The Creepiest Town in America: Danvers, MA. 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. 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. Sociopaths are shaped by their environment. 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. She got along swimmingly with the other inmates, and she sent a bouquet of flowers to the warden every week. 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. You find yourself not knowing what play youre in, Poling continues. In 1991, she was caught trying to set fire to a neighbor's house. Investigators quickly identify two suspects with a classic motive: struggling financially, the suspects stood to inherit millions upon the victims death. Where Marjorie Congdon Hagen goes, fire and death follow. The combination of Antabuse and alcohol can produce seizures, congestive heart failure and even death. Paul Airport, were found in the Caldwells hotel rooms, authorities arrested Roger and charged him with the murders. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; I visit anonymously and join tours to see what they say, and see how people react. In the early years of the twentieth century as the demand for iron ore increased, Chester Congdons wealth grew. The next day the house caught fire. She was still in jail Saturday on $250,000 bond. When did Irene Curie win the Nobel Prize? They cannot believe the things people say about her. Marjorie's second marriage was to a man named Roger Sipe Caldwell. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. She eventually paid her lawyer out of the income from her $750,000 trust fund. After the murders, someone stole Velma Pietilas car and left it at the airport, suggesting the killer had fled the city. It appears someone can be born a psychopath, and it also appears that psychopathology can run in families. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. Marjorie Caldwell and her defense attorney Ron Meshbesher walk into the Dakota County Courthouse. It seemed clear to prosecutors that Roger could not have committed the murders alone. Member donations are crucial to the work of our nonprofit newsroom. This post is riddled with false statements about both the mansion and the family. Winter is coming, so . "We spend a lot of time trying to make sure that the focus of Glensheen is not the murder. She had him cremated before police could determine a cause of death. Rogers trial resulted in two consecutive life sentences, handed down on July 10, 1978. 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. I loved her deeply. And new things are happening. She bought her things. She was sentenced to fifteen years in an Arizona prison. She taught me to give back. In 1990, the Hagens moved to Ajo, Ariz. Marjorie Congdon became Marjorie LeRoy on June 30th, 1951. It sounds like fictionlike a murder mystery in a worn paperback novel. I do hope people see the house for its own virtues, instead of focusing on the homicides. Her ability to coerce him in this way hinted at deeper implications. He now operates a consulting service doing organizational and facility assessments. 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. The nurse hurried up the stairs to Elisabeths bedroom. People are drawn to psychopaths like moths to a flame. He befriended the US District Attorney in St. Paul and got a job as his assistant. Marjorie did not call the fire department. An additional note: The History Theatre musical, "Glensheen" is on stage starting July 6 and runs through July 30, 2017. I had 22 years with her and she impacted me so much in that time, and always after. I was only 9 years old when she had a stroke. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen's son is a candidate for a state judge spot. Stained glass window above the stairway landing at Glensheen mansion where Velma Pitiela was murdered. And I loved nursing; I was very privileged to work in Minnesota, nationally, and internationally as a nurse. In 2005, the museum reversed course. Roger returned to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and committed suicide by slashing his wrists on May 18, 1988. 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 coin had been mailed the day after the murders in an envelope Caldwell had addressed to himself. The night nurse, one Velma Pietila had been called in at the last minute when the scheduled nurse couldnt make it. Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. As her personality emerged from behind a wall of introversion, it was aggressive and unpleasant, and she made people uncomfortable. Roger Caldwell was identified by a Duluth cab driver who remembered taking him out to Glensheen on the night of the murders. The blood type turned out to be type O; the same blood type of Velma Pietila and Roger Caldwell. When it opened two years after the murders, tour guides were instructed not to talk about them, because of the sensational nature of the crimes, and because it was still so raw and emotional for the families. Psychopaths live in a world of their own, a world that is all about their wants and needs. Marjorie ended up with about $40,000 a year from a Congdon trust plus Wallace Hagen's pension, according to Feichtinger. Will you help us keep it this way by supporting our nonprofit newsroom with a tax-deductible donation today? Spirits Close-Up: The Ultimate Hot Toddy Matrix. Marjorie admitted as much, saying she and Walter had made a suicide pact, but that she had lost her nerve at the last minute and couldnt go through with it. Marjorie was released from prison on January 5, 2004, to much trepidation. Marjorie had a penchant for arson. At least three books have been written about Hagen, including, "Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes & Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings," by former News Tribune crime reporter Gail Feichtinger, retired Duluth police detective Gary Waller and DeSanto. Marjorie and Dick LeRoy had seven children: When LeRoy was transferred to Minnesota, they lived in Minneapolis, then moved to St. Louis Park. For a woman whose motivation appeared to be greed, this might have come as a disappointment. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. How do I setup my iPhone 13 for the first time? 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. They are thinking about restoring the greenhouses, which were torn down in 1971, and bringing in bee hives and selling Glensheen honey. Roger confessed to the murders, but was freed after serving just over five years in jail. On the morning of June 27th, 1977 the day nurse arrived at Glensheen to take over for the night staff. Sociopaths have a conscience, but their moral compass is weak. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell had enough notoriety as an heiress that she could hire one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Minnesota. 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. Psychopaths are without a conscience. So they made a deal. Donations made by check can be made out to MinnPost and mailed to us at PO Box 18438, Minneapolis, MN 55418. We don't really hide from it, but it's definitely not our number one marketing message to get out there.". Marjorie Hagen was again arrested on a murder charge but it was dropped for lack of evidence. Her trustees earlier had cut Marjorie off from the Congdon millions, after the. On March 24, 1992, she was arrested for burning down her neighbors house. The bedroom where Elisabeth Congdon was murdered. The day after she was convicted, Wally Hagen was found dead of a drug overdose. SCL: I visited archives all over the country. His was the classic American rags to riches story, and he was just getting started. Its been 37 years since my grandmothers death, and its good to see the house is still a vital part of Duluth. She was Marjorie Congdon, one of the Duluth Congdons, granddaughter of Chester, the mining magnate who made a fortune in iron ore, served in the legislature and built the mansion on the lake at the turn of the 20th century. Guests are constantly , The term craft is ambiguous at best. When she returned home at age eighteen, she began stealing money again. Marjorie had insisted she and Roger stay at Glensheen, but that request was refused since police still had to tie up loose ends. Authorities said she began serving her sentence in 1993. The mansion itself is located in Duluth Minnesota, 2 1/2 hours from my home in Brainerd Minnesota. She would be strange. SCL: Yes, I believe my life is a credit to my grandmother. They never suspected what was about to happen. What happened to them was a nightmare. 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. They may charm you, they may trick you, or they may put you in a difficult position. I started out with a Gothic feel, really influenced by Cabaret, Chicago, and Sweeney Todd, he says. 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. 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.. They win people over, before bending them to their will. "Certainly, it isn't surprising she's back in the news today. Marjorie's behavior in court also had an impact on the trial. The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. The officers who dropped her off found her quirky and engaging, a charming old lady. When Elisabeth was found murdered, it didnt take long for the investigation to zero in on the Caldwells. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell with her attorney Ronald Meshbesher. Its one of Americas great houses. Only the quick action of Dick LeRoy prevented the fire from spreading and burning the neighborhood down. At many times, her life was filled with loss, illness and hardship, and yet she was always optimistic. Starched and pressed, plus she loved to entertain. She had a particular impact on quality of life issues for women and children. On June 27, 1977 at 3:00am, Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse Velma Pietila (born April 26, 1911) were found murdered. But psychopaths are different. Back in Minnesota for the funeral, police found evidence of foul play in their Duluth hotel room. But the charges were dropped after prosecutors failed to get a grand jury indictment. How do I create a group in Contacts on iPhone? Tucson police wouldn't discuss what led to the charges, citing an ongoing investigation. The man who actually committed the murder was Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Elisabeth Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, according to MinnPost. 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. 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. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by her exorbitant spending. A tour guide shares historical facts and interesting details about the mansion and Congdon family. She wanted the money, and she was not content to wait for her inheritance. Glensheens Daughter: The Marjorie Congdon Story. Before the contract came due, she sold the house but didnt immediately vacate. He was treated for a possible heart attack but released after doctors couldnt determine the cause of his illness. Four years into his sentence, though, Roger Caldwell walked out of prison, never to return. There was a level of service and attention to detail we just cant fathom in todays world. Yet she destroyed the lives of all those around her. She remains a free womanthough shes been twice convicted of arson or attempted arson, and served two sentences for those crimes. As a result, no autopsy was possible. We were invited for dinner several times. Marjories mother and the rest of the Congdon family put their foot down and refused to send her money to bail her out. The child shed adopted was olive skinned with straight, black hair and was so nearsighted she had to wear thick glasses. Roger took Velmas car back to the airport and flew back to Denver. ", "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.' St. Louis County Chief Prosecutor John DeSanto prosecuted the 1977 murders. 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. She served 21 months. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. 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. When jewelry matching that taken from Glensheen, and a convenience store receipt from the morning of the crime printed in the MinneapolisSt. He would call it Glensheen after the ancestral home of the Congdon family in Sheen, England. Marjorie Caldwell and her attorney, Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979. Congdon worked to improve maternal health and infant survival rates; she provided numerous students with scholarships and even housed at least one Chinese college student at Glensheen; and she was a passionate supporter of the arts. Genres True Crime History Nonfiction Biography Biography Memoir 332 pages, Paperback First published November 23, 1998 Book details & editions Whats more, investigators found a dark hair near Velma Pietilas body. Some psychopaths are highly successful, exercising wealth and power, but no less dangerous for all that. He worked in a lumber mill from the age of fifteen to support his family after his fathers death. She warned Roger if he wouldnt do something about his drinking, she would. "We always believed, and the whole theory of the case was, that she was the woman behind the man," DeSanto said. Marjorie Hagen, then known as Marjorie Caldwell, was accused of conspiring with her then-husband, Roger Caldwell, to kill Elisabeth Congdon, 83, and hernight nurse in the Congdon mansion in Duluth . 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. Today, Marjorie Congdon is eighty-nine years old. When authorities called Marjorie to tell her what had happened, she said nonchalantly, It isnt our house. 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 Marjorie had something going for her that Roger didnt. 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. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. She and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were living in Colorado and were flat broke.. After breaking off an early engagement, she settled into the life of a spinster. 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. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. When she left, they told her they were going to miss her. 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. Psychopaths are not shaped by their upbringing. If Marjorie couldnt have it, nobody would. 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. 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. And they ended up acquitting her. During her lifetime, the Duluth mining heiress and philanthropist worked quietly to shape the community and culture of her northern town. Nowadays, criminal psychologists recognize the allure of psychopaths as practiced behavior. They married two months later. 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. Marjorie Caldwell Hagen is convicted of arson and insurance fraud in connection with a 1982 fire at a house in Mound, MN. 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. No one is born a sociopath. What is the water level on Cherokee Lake? Before she was arrested, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her friend cremated. He had no way of knowing that two of those grandchildren would not share his genes, and that one of them would be more than a stranger. Does the Glensheen mansion have an elevator? 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