The combination of Antabuse and alcohol can produce seizures, congestive heart failure and even death. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by . Marjorie was caught red-handed setting fire to her neighbors house. 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. Marjorie Caldwell, as Hagen was then known, was instantly considered a suspect in her mother's murder. 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. 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. And he said it's too grisly to discuss on tours with families. Feichtinger wouldn't go that far, noting that Marjorie is no longer on probation and being supervised. 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. 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. They are not creepy. When Marjorie was three, Elisabeth adopted a second daughter who she named Jennifer. You find yourself not knowing what play youre in, Poling continues. The book shop promotes books about the homicides and I didnt want this book to be with them. DeSanto charged Roger Caldwell first. Psychopaths are without a conscience. But her mother, who was murdered in 1977, was not. Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune, How long is the tour? He was taken into custody and arraigned on charges of first degree murder. 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. MP: What do you consider to be her most important and lasting legacy to Minnesota? 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. Gray Duck Media. Tags: Glensheen, Majorie Congdon, Summer 2017, Sign up for the Artful Note newsletter, our guide to the good life delivered right to your inbox. Tucson police wouldn't discuss what led to the charges, citing an ongoing investigation. It was the stuff of an Agatha Christie novel. The cause was arson, but her presence there could not be connected to the crime, and she was not arrested. I visit anonymously and join tours to see what they say, and see how people react. She and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were living in Colorado and were flat broke.. Marjorie and Dick LeRoy had seven children: When LeRoy was transferred to Minnesota, they lived in Minneapolis, then moved to St. Louis Park. If youve heard of the play or visited the Glensheen mansion in Duluthoperated by the University of Minnesota as a museum and event spaceyou may have wondered to yourself: What exactly happened on that summer night in 1977? What does it mean when someone is succumb? Marjorie did not call the fire department. Congdon was the only surviving child of mining magnate Chester Congdon, who built the lavish mansion in 1909. Glensheen Mansion is a five-story structure with several staircases. During World War I, she worked with the Red Cross. She bought her things. Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie Congdon Caldwell, was acquitted in 1979 of charges that she helped plan the murders in what the prosecution called a scheme to get an early inheritance. On March 4, 2009, she was sentenced to three years probation. The officers who dropped her off found her quirky and engaging, a charming old lady. At the age of twelve Marjorie began spending her mothers money with a vengeance, running up her charge accounts at local merchants. Spirits Close-Up: The Ultimate Hot Toddy Matrix. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. The Great Debate: Should A Craft Distillery Purchase Already-Made Spirits? The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. The man who actually committed the murder was Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Elisabeth Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, according to MinnPost. They are consummate actors, and the role they play is of being human when, in fact, they are something less than human, and dangerous because of it. I have had no contact with her for 40 years. Choose your favorite marjorie congdon caldwell hagen designs and purchase them as wall art, home decor, phone cases, tote bags, and more! When Marjorie was sixteen, Elisabeth sent her away to a boarding school in New England. 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. Meanwhile, during all this legal back and forth, the Glensheen mansion had opened to the public. Back in Minnesota for the funeral, police found evidence of foul play in their Duluth hotel room. 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. The mansion was constructed as the family home of Chester Adgate Congdon. A big contingent are coming in opening nighttheyve got their tickets already.. Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. In some ways, time stands still at Glensheen Mansion, owned by the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD): almost everything in the home is an original possession of Clara and Chester Congdon, who built the house between. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. Dissatisfied, he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota with $31 in his pocket, passed the Minnesota bar, and joined a law firm. Marjorie stood to inherit $8.2 million upon her mother's death. 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. He and his wife, Mary, live near Kettle River, Minnesota, enjoying time with their seven grandchildren. After all, it should be part of a complete picture of the mansions history, which also includes the remarkable story of Chester Adgate Congdon, Elisabeths father and the builder of Glensheen. I thought that was kind of brilliant., Although hes best known for his work with The Suburbs, Poling is no stranger to the stage. Eastern Promises: Shochu and baijiu are entering the Minnesota marketgetting them right in a cocktail takes a delicate touch. But Marjorie had something going for her that Roger didnt. She was charming and talkative. MP: In your memoirs, your grandmother seems to be a much greater influence on you than your own parents were. She was sentenced two and a half years in prison and fined $10,000. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. '', DeSanto, who helped author "Will to Murder," a book on the Glensheen murders, said: "My thought is that it is inevitable. The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. When we were invited to dinner, it was never casual. Avoid being drawn in. Im not going to sell the book at Glensheen. Back at home, her third husband, Walter Hagen, was delighted at her return. 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. 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. "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. Stained glass window above the stairway landing at Glensheen mansion where Velma Pitiela was murdered. Additionally, two other men shes been close to have died in what some have regarded as suspicious circumstances. They agreed. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Hare, Robert D. Phd. To celebrate they bought an Airstream trailer and traveled the country, eventually settling in Ajo, Arizona, a town of 2,500 persons near the Mexican border. Two years later, the town experienced a rash of forty-three fires, at least fifteen of which were attributed to arson. Curiously, he never said who did. Marjorie Caldwell served two prison terms for arson, and she's been linked to several mysterious deaths. Your email address will not be published. The Catch: Exploring New Opportunities to Fly at Red State Reckoning: Playing Paintball in Martinsville, IN, Getting off the Boat at Ellis Island: Examining the Question of Immigration in New York City, Uncovering the Crime of the Century: The Hall-Mills Murders in New Brunswick, NJ, The Five Most Scenic Interstate Rest Areas in the US, Deadly Charm: The Murders at the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, Minnesota, The Greatest American You Never Heard of: George C. Marshall and Dodona Manor, 6 Ways Mid-Range Hotels Give You More than Upscale Hotels. Eight years later in 1974 after arranging for the remodeling of a house shed purchased, Marjorie was slow to pay the contractor, so the contractor placed a lien on her property. A tour guide shares historical facts and interesting details about the mansion and Congdon family. She professed her innocence in the Ajo fire at trial. The research was a wonderful process, and I felt privileged to discover so many things about her I didnt know. 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. A portrait of Chester Congdon looks over visitors to the Glensheen Mansion's library on Wednesday. Where Marjorie Congdon Hagen goes, fire and death follow. Velmas body was as cold as concrete. Review by @JayGabler: http://t.co/CcvqPvprgr pic.twitter.com/2ygWFh7Jj6, Local Current (@LocalCurrent) October 11, 2015. said Kimball. 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. 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. She put her foot down. 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. Marjorie pleaded guilty to the crime of forgery and was given probation. Everybody loves a murder mystery! Before the contract came due, she sold the house but didnt immediately vacate. ", "I went on one of the early tours," he said, "and one of the first things the guide said, was, 'when Ms. Congdon passed away, she willed the estate to the university.' In 1995 an Arizona judge decreed that Wally Hagens ashes must be divided between Hagens children and Marjorie. Poling was recruited by Hatcher, who had been asked by History Theatre to write a play based on the Glensheen case; Hatcher told Poling he only wanted to do the play if it could be a musical. "She brought a birthday cake in for one of the lawyers one day. 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 Caldwells were broke, living in Colorado, and had been asking Miss Congdon for money to buy a ranch. SCL: She is remembered primarily as a victim of homicide, which of course bothers me. Withdrawing further, Marjorie began to act strangely, pulling out her own hair and laugh in an odd manner. His was the classic American rags to riches story, and he was just getting started. She was introverted and spent most of her time reading alone or playing by herself in the nooks and crannies of the vast mansion. "In recent years, she has kept a surprisingly low profile," she said in 2017. The crime immediately attracted national attention. This was now two years after the murders and, as Kimball recalled, two new developments hurt the prosecution. Twenty months later she was released for good behavior. In November 2010 a judge in southern Arizona refused her request for a reduction in the terms of her probation so that she could move to a nursing home. As far as I know, she is still living. She was charged with murder in his death, but the charges were dropped. Her regrets would be of a different, more vexing nature. She was arrested, tried and convicted. The Congdons are notable for many things, and the docents dont want those accomplishments overshadowed by the taint of Marjorie Congdons behavior. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for the arson fires in Ajo. During her lifetime, the Duluth mining heiress and philanthropist worked quietly to shape the community and culture of her northern town. Most Minnesotans know of Marjorie Congdon as the woman who was tried and acquitted of conspiring with her then husband, Roger Caldwell, to murder Marjories mother, heiress Elizabeth Congdon. Elisabeth was the last surviving child of mining magnate Chester Congdon, who built Glensheen in the first decade of the 20th century and was reportedly the richest man in Minnesota when he died in 1916. Just before the fire, Marjorie was seen carrying valuables out of the house and loading them into her car. The elderly Elisabeth Congdon did what she could to help lessen the damage by covering at least $350,000 of her daughters indebtedness, but it wasnt enough to prevent Dick LeRoy from being ruined. Her children were always dressed like out of a magazine ad. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; In 1951 Marjorie found herself in St. Louis, Missouri, and married Richard Dick Webster LeRoy, an insurance executive. [Its] a very rich Sondheim sound. The trial was moved to Brainerd and in July of 1978 the jury found Roger Caldwell (Marjorie's husband) to be guilty of the crimes. The family has written some letters, and weve had discussions. 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. Hagen endorsed and deposited an $11,000 check into a bank. The day after she was convicted, Wally Hagen was found dead of a drug overdose. Box 18438 | Minneapolis, MN 55418 | 612.455.6950, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license., * Please read before republishing * Tour lengths vary depending on the type of tour and the desired experience. Illustration by Allegra Lockstadt; Photography provided by Dana Hall; Glensheen | University of Minnesota-Duluth; St. Paul Pioneer Press | Handwritten will courtesy of Zenith City Press as presented in Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes & Trials Surrounding The Glensheen Killings, considered the Definitive Book about the murders. Now she was free to do whatever she wanted. Was it your intention, in writing this book, to correct that? The staff rarely saw her. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. 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. 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. Genres True Crime History Nonfiction Biography Biography Memoir 332 pages, Paperback First published November 23, 1998 Book details & editions After the murders, someone stole Velma Pietilas car and left it at the airport, suggesting the killer had fled the city. And a witness from the first trial changed her story to say she saw Roger elsewhere the day of the murder. When he drank, he turned violent. Who lived in the Glensheen Mansion? js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=180027192065175"; Her ability to coerce him in this way hinted at deeper implications. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell had enough notoriety as an heiress that she could hire one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Minnesota. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. Elisabeth Congdons way of dealing with Marjorie was to appease her. "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. 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 always seemed like a nice person. Charges against Marjorie were dropped in the first case and never filed in the second. Velma was covered in blood. A stroke had left her mobility and speech seriously impaired, requiring full-time medical supervision. 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. Shop for marjorie congdon caldwell hagen wall art from the world's greatest living artists. Without divorcing Caldwell, she married Wallace Hagen in 1982 in North Dakota and was charged with bigamy a few months later. Sadly, he was only able to enjoy his home for seven years. Her trustees earlier had cut Marjorie off from the Congdon millions, after the. Marjorie kept on spending, writing bad checks and driving her new husband deeper and deeper into debt. Elisabeth, fearing publicity, did nothing. Who wrote youll like my mother?Jo HeimsNaomi A. Hintze. Marjorie used her inheritance to acquit her of the murder of the person who controlled her inheritance. conniving.''. 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. After a long trial, it took the jury just twenty-four hours to convict Roger Caldwell. But psychopaths are different. Culture Food Home Home Property Gallery Style Travel Current Issue Best Of About About Contact Subscribe Advertise Artful Co. Shop The Guilford Press, 1999, Hendry, Sharon Darby. Glensheens Daughter: The Marjorie Congdon Story. Marjorie and Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976. Developed by. June 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the Glensheen Mansion murders. The news, analysis and community conversation found here is funded by donations from individuals. Suspicions about Marjorie were already heightened by a 1974 incident in which Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her daughter. She served 21 months. She was given 15 years, but on October 30, 1992, Wally was found dead, a day before she was to report to prison. She was arrested and convicted of second-degree arson and insurance fraud. It became kind of obvious that the jurors were thinking, boy I don't think this lady would kill her mother.". Elisabeth Mannering Congdon about the age she was when she adopted Marjorie. It was a pattern that would repeat itself throughout her life. No one had taken the time to write about what a remarkable woman my grandmother was. The murders at Glensheen mansion were sloppy. For a woman whose motivation appeared to be greed, this might have come as a disappointment. The Gateway to Hell in Tagus, North Dakota. From an early age, Marjorie showed signs of devious behavior, and as a teenager she was diagnosed as a sociopath. Clarity means quality, and , We cant fight it any longer. 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. Donations made by check can be made out to MinnPost and mailed to us at PO Box 18438, Minneapolis, MN 55418. They are not trying to get money to feed a desire for things. It really is part of a bygone era. Accordingly, when Marjorie was thirteen, Elisabeth bought Marjorie a horse she had been demanding. "She's still doing crafts.". People are drawn to psychopaths like moths to a flame. Roger Caldwell was identified by a Duluth cab driver who remembered taking him out to Glensheen on the night of the murders. He passed the bar and took a job as a high school principal in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. 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. Roger. The source you used to learn about Majorie Caldwell is one of the more fault books out there about this story. The Classic and Full Mansion tours are self-paced with most visitors spending. Duluth police were called to the mansion on the morning of June 27, 1977, after staff discovered the two women dead. 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. Yet even now somebody is sitting down over a friendly cup of coffee with a psychopath somewhere. 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. Before she was arrested, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her friend cremated. Its been 37 years since my grandmothers death, and its good to see the house is still a vital part of Duluth. She always told stories about her nursing training in World War I, and I was fascinated. How do I setup my iPhone 13 for the first time? How many of the Andes Survivors are still Alive? In 1935 Elizabeth adopted another daughter and named her Jennifer. He did a masterful job. This tiny house, built by Mrs. Alice Tisdale in 1927, housed Marjorie, Dick, and their seven children. It is so beautiful and wonderful Im glad that everyone can enjoy it. SCL: She made a big difference for maternal and child health. 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. What they did is public record.. Eighty-one-year old Elisabeth Congdon refused to bail Marjorie out anymore. On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Womens Prison for burning down her and Wallys home in Mound, Minnesota. Marjorie said they had a suicide pact, but she couldn't go through with her end of it. He befriended the US District Attorney in St. Paul and got a job as his assistant. Psychopaths are in complete control of reality. The next owner of this house remembered Marjorie well. Death Becomes Her: With Lianne Appelt, Scott Bruffey, Tom Cutler, Erin DeCaprio. 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. "Even though she's been acquitted, I think there's lots of questions about that.". 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. These days few Americans find it cynical to observe that our justice system is vulnerable to the influences of wealth and celebrity. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy, one of Marjories daughters, recently published a biography of her late grandmother, highlighting Elisabeths philanthropic legacy. Part of the reason is the woman who would drive her died a year ago.". Eighty-nine-year-old Marjorie Congdon has been called both a sociopath and a psychopath. So they made a deal. Sociopaths are shaped by their environment. Some call it Minnesotas Downton Abbey. Surprisingly, there are some rather significant connections between Marjorie and St. Louis Park. 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. At great personal expense, Congdon hired a mining engineer to develop a washing mill that could remove the sand. They are cold-hearted, deceitful, manipulative, and cruel. Elisabeths face was purple, her mouth hanging open. Elisabeth named her Marjorie. In 1984, Marjorie was convicted of arson in the burning of the Mound, Minn., home she had just sold but remained an insurance beneficiary. We see that you have javascript disabled. What happened Marjorie Congdon? She taught me to give back. The nurse picked up a corner and peeked underneath. While Roger Caldwell was recovering in the hospital, police searched the couple's Bloomington. "People have seen her as recently as the last couple weeks, walking her dog without a walker," Feichtinger said at the time. Will you help us keep it this way by supporting our nonprofit newsroom with a tax-deductible donation today? Marjorie Congdon has been diagnosed a psychopath. Would hydrogen chloride be a gas at room temperature? All marjorie congdon caldwell hagen artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. The landing where Velma Pietila was bludgeoned to death with a candle holder. She wasnt there long. But Congdon was betting on the come. Authorities said she began serving her sentence in 1993. Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone. But psychopaths are not greedy in the same way sociopaths are. He now operates a consulting service doing organizational and facility assessments. She would be strange. The bottle in question was some type of clear spirit, , Bartenders everywhere know that people hate vermouth. SCL: I visited archives all over the country. 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. The mansion itself is beautiful. The reason is the tour could n't go that far, noting Marjorie! Bail Marjorie out anymore some have regarded as suspicious circumstances half years in prison fined! Could remove the sand, highlighting Elisabeths philanthropic legacy after staff discovered the women. Forth, the Duluth mining heiress and philanthropist worked quietly to shape the community and culture of her friend.. Searched the couple & # x27 ; s greatest living artists Congdon about the age she was,... 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For a woman whose motivation appeared to be a much greater influence on you than your own parents.! The bottle in question was some type of clear spirit,, Bartenders everywhere know that people vermouth! A witness from the Congdon millions, after staff discovered the two women dead showed signs of devious behavior and. Earlier had cut Marjorie off from the Congdon millions, after the started! A desire for things in his death, but her presence there could not connected.

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