A garden hose was found running from the gas stove in the kitchen to their bedroom. Its one of Americas great houses. A wealthy woman is murdered in her bed, smothered with a pillow in the landmark lakeside mansion built by her parents. What happened to them was a nightmare. Elisabeth Mannering Congdons legacy is long, yet her individual accomplishments have largely been forgotten. In 1979, she was acquitted in the smothering of her adoptive mother and the beating death of a night nurse. 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. Spirits Close-Up: The Ultimate Hot Toddy Matrix. Sociopaths are shaped by their environment. May 17, 1988 Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune, How long is the tour? If they want something from you, they will stop at nothing to get it. Antabuse is a prescription drug that reacts badly with alcohol. When the new buyers inspected the house just days before they were to move in, they noticed the floors had been varnished, and there was a strong chemical odor. What happened Marjorie Congdon? But in the big picture a greater public service could be done by acknowledging the tragedy and handing out information on psychopathology. 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. But when she fully enters their lives, they become entwined in a series of bizarre crimes. For example, she stripped all the kitchen cupboards and repainted and decorated with Pennsylvania Dutch designs. The crime immediately attracted national attention. It is famous for. From the beginning, the child was different. As far as I know, she is still living. Gray Duck Media. The Associated Press and Arizona Daily Star contributed to this report. They cannot believe the things people say about her. Roger Caldwell, when he was arrested for the murders of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, in St. Louis County, on July 8, 1977. What do ice crystals on a frozen food item indicate? If Marjorie couldnt have it, nobody would. No witnesses survive, and the cops in a small northern Minnesota city have to make their case based on purely circumstantial evidence. By 1977, she was living in Colorado and married to her second husband, Roger Caldwell. In 1935 Elizabeth adopted another daughter and named her Jennifer. With her history of arson, she was immediately a suspect. St. Louis County Chief Prosecutor John DeSanto prosecuted the 1977 murders. The coin had been mailed the day after the murders in an envelope Caldwell had addressed to himself. Her ability to coerce him in this way hinted at deeper implications. Marjorie could not have been pleased. We sold it.. An autopsy subsequently revealed Walter Hagen had died of a drug overdose. Marjorie is now 84 years old and shes still out there. "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.". From an early age, Marjorie showed signs of devious behavior, and as a teenager she was diagnosed as a sociopath. In a 2009 plea agreement, she pleaded guilty to attempted forgery and was sentenced to three years of intensive probation. There was a level of service and attention to detail we just cant fathom in todays world. That heiress was Elizabeth Congdon, the last living child of Chester Congdon, who'd earned his fortune developing the Mesabi Iron Range. How much does the Glensheen Mansion cost? She always seemed like a nice person. They are friendly and engaging. Caldwell served five years for the murder; Marjorie was acquitted. Elisabeths face was purple, her mouth hanging open. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for the arson fires in Ajo. After his wife mysteriously died after a visit from Marjorie, Wally Hagen became Marjories next husband. The day after she was convicted, Wally Hagen was found dead of a drug overdose. At the time of the slayings, the Caldwells were deep in debt. Even her attorney Ronald Meshbesher couldnt get her off. Everyones life is important and has meaning, but she was so important to me. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; It really is part of a bygone era. Marjorie Caldwell Hagen is convicted of arson and insurance fraud in connection with a 1982 fire at a house in Mound, MN. Marjorie was caught red-handed setting fire to her neighbors house. Marjorie Caldwell and her attorney, Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979. Her adopted daughter Marjorie LeRoy's mother along with her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were accused of murdering Congdon in an attempt to inherit her fortune. The Congdon story is one that is quite close to me literally. Three years later on March 2, 2007 she was caught trying to forge the signature of a recently deceased friend on an inheritance check. She won. She was introverted and spent most of her time reading alone or playing by herself in the nooks and crannies of the vast mansion. But Congdon was betting on the come. A stroke had left her mobility and speech seriously impaired, requiring full-time medical supervision. "In recent years, she has kept a surprisingly low profile," she said in 2017. The Congdons are notable for many things, and the docents dont want those accomplishments overshadowed by the taint of Marjorie Congdons behavior. What they inadvertently let loose on a summer day in 1932 destroyed many lives, and it all began with an act of generosity. Your email address will not be published. That has always bothered me. Those who know her find her friendly and engaging. They are thinking about restoring the greenhouses, which were torn down in 1971, and bringing in bee hives and selling Glensheen honey. MinnPost: Although Glensheen is well known, your grandmother is not. Additionally, two other men shes been close to have died in what some have regarded as suspicious circumstances. Is that your grandmothers influence? Thats different from a psychopath. Marjorie married Roger Caldwell of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 1976, in the Denver, Colorado, area and they lived in Golden, Colorado. Duluth police were called to the mansion on the morning of June 27, 1977, after staff discovered the two women dead. 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. I thought that was kind of brilliant., Although hes best known for his work with The Suburbs, Poling is no stranger to the stage. And new things are happening. In 1984, Marjorie was convicted of arson in the burning of the Mound, Minn., home she had just sold but remained an insurance beneficiary. "I don't have any comments about the facts of the new crime," DeSanto said Saturday. But the charges were dropped after prosecutors failed to get a grand jury indictment. The lawyers tell you that you and your siblings would be set for life. Yet you became a nurse a very demanding, difficult profession. Paul Airport, were found in the Caldwells hotel rooms, authorities arrested Roger and charged him with the murders. She made few friends. To them, a psychopath is a person like Norman Bates in the classic 1960 Hitchcock thriller Psycho, a deranged maniac with little control over his mental state, a twisted monster made that way by abuse and trauma. 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. Suspicions about Marjorie were already heightened by a 1974 incident in which Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her daughter. It was as if she was determined to spend every last penny of Chester Congdons fortune. "People still won't talk to me on the record, because they're still afraid of retaliation," she said. The nurse picked up a corner and peeked underneath. Caldwell served only five years in prison; in 1983, he was released after confessing to the murders. As a result, no autopsy was possible. A short time later, Wally Hagen moved in with Marjorie. In the world Marjorie Congdon grew up in, wealth was everything. 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. June 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the Glensheen Mansion murders. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. Eighty-nine-year-old Marjorie Congdon has been called both a sociopath and a psychopath. The blood type turned out to be type O; the same blood type of Velma Pietila and Roger Caldwell. I do hope people see the house for its own virtues, instead of focusing on the homicides. MP: In the book, you implicate her in numerous murders across the country, although she never served time for any. To control that wealth mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie. I started in neonatal care, working with very sick babies, and that was a strong interest of hers as well. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. 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. Elisabeth Mannering Congdon about the age she was when she adopted Marjorie. Marjorie got good grades but was considered something of a weirdo by her classmates. Investigators focused almost immediately on one of Elizabeth's adopted daughters, Marjorie Caldwell, and her husband Roger. 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. They dazzle and captivate. Marjorie Caldwell, as Hagen was then known, was instantly considered a suspect in her mother's murder. DeSanto charged Roger Caldwell first. conniving.''. Velma was covered in blood. The literature has noted cases where children demonstrate psychopathic behaviors as early as age two, and in environments that are perfectly sound. Her trustees earlier had cut Marjorie off from the Congdon millions, after the. Then he graduated as class valedictorian from seminary school before taking a law degree at Syracuse University. Also that year, she pleaded no contest in connection with arson fires at an Ajo storage yard believed set for a fraudulent insurance claim. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Congdon's son-in-law, Roger Caldwell, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in 1978. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=180027192065175"; When word reached Jennifer Congdon, Marjorie Congdons younger sister, the first thing she said was, Marjorie did it. But proving that was going to be difficult. What does that mean? They never suspected what was about to happen. Does the Glensheen mansion have an elevator? Chester's youngest daughter, Elisabeth had never married. When he drank, he turned violent. You want to raise your hand and draw attention to it, even if it might be considered a bit crass. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. At the same time, she essentially only comes after people she can get something from, and none of my siblings or myself have anything for her. Marjorie used her inheritance to acquit her of the murder of the person who controlled her inheritance. While darkly comic elements pepper the musical, Poling emphasizes that he and Hatcher have been respectful of the victims. The grotesque story is nonetheless a true one that unfolded almost 40 years ago now: Duluths Glensheen murders, an atrocity that riveted the region for years. Before the contract came due, she sold the house but didnt immediately vacate. 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. MP: You write with such rich detail about visiting your grandmother at Glensheen, and the functions of the house the service, the secret call buttons. In 2010, her attorney's court motion to remove her from intensive probation so she could get into an assisted living complex was denied. }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); @2022 - 2022 - All Right Reserved. 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. The bottle in question was some type of clear spirit, , Bartenders everywhere know that people hate vermouth. 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. Developed by. She appealed, was let free on bond and, after a year of setbacks and delays, she was finally remanded to Shakopee Womens Prison in Shakopee, Minnesota. She helped found a baby clinic in Duluth that eventually became a Planned Parenthood. Still, its a little awkward when youre standing in the bedroom where Elisabeth Congdon was murdered with a satin pillow over her face, and its not even mentioned. In addition, they are charming, charismatic and engaging. Withdrawing further, Marjorie began to act strangely, pulling out her own hair and laugh in an odd manner. We were invited for dinner several times. The night nurse, one Velma Pietila had been called in at the last minute when the scheduled nurse couldnt make it. When authorities called Marjorie to tell her what had happened, she said nonchalantly, It isnt our house. If todays Duluth is an unusually lively and progressive city for its size, that is in part due to Congdons passions. How long does sunscreen last once put on? When Elisabeth was found murdered, it didnt take long for the investigation to zero in on the Caldwells. The victims' families "were really hopeful that we would not have to retry the case with a chance of Roger walking free," DeSanto said. What is the water level on Cherokee Lake? On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Womens Prison for burning down her and Wallys home in Mound, Minnesota. Hagen was arrested in 1977 in connection with the deaths of her mother, mining heiress Elisabeth Congdon, and her mother's nurse, Velma Pietila. Read this article as it appears in themagazine. "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. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. They consider the legacy of Chester Congdon and his family too important to be tainted by the troubling story of her atrocious behavior. 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. Marjorie's behavior in court also had an impact on the trial. The Hagen family planned a memorial service in January 1996 at Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park. She was a contemporary of Margaret Sanger and in the years after birth control became legal, she helped bring access and information to northern Minnesota, which made a big difference for countless working families and women living in poverty. The next day the house caught fire. Roger. Norman Bates, as depicted in the film, was a psychotic. When Marjorie was three, Elisabeth adopted a second daughter who she named Jennifer. SCL: She is remembered primarily as a victim of homicide, which of course bothers me. He befriended the US District Attorney in St. Paul and got a job as his assistant. They were set to inherit millions of dollars when Elisabeth died. How do you feel about the recent moves to open up the private areas of the house to the public? Overnight, Congdon became a very wealthy man. Congdon Caldwell married Wally Hagen in 1982. The evidence pointed toward Marjorie. '', DeSanto, who helped author "Will to Murder," a book on the Glensheen murders, said: "My thought is that it is inevitable. Sign up for The Growler's mailing list to receive the latest news in food, drink, and culture, and special events you won't want to miss. As her personality emerged from behind a wall of introversion, it was aggressive and unpleasant, and she made people uncomfortable. 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. Roger confessed to the murders, but was freed after serving just over five years in jail. I visit anonymously and join tours to see what they say, and see how people react. 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. A neighbor remembered Marjorie as being very industrious. But nothing could be further from the truth. The killings were carried out by Roger Caldwell, allegedly at the urging of his wife, Congdon's adopted daughter Marjorie, though she was later acquitted of conspiracy to murder at a trial. They are callous and opportunistic and care nothing about you. Rogers trial resulted in two consecutive life sentences, handed down on July 10, 1978. Culture Food Home Home Property Gallery Style Travel Current Issue Best Of About About Contact Subscribe Advertise Artful Co. Shop Adopted by one of the wealthiest families in Minnesota, she was brought up in lavish surroundings with all the comforts money could buy, Marjorie had an idyllic childhood. 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. An expert disputed a fingerprint that linked Roger to the crime. The Duluth newspaper archives included thousands of mentions of her activities. It is so beautiful and wonderful Im glad that everyone can enjoy it. She was arrested in Tucson, Arizona, at her residence at an assisted living facility on March 23, 2007, on charges of computer fraud and several other counts. Marjorie is a text book example. Marjorie Caldwell Hagen, seen in a photo from when she was in Arizona prisons from late 1992 to early 2004, serving time for arsons in Ajo, Ariz. He used to call her, My Angel., Psychotics are not the same thing as psychopaths, but for a whole generation of people theres only one way to be psycho. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. She would be strange. Soon, Marjorie turns into the stepmother from hell. Caldwell served five. 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.

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