She had a strong interest in infectious diseases, and worked with programs to help improve the health of factory workers. Tags: Glensheen, Majorie Congdon, Summer 2017, Sign up for the Artful Note newsletter, our guide to the good life delivered right to your inbox. Marjorie stood to inherit $8.2 million upon her mother's death. It seemed clear to prosecutors that Roger could not have committed the murders alone. 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 evidence pointed toward Marjorie. Partially paralyzed by a stroke for more than a decade, eighty-three-year-old Elisabeth Congdon required around the clock care. In spite of the evidence, prosecutors did not pursue a case against her. Im doing work now with Youth Link, and some of the proceeds from this book will go to help young people at risk of sexual trafficking. In 1990, the Hagens moved to Ajo, Ariz. They cannot believe the things people say about her. When jewelry matching that taken from Glensheen, and a convenience store receipt from the morning of the crime printed in the MinneapolisSt. She was arrested, tried and convicted. Caldwell was a bad alcoholic. Investigators quickly identify two suspects with a classic motive: struggling financially, the suspects stood to inherit millions upon the victims death. Marjorie is now 84 years old and shes still out there. They consider the legacy of Chester Congdon and his family too important to be tainted by the troubling story of her atrocious behavior. This post is riddled with false statements about both the mansion and the family. How much does the Glensheen Mansion cost? Our 12-acre estate features gardens, bridges, and the famous, Chester A. Congdon, 1909. Elisabeth Congdon's funeral was to be held at Glensheen on Thursday June, 30. Everyones life is important and has meaning, but she was so important to me. They win people over, before bending them to their will. Sure, there've been times over 40 years when I wished the whole thing. Paul Airport, were found in the Caldwells hotel rooms, authorities arrested Roger and charged him with the murders. I do hope people see the house for its own virtues, instead of focusing on the homicides. Just before the fire, Marjorie was seen carrying valuables out of the house and loading them into her car. You cannot fault them for that, but neither should you give them sympathy. 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. And they ended up acquitting her. 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 returned to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and committed suicide by slashing his wrists on May 18, 1988. Zenith City Press That's in part because of what happened afterward when the story gets even crazier.. The marriage lasted twenty years and cost Dick LeRoy an estimated $1 million in debt and liabilities. Marjorie Congdon's mugshot, when she was arrested for arson in Arizona on March 25, 1991. This is especially , Clear ice isnt just for looks. The primary victim, Elisabeth Congdon, was 83 years old. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); In addition, they are charming, charismatic and engaging. As a result, no autopsy was possible. Gray Duck Media. Marjorie's second marriage was to a man named Roger Sipe Caldwell. Twelve years after the murders, he committed suicide. All marjorie congdon caldwell hagen artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. Marjorie had a penchant for arson. Culture Food Home Home Property Gallery Style Travel Current Issue Best Of About About Contact Subscribe Advertise Artful Co. Shop In 1990, the Hagens moved to Ajo,. While Marjorie stood to inherit millions after her mother's death, she actually got a pittance in comparison. During World War I, she worked with the Red Cross. It was an honor and a privilege to find out more about her. Prone to arson, Marjorie was suspected of torching her home in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, but the matter was dropped. Marjorie Congdon has been diagnosed a psychopath. In fact, the Congdon family was one of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota. Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune, How long is the tour? Suspicions about Marjorie were already heightened by a 1974 incident in which Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her daughter. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy: Yes. "Certainly, it isn't surprising she's back in the news today. These days few Americans find it cynical to observe that our justice system is vulnerable to the influences of wealth and celebrity. Psychopaths are without a conscience. She always had a project going. A neighbor remembered Marjorie as being very industrious. Its wonderful to see their reactions. She was accused of attempting to deposit his $11,181 inheritance into her account after he died. Marjorie married Roger Caldwell of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 1976, in the Denver, Colorado, area and they lived in Golden, Colorado. Elisabeth Mannering Congdon about the age she was when she adopted Marjorie. Sadly, most people from her generation would not be able to square what they know about Marjorie with the diagnosis of a psychopath. Hagen's children would later allege, in a 1994 St. Paul Pioneer Press article, that Marjorie was responsible for both their father's and mother's death. It looked like justice was finally catching up with her. From an early age, Marjorie showed signs of devious behavior, and as a teenager she was diagnosed as a sociopath. 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. Marjorie Caldwell and her attorney, Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by her exorbitant spending. 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 won. The terms are not interchangeable. 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. In 1986, he was elected St. Louis County Sheriff; he retired in 1999. Dissatisfied, he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota with $31 in his pocket, passed the Minnesota bar, and joined a law firm. She wasnt there long. When I began my research, I discovered so many amazing things. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. A traumatic childhood can turn a person into a sociopath. They are cold-hearted, deceitful, manipulative, and cruel. In 2010, her attorney's court motion to remove her from intensive probation so she could get into an assisted living complex was denied. While Roger Caldwell was recovering in the hospital, police searched the couple's Bloomington. The man who actually committed the murder was Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Elisabeth Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, according to MinnPost. When authorities called Marjorie to tell her what had happened, she said nonchalantly, It isnt our house. Glensheens Daughter: The Marjorie Congdon Story. Our reporters are only able to do their work thanks to support at all levels. 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 would be strange. She was accused of murdering her third husband, although those charges were dropped. But her mother, who was murdered in 1977, was not. [Elizabeth Congdon never fully recovered, and spent the last decade of her life unable to engage in many of her previous activities]. 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. And he said it's too grisly to discuss on tours with families. After his wife mysteriously died after a visit from Marjorie, Wally Hagen became Marjories next husband. Marjorie was released from prison on January 5, 2004, to much trepidation. In 1883 at the age of thirty he started his own practice and traveled to Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior where he became interested in mining. 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. The news, analysis and community conversation found here is funded by donations from individuals. Has Ruxandra Porojnicu left Coronation Street? Winter is coming, so . I went on to the U of M and worked in womens health and family medicine. Marjorie Congdon became Marjorie LeRoy on June 30th, 1951. She helped found a baby clinic in Duluth that eventually became a Planned Parenthood. On June 27, 1977 at 3:00am, Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse Velma Pietila (born April 26, 1911) were found murdered. 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? I found her yacht, the Hesperia, in Lloyds Register of Ships. The child shed adopted was olive skinned with straight, black hair and was so nearsighted she had to wear thick glasses. That has always bothered me. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Sociopaths are shaped by their environment. We remember all the wrong things about Elisabeth Mannering Congdon. Marjorie Caldwell and her defense attorney Ron Meshbesher walk into the Dakota County Courthouse. But the charges were dropped after prosecutors failed to get a grand jury indictment. 40 years later, Glensheen murders still grip Duluth, Glensheen, home museums rethink rules to lure visitors. Nancy and her brother Tom were always curious about their mother's rich friend, Marjorie Congdon. 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. The literature has noted cases where children demonstrate psychopathic behaviors as early as age two, and in environments that are perfectly sound. But it didnt stop there. Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. They were set to inherit millions of dollars when Elisabeth died. We sold it.. Elisabeth Congdons way of dealing with Marjorie was to appease her. The nurse picked up a corner and peeked underneath. It was a pattern that would repeat itself throughout her life. One other big difference stands out. Marjorie Caldwell served two prison terms for arson, and she's been linked to several mysterious deaths. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; The murders at Glensheen mansion were sloppy. She remains a free womanthough shes been twice convicted of arson or attempted arson, and served two sentences for those crimes. "She brought a birthday cake in for one of the lawyers one day. She eventually paid her lawyer out of the income from her $750,000 trust fund. 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. MP: What do you consider to be her most important and lasting legacy to Minnesota? She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. [Its] a very rich Sondheim sound. What happened Marjorie Congdon? Roger Caldwell was identified by a Duluth cab driver who remembered taking him out to Glensheen on the night of the murders. In 1984, Marjorie was convicted of arson in the burning of the Mound, Minn., home she had just sold but remained an insurance beneficiary. Sadly, Marjories mother neglected to mention Marjories psychological problems to her new husband before he married her. Some call it Minnesotas Downton Abbey. Is there a movie about the Glensheen Mansion? Without divorcing Caldwell, she married Wallace Hagen in 1982 in North Dakota and was charged with bigamy a few months later. Psychopaths are at their most dangerous when their manipulations are thwarted. Congdon Caldwell married Wally Hagen in 1982. But Congdon was betting on the come. Police said they believed he was exposed to natural gas from the kitchen stove through a garden hose. Tucson police wouldn't discuss what led to the charges, citing an ongoing investigation. If Marjorie couldnt have it, nobody would. Avoid being drawn in. 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. At great personal expense, Congdon hired a mining engineer to develop a washing mill that could remove the sand. With her history of arson, she was immediately a suspect. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. 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. 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. She always told stories about her nursing training in World War I, and I was fascinated. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. 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