Eastern Promises: Shochu and baijiu are entering the Minnesota marketgetting them right in a cocktail takes a delicate touch. 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. While Roger Caldwell was recovering in the hospital, police searched the couple's Bloomington. As the day nurse entered the house that morning, something seemed off, the mansion was unusually quiet. They are thinking about restoring the greenhouses, which were torn down in 1971, and bringing in bee hives and selling Glensheen honey. 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? The man who actually committed the murder was Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Elisabeth Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, according to MinnPost. }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); @2022 - 2022 - All Right Reserved. MP: Your book includes two riveting and fairly disturbing courtroom dramas the murder trial [starring a sneering Ron Meshbesher] and the settlement of your grandmothers estate. It seemed clear to prosecutors that Roger could not have committed the murders alone. 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. Yet even now somebody is sitting down over a friendly cup of coffee with a psychopath somewhere. The next day, DeSanto charged Marjorie with conspiring to kill her mother. She was introverted and spent most of her time reading alone or playing by herself in the nooks and crannies of the vast mansion. Everyones life is important and has meaning, but she was so important to me. He did a masterful job. On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Womens Prison for burning down her and Wallys home in Mound, Minnesota. "People have seen her as recently as the last couple weeks, walking her dog without a walker," Feichtinger said at the time. At the age of nineteen she emerged as an engaging, charismatic young woman. Within hours of their return, Hagen was dead. Find this article and more great music content atthecurrent.org. During World War I, she worked with the Red Cross. The terms are not interchangeable. She taught me to give back. Norman Bates, as depicted in the film, was a psychotic. The child shed adopted was olive skinned with straight, black hair and was so nearsighted she had to wear thick glasses. Marjorie Congdons sudden magnetic appeal to men is remarkable in light of the fact that she was in no way conventionally attractive. Later it came to light that her friend had thought the world of her. A big contingent are coming in opening nighttheyve got their tickets already.. Elisabeth named her Marjorie. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. 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. That has always bothered me. 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. While Marjorie stood to inherit millions after her mother's death, she actually got a pittance in comparison. Ricky LeRoy was only 17 at the time of the murders and is now a well-known attorney and advocate for poor defendants. Although police suspected he had been gassed, tests showed he died of a drug overdose. They cannot believe the things people say about her. A garden hose was found running from the gas stove in the kitchen to their bedroom. 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. I wanted more people to understand why she was so special. Your email address will not be published. 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. She served 21 months. I thought that was kind of brilliant., Although hes best known for his work with The Suburbs, Poling is no stranger to the stage. In 1988, Roger took his own life, leaving a suicide note that read in part, referring to the Glensheen victims, I didnt kill those girls., Theres a lot of ground to cover, says Poling, around why the trials of Roger and Marjorie ended so differently. "The big mystery still is, did Roger do it alone or with someone else there, and how involved if at all was Marjorie? Her nurse is also killed, bludgeoned with a candlestick. They consider the legacy of Chester Congdon and his family too important to be tainted by the troubling story of her atrocious behavior. In January 2004 Marjorie Congdon was released from prison after serving ten years of her fifteen year sentence for arson. Most psychopaths are not violent, but all are treacherous. In 2010, her attorney's court motion to remove her from intensive probation so she could get into an assisted living complex was denied. She was seventy-one years old. 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. When Marjorie was sixteen, Elisabeth sent her away to a boarding school in New England. The mansion itself is beautiful. 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. Marjorie said they had a suicide pact, but she couldn't go through with her end of it. Elisabeth Congdons way of dealing with Marjorie was to appease her. All marjorie congdon caldwell hagen artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. Born in 1853, the son of a Methodist minister, Chester showed ambition and drive at an early age. The book shop promotes books about the homicides and I didnt want this book to be with them. As a single woman, this bordered on the scandalous, but Elisabeths regrets would have little to do with the social opprobrium her action invited. An autopsy subsequently revealed Walter Hagen had died of a drug overdose. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell with her attorney Ronald Meshbesher. On March 24, 1992, she was arrested for burning down her neighbors house. You want to raise your hand and draw attention to it, even if it might be considered a bit crass. If they want something from you, they will stop at nothing to get it. Marjorie Hagen was again arrested on a murder charge but it was dropped for lack of evidence. One other big difference stands out. She was short, wide at the hips and bookish looking. Psychopaths are at their most dangerous when their manipulations are thwarted. 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! She and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were living in Colorado and were flat broke.. What happened Marjorie Congdon? When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. Overnight, Congdon became a very wealthy man. Before the contract came due, she sold the house but didnt immediately vacate. She instilled that in me, and the power of possibility. In fact, the Congdon family was one of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota. SEE ALSO: Trail of clues, legal twists kept Glensheen murder case going for years, SEE ALSO: Glensheen murders still intrigue, Authorities ID man fatally shot by Duluth police, First Witness seeks state, local support for larger child advocacy center in Duluth, Court rejects challenge to Hibbing murder. 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. A nineteenth century masterpiece of hand-carved oak, stained glass, damask wall coverings and handmade rugs, it sits on twelve acres of land that slopes gently to the shores of Lake Superior. Candleholders on Elisabeth Congdons bedside table in Glensheen Mansion. It was an honor and a privilege to find out more about her. How many bedrooms are in the Glensheen Mansion? Glensheen Mansion is a five-story structure with several staircases. The officers who dropped her off found her quirky and engaging, a charming old lady. The staff rarely saw her. She never did move into assisted living and as of 2017, at 84, her health didn't seem as bad as her attorney had claimed, according to Feichtinger. 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. In the late 1960s, the Congdon family decided to donate the estate to the University of Minnesota Duluth, although not until Elizabeth died. Their mother Hagen's previous wife was in a nursing home in 1980 when she collapsed into a coma and died after Marjorie allegedly was seen feeding her something from a jar. 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. They are not creepy. Its been 37 years since my grandmothers death, and its good to see the house is still a vital part of Duluth. When we were invited to dinner, it was never casual. He was found guilty and given two life sentences. From the beginning, the child was different. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. An additional note: The History Theatre musical, "Glensheen" is on stage starting July 6 and runs through July 30, 2017. I went on to the U of M and worked in womens health and family medicine. Roger took Velmas car back to the airport and flew back to Denver. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. 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. The lawyers tell you that you and your siblings would be set for life. Yet you became a nurse a very demanding, difficult profession. Avoid being drawn in. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. The landing where Velma Pietila was bludgeoned to death with a candle holder. Winter is coming, so . In the early years of the twentieth century as the demand for iron ore increased, Chester Congdons wealth grew. Some call it Minnesotas Downton Abbey. Marjorie is now 84 years old and shes still out there. 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. She had been smothered to death. 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. conniving.''. Her regrets would be of a different, more vexing nature. In 1986, he was elected St. Louis County Sheriff; he retired in 1999. June 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the Glensheen Mansion murders. Psychopaths are in complete control of reality. It was perfect. 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. Velmas body was as cold as concrete. 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. Gray Duck Media. MP: In your memoirs, your grandmother seems to be a much greater influence on you than your own parents were. It is famous for. A tour guide shares historical facts and interesting details about the mansion and Congdon family. Twelve years after the murders, he committed suicide.
Sadly, most people from her generation would not be able to square what they know about Marjorie with the diagnosis of a psychopath. The Great Debate: Should A Craft Distillery Purchase Already-Made Spirits? In 1951 Marjorie found herself in St. Louis, Missouri, and married Richard Dick Webster LeRoy, an insurance executive. She recently moved to a house. Marjorie was a compulsive spender and liar, and eventually Dick LeRoy had enough and divorced her on April 29, 1971. 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 Congdon story is one that is quite close to me literally. 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. Zenith City Press That's in part because of what happened afterward when the story gets even crazier.. 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