, was delighted at her return. One other big difference stands out. All marjorie congdon caldwell hagen artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. When authorities called Marjorie to tell her what had happened, she said nonchalantly, It isnt our house. They married two months later. 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. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for arson. The Congdon story is one that is quite close to me literally. I was only 9 years old when she had a stroke. When did Irene Curie win the Nobel Prize? Also that year, she pleaded no contest in connection with arson fires at an Ajo storage yard believed set for a fraudulent insurance claim. Today, the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion, tours and events that take place inside and on the mansion's grounds. But Marjorie had something going for her that Roger didnt. MinnPost | P.O. MinnPost: Although Glensheen is well known, your grandmother is not. Caldwell served five years for the murder; Marjorie was acquitted. Partially paralyzed by a stroke for more than a decade, eighty-three-year-old Elisabeth Congdon required around the clock care. SCL: You never turn your back. Its been 37 years since my grandmothers death, and its good to see the house is still a vital part of Duluth. Alarmed, Elisabeth sent her away to a clinic in Topeka, Kansas for a psychological evaluation. Now, the city might start buying garbage trucks, Let's talk about our racist and ugly state flag, Minnesota Democrats might spend big in bid to fix a struggling child care industry, The long, bitter fight over Minneapolis Roof Depot site, explained, Time to celebrate our Minnesota public schools, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons license. No witnesses survive, and the cops in a small northern Minnesota city have to make their case based on purely circumstantial evidence. In January 2004 Marjorie Congdon was released from prison after serving ten years of her fifteen year sentence for arson. In 1986, he was elected St. Louis County Sheriff; he retired in 1999. EARLY LIFE She served 21 months. "Someone breaks into a 39-room mansion and killed the nurse on the grand stairway," with a candlestick, recalled Joe Kimball, a reporter with the Minneapolis Tribune who covered the murders. Sadly, he was only able to enjoy his home for seven years. Her regrets would be of a different, more vexing nature. Two years later, after having moved to Englewood, Colorado, Marjorie was identified in the vicinity of the First National Bank Building shortly before it caught on fire. But it didnt stop there. Nancy and her brother Tom were always curious about their mother's rich friend, Marjorie Congdon. The court granted him a new trial. She wanted the money, and she was not content to wait for her inheritance. They turned him down flat. The family briefly moved to Mankato, Minnesota, and then in 1955 returned to St. Louis Park, this time to 3330 Huntington Ave., a larger house on the shores of Bass Lake in the Minikahda Oaks neighborhood. The reason why they dont talk about the murders on the tour isnt because they are trying to hide it, its because murder is a horrendous thing to happen and not everyone wants to hear about it. 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. Marjorie did not call the fire department. Marjorie Hagen was again arrested on a murder charge but it was dropped for lack of evidence. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. 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. She told the new buyers she wanted to do some work on the house before handing it over to them. Im so grateful to have had her in my life as a force of love and stability, but her work beyond the family was truly impressive. Charges against Marjorie were dropped in the first case and never filed in the second. Velma was covered in blood. Developed by. The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. The Associated Press and Arizona Daily Star contributed to this report. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Her nurse is also killed, bludgeoned with a candlestick. Her ability to coerce him in this way hinted at deeper implications. SCL: She made a big difference for maternal and child health. Saturday, Aug. 23, 12 p.m., Village Bookstore, Grand Rapids, Minn. MinnPost's in-depth, independent news is free for all to access no paywall or subscriptions. As the nurse climbed the stairs, she stopped dead in her tracks. But even today, guides don't discuss the murder during tours, although they will answer questions after, explained Glensheen Director Dan Hartman. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for the arson fires in Ajo. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Sure, there've been times over 40 years when I wished the whole thing. Marjorie is now the same age her mother was when her mother was murdered. 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. MP: What sources did you consult in your research? Will you help us keep it this way by supporting our nonprofit newsroom with a tax-deductible donation today? Hagen was arrested in 1977 in connection with the deaths of her mother, mining heiress Elisabeth Congdon, and her mother's nurse, Velma Pietila. At great personal expense, Congdon hired a mining engineer to develop a washing mill that could remove the sand. Caldwell served five. 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). That heiress was Elizabeth Congdon, the last living child of Chester Congdon, who'd earned his fortune developing the Mesabi Iron Range. Clarity means quality, and , We cant fight it any longer. Glensheen, built just northeast of downtown Duluth in 1909, was the audacious symbol of Congdon's wealth and made the murders that much more intriguing. 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. Psychopaths are born without consciences, the way some people are born without sight or sound. 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. The Arizona Daily Star reported that Hagen was most recently in the news in 2006 after her lawyer was accused of bilking her and another client out of more than $100,000. The bedroom where Elisabeth Congdon was murdered. Tour lengths vary depending on the type of tour and the desired experience. This post is riddled with false statements about both the mansion and the family. She helped found a baby clinic in Duluth that eventually became a Planned Parenthood. What they inadvertently let loose on a summer day in 1932 destroyed many lives, and it all began with an act of generosity. If Marjorie couldnt have it, nobody would. In the early years of the twentieth century as the demand for iron ore increased, Chester Congdons wealth grew. Relations between Marjorie and her family members were highly strained, and the Congdon estate closely monitored all communication between Marjorie and her mother. She and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were living in Colorado and were flat broke.. Yet even now somebody is sitting down over a friendly cup of coffee with a psychopath somewhere. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Surprisingly, there are some rather significant connections between Marjorie and St. Louis Park. How long does sunscreen last once put on? When jewelry matching that taken from Glensheen, and a convenience store receipt from the morning of the crime printed in the MinneapolisSt. At the time of the slayings, the Caldwells were deep in debt. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. Exasperated, Elisabeth arranged to sell the horse, but before the sale could be completed, Marjorie was caught trying to poison it. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. Meanwhile, during all this legal back and forth, the Glensheen mansion had opened to the public. Poling is channeling these past experiences for Glensheen.. Box 18438 | Minneapolis, MN 55418 | 612.455.6950, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license., * Please read before republishing * How do I create a group in Contacts on iPhone? They are friendly and engaging. In 1992, Hagen pleaded no contest to a criminal damage charge in connection with a 1990 fire at an Ajo storage yard that was believed to have been set to support a fraudulent insurance claim. The next owner of this house remembered Marjorie well. We hope Marjorie doesnt show up at the theater with a box of matches, Poling says. The child shed adopted was olive skinned with straight, black hair and was so nearsighted she had to wear thick glasses. Our 12-acre estate features gardens, bridges, and the famous, Chester A. Congdon, 1909. 3.76 282 ratings27 reviews Glensheen's Daughter is the story of Marjorie Congdon, the adopted daughter of heiress Elisabeth Congdon, and the brutal murders at Glensheen, one of America's great mansions. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. They are thinking about restoring the greenhouses, which were torn down in 1971, and bringing in bee hives and selling Glensheen honey. She wasnt there long. It looked like justice was finally catching up with her. Elisabeth Congdon, heiress to a taconite fortune in Duluth, never married and could not have children so she adopted Jacqueline and changed her name to Marjorie. I'm never surprised to find Hagen's name in the news; I've been covering her since 1977, when she was Marjorie Caldwell and a suspect in the Congdon murders in Duluth. When she returned home at age eighteen, she began stealing money again. Its a significant part of the mansions history, even if it is a bit unsettling, especially in light of the fact that the likely murderer is still alive and not in prison. 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. On March 24, 1992, she was arrested for burning down her neighbors house. The Gateway to Hell in Tagus, North Dakota. Marjorie's second marriage was to a man named Roger Sipe Caldwell. Her adopted daughter Marjorie LeRoys mother along with her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were accused of murdering Congdon in an attempt to inherit her fortune. Is that your grandmothers influence? She would be strange. Required fields are marked *. ", "Because the family didn't want to go back to a murder scene," he explained. SCL: Very much so. She was arrested again in 1984 when she burned down her house in Mound, Minn. She was convicted of arson and insurance fraud and sentenced to 21 months in prison. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. 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. Im not going to sell the book at Glensheen. At the age of twelve Marjorie began spending her mothers money with a vengeance, running up her charge accounts at local merchants. They dazzle and captivate. Soon, Marjorie turns into the stepmother from hell. A civil suit filed by five of her seven children in 1979 to disinherit their mother from her inheritance on the grounds she was involved in the murders was settled out of court in 1983. She got along swimmingly with the other inmates, and she sent a bouquet of flowers to the warden every week. Most psychopaths are not violent, but all are treacherous. It was a three or four course meal, with fine china and polished silver. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free under an, recent moves to open up the private areas, learn about all our free newsletter options, Augsburg author finds sweetness in light of Colbert Bump, Rebecca Rasmussen lives in the North Woods in her novels anyway, With carbon-free law in place, Minnesota Democrats now debating whether to mandate energy storage, An illustrated guide to the signs of Minnesota spring, State funds available to recruit diverse police officers, but not all departments are asking for the money, Addressing (and improving) life expectancies for Black Minnesotans, For years, St. Paul took a hands-off approach to trash collection. It was the stuff of an Agatha Christie novel. Roger Caldwell was identified by a Duluth cab driver who remembered taking him out to Glensheen on the night of the murders. I found out that her classmate at Vassar was the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. It took the authorities less than two weeks to arrest Roger Caldwell, but not before he wound up in the hospital after having collapsed at breakfast with seizures. She instilled that in me, and the power of possibility. In fact, the Congdon family was one of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota. Amy Goetzman writes about books, authors, libraries and the Twin Cities literary scene. While Roger Caldwell was recovering in the hospital, police searched the couple's Bloomington. It is so beautiful and wonderful Im glad that everyone can enjoy it. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. Before the contract came due, she sold the house but didnt immediately vacate. "We spend a lot of time trying to make sure that the focus of Glensheen is not the murder. I went on to the U of M and worked in womens health and family medicine. MP: You have a hard time calling Marjorie Caldwell your mother. The Classic and Full Mansion tours are self-paced with most visitors spending. It was as if she was determined to spend every last penny of Chester Congdons fortune. Marjorie was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The staff rarely saw her. If they want something from you, they will stop at nothing to get it. She made few friends. She added that she hasnt had contact with her for 40 years. In the late 1960s, the Congdon family decided to donate the estate to the University of Minnesota Duluth, although not until Elizabeth died. She worked very hard to support her community and church, and wherever she saw a need, she worked to fill it. Winter is coming, so . Roger confessed to the murders, but was freed after serving just over five years in jail. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. That's when Kimball decided to write a book about the case, "Secrets of the Congdon Mansion. 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