The Associated Press and Arizona Daily Star contributed to this report. The child shed adopted was olive skinned with straight, black hair and was so nearsighted she had to wear thick glasses. Caldwell served five years for the murder; Marjorie was acquitted. Product details Publisher : Zenith City Press; 4th edition (May 1, 2009) Elisabeth named her Marjorie. I visit anonymously and join tours to see what they say, and see how people react. Today, the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion, tours and events that take place inside and on the mansion's grounds. SCL: You never turn your back. He would call it Glensheen after the ancestral home of the Congdon family in Sheen, England. 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. Soon, Marjorie turns into the stepmother from hell. In 1986, he was elected St. Louis County Sheriff; he retired in 1999. The first time she invited me over I was met at the door by the Doberman pinscher peering out through the little window on the door. He died in 1916. Our reporters are only able to do their work thanks to support at all levels. Psychopaths are at their most dangerous when their manipulations are thwarted. When he drank, he turned violent. 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. 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. Those who know her find her friendly and engaging. Elisabeth, fearing publicity, did nothing. Back in Minnesota for the funeral, police found evidence of foul play in their Duluth hotel room. Surprisingly, there are some rather significant connections between Marjorie and St. Louis Park. In 2005, the museum reversed course. All Rights Reserved. Curiously, he never said who did. 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! 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. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by . [Elizabeth Congdon never fully recovered, and spent the last decade of her life unable to engage in many of her previous activities]. "People still won't talk to me on the record, because they're still afraid of retaliation," she said. "Even though she's been acquitted, I think there's lots of questions about that.". As far as Marjorie and Roger: Theyre fair game. Police suspected that Roger Caldwell flew from Colorado to Minneapolis, drove to Duluth, and committed the murders under cover of darkness. Yet even now somebody is sitting down over a friendly cup of coffee with a psychopath somewhere. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; As a result, no autopsy was possible. Also that year, she pleaded no contest in connection with arson fires at an Ajo storage yard believed set for a fraudulent insurance claim. I had 22 years with her and she impacted me so much in that time, and always after. Marjorie Congdon Hagen admitted she endorsed and deposited an $11,000 check into a bank account she shared with Roger Sammis four days after Sammis died, said defense attorney Brick Storts.. 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. Im interested in at-risk youth, and drawn to help people in difficult situations. But even today, guides don't discuss the murder during tours, although they will answer questions after, explained Glensheen Director Dan Hartman. 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. How can I tell how big my Cockapoo will be? She is sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. You cannot fault them for that, but neither should you give them sympathy. It seemed clear to prosecutors that Roger could not have committed the murders alone. An iron candlestick holder lay discarded nearby. Sociopaths are shaped by their environment. Caldwell was a bad alcoholic. Partially paralyzed by a stroke for more than a decade, eighty-three-year-old Elisabeth Congdon required around the clock care. Eighty-nine-year-old Marjorie Congdon has been called both a sociopath and a psychopath. It looked like justice was finally catching up with her. She worked very hard to support her community and church, and wherever she saw a need, she worked to fill it. Everyones life is important and has meaning, but she was so important to me. Without divorcing Caldwell, she married Wallace Hagen in 1982 in North Dakota and was charged with bigamy a few months later. Psychopaths are not shaped by their upbringing. How long does sunscreen last once put on? Clarity means quality, and , We cant fight it any longer. The crime immediately attracted national attention. Before she was arrested, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her friend cremated. This time Marjorie had overplayed her hand. I started in neonatal care, working with very sick babies, and that was a strong interest of hers as well. In fact, the Congdon family was one of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota. A satin pillow was lying over Elisabeths face. She was seventy-one years old. Was it your intention, in writing this book, to correct that? As the day nurse entered the house that morning, something seemed off, the mansion was unusually quiet. And I loved nursing; I was very privileged to work in Minnesota, nationally, and internationally as a nurse. Caldwell's conviction was. Elisabeth Congdon's funeral was to be held at Glensheen on Thursday June, 30. Marjorie had a penchant for arson. Sympathy is a dangerous emotion in the hands of a psychopath. Marjorie is now 84 years old and shes still out there. Later in the tour, as you pass the landing where Elisabeths nurse Velma Pietila was brutally bludgeoned to death with an iron candlestick holder, where blood had soaked the rug and dripped off the banisters, you want to ask them to stop and acknowledge it. The next day the house caught fire. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. At the time, it was not possible to separate ore from sand, so the ore was worthless. They may charm you, they may trick you, or they may put you in a difficult position. "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. Compulsive spending was Marjorie Congdons modus operandi. That's because 40 years later, Hartman said, about 70 percent of visitors don't even know about the murders. SCL: She is remembered primarily as a victim of homicide, which of course bothers me. It was a three or four course meal, with fine china and polished silver. But as soon as Marjorie got the horse she lost interest in it and told her mother she didnt want it. Developed by Prime Marketing Exposition, @2022 - 2022 - All Right Reserved. They care nothing about anyone else, although they are often good at making it seem as if they do. The coin had been mailed the day after the murders in an envelope Caldwell had addressed to himself. Rogers conviction was overturned on August 6, 1982, and instead of retrying the case, Roger was freed on his five years time served after he confessed to two counts of second-degree murder. Whether or not he had taken the pills of his own volition was never determined. When you tour Glensheen Mansion, the 39-room Congdon family home on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota, the docents try to avoid talking about the murders. Starched and pressed, plus she loved to entertain. Elisabeth Congdons way of dealing with Marjorie was to appease her. Caldwell served five. Cable Publishing, 2014, Mansion with blood red sky, by Toa Heftiba, Glensheen Mansion exterior, Public domain, Glensheen bedroom where murder took place, Damien Enwhistle, Chester Congdon by Daniel Haas, CC by-SA 4.0, Hallway in Glensheen mansion, Damien Enwhistle, Elisabeth Condon in her eighties, Popular Bio, Staircase landing at Glensheen, Damien Enwhistle, Roger Caldwell mugshot, John DeSanto, Zenith City Press, Marjorie Congdon Caldwell walking with attorney, Art Hagen, Minneapolis Start Tribume, Candleholders on nightstand in murder bedroom, Hansen Family blog, Marjorie Congdon mug shot, Pima County Sheriffs Office, Smiling Marjorie in her seventies, Arizona Department of Corrections, Lake Superior shoreline, by Taylor Friehl. 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. The Congdon story is one that is quite close to me literally. 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. So they made a deal. From the outside, it may have looked like her spending was out of control. And he said it's too grisly to discuss on tours with families. A wealthy woman is murdered in her bed, smothered with a pillow in the landmark lakeside mansion built by her parents. 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. Will Xbox Series X ever be in stock again? Today, Marjorie Congdon is eighty-nine years old. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. She told the new buyers she wanted to do some work on the house before handing it over to them. Paul Airport, were found in the Caldwells hotel rooms, authorities arrested Roger and charged him with the murders. Required fields are marked *. In 1995 an Arizona judge decreed that Wally Hagens ashes must be divided between Hagens children and Marjorie. Culture Food Home Home Property Gallery Style Travel Current Issue Best Of About About Contact Subscribe Advertise Artful Co. Shop Then in 1951 Marjorie became someone elses problem. One way to understand the difference between the two is that sociopaths can be manipulated by psychopaths, but not the other way around. Glensheens Daughter: The Marjorie Congdon Story. "She got no bulk sum after the murders - she basically lost it all . Amy Goetzman writes about books, authors, libraries and the Twin Cities literary scene. Marjorie is now the same age her mother was when her mother was murdered. These days few Americans find it cynical to observe that our justice system is vulnerable to the influences of wealth and celebrity. Marjories trial for conspiracy was next, but with the help of one of Minnesotas top defense attorneys, Ron Meshbesher, Marjorie was found not guilty on July 21, 1979. Congdon was the only surviving child of mining magnate Chester Congdon, who built the lavish mansion in 1909. Donations made by check can be made out to MinnPost and mailed to us at PO Box 18438, Minneapolis, MN 55418. As far as I know, she is still living. Marjorie ended up with about $40,000 a year from a Congdon trust plus Wallace Hagen's pension, according to Feichtinger. A traumatic childhood can turn a person into a sociopath. She always seemed like a nice person. Surprisingly, there are some rather significant connections between Marjorie and St. Louis Park. She had been smothered to death. Tags: Glensheen, Majorie Congdon, Summer 2017, Sign up for the Artful Note newsletter, our guide to the good life delivered right to your inbox. Only the quick action of Dick LeRoy prevented the fire from spreading and burning the neighborhood down. If Marjorie couldnt have it, nobody would. Stained glass window above the stairway landing at Glensheen mansion where Velma Pitiela was murdered. Condgon was found smothered with a satin pillow. The Marjorie Congdon Story: A Timeline | Artful Living Magazine A timeline outlining the alleged crimes committed by infamous Minnesota criminal Marjorie Congdon, the suspected mastermind behind the Glensheen murders. Her children were always dressed like out of a magazine ad. Marjorie Caldwell's reign of terror has resumed in St. Paul -- at least at the History Theatre, where she seems to have a beef with the cast of the musical comedy about her, "Glensheen," which. The Guilford Press, 1999, Hendry, Sharon Darby. Who wrote youll like my mother?Jo HeimsNaomi A. Hintze. Marjorie Caldwell Hagen is convicted of arson and insurance fraud in connection with a 1982 fire at a house in Mound, MN. In 1979, she was acquitted in the smothering of her adoptive mother and the beating death of a night nurse. No one had taken the time to write about what a remarkable woman my grandmother was. By 1977, she was living in Colorado and married to her second husband, Roger Caldwell. You are here: Home How What happened Marjorie Congdon? 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 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. The cause was arson, but her presence there could not be connected to the crime, and she was not arrested. The LeRoys moved to an eight bedroom house at 4705 Fremont Ave. No. Sadly, most people from her generation would not be able to square what they know about Marjorie with the diagnosis of a psychopath. So is she no longer a threat? Rather, they seek money as a means of control. When I began my research, I discovered so many amazing things. The mansion was constructed as the family home of Chester Adgate Congdon. This is especially , Clear ice isnt just for looks. When Goetzman asked whether Suzanne fears for her safety, Suzanne answered that shes taken all the necessary precautions. Even so, she says, You never turn your back., At @HistoryTheatre, Chan Polings Glensheen is moving and macabre. Will you still be able to buy Godiva chocolate? It happened because she lacked a conscience. "She got no bulk sum after the murders she basically lost it all," Feichtinger said. He befriended the US District Attorney in St. Paul and got a job as his assistant. You want to raise your hand and draw attention to it, even if it might be considered a bit crass. In November 2008, Marjorie pled guilty to fraud after illegally taking funds from the bank account of Roger Sammis, who had been under her care before his death. He worked in a lumber mill from the age of fifteen to support his family after his fathers death. They are thinking about restoring the greenhouses, which were torn down in 1971, and bringing in bee hives and selling Glensheen honey. Review by @JayGabler: http://t.co/CcvqPvprgr pic.twitter.com/2ygWFh7Jj6, Local Current (@LocalCurrent) October 11, 2015. Congdon Caldwell married Wally Hagen in 1982. 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. 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. They are callous and opportunistic and care nothing about you. "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. The family has written some letters, and weve had discussions. They cannot believe the things people say about her. When Marjorie was three, Elisabeth adopted a second daughter who she named Jennifer. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell had enough notoriety as an heiress that she could hire one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Minnesota. Marjorie Congdons sudden magnetic appeal to men is remarkable in light of the fact that she was in no way conventionally attractive. 40 years later, Glensheen murders still grip Duluth, Glensheen, home museums rethink rules to lure visitors. Suspicions about Marjorie were already heightened by a 1974 incident in which Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her daughter. 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. She was arrested, tried and convicted. "The big mystery still is, did Roger do it alone or with someone else there, and how involved if at all was Marjorie? 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. May 17, 1988 The court granted him a new trial. 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. In 2010, her attorney's court motion to remove her from intensive probation so she could get into an assisted living complex was denied. Winter is coming, so . 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. She decided to ask the trustees of her estate to lend her $750,000 to buy a horse ranch in Colorado. Psychopaths are in complete control of reality. It is so beautiful and wonderful Im glad that everyone can enjoy it. After breaking off an early engagement, she settled into the life of a spinster. The Great Debate: Should A Craft Distillery Purchase Already-Made Spirits? It was the stuff of an Agatha Christie novel. 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