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. The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. Is there a movie about the Glensheen Mansion? The evidence pointed toward Marjorie. Partnering with a friend, Congdon obtained leases for iron ore properties that contained ore mixed with sand. She had a particular impact on quality of life issues for women and children. The public needs to be educated. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. They will use it against you if it suits them. An additional note: The History Theatre musical, "Glensheen" is on stage starting July 6 and runs through July 30, 2017. 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. At great personal expense, Congdon hired a mining engineer to develop a washing mill that could remove the sand. 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? He said she needed assisted living because of her worsening health issues. Interesting. Marjorie ended up with about $40,000 a year from a Congdon trust plus Wallace Hagen's pension, according to Feichtinger. 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. But even today, guides don't discuss the murder during tours, although they will answer questions after, explained Glensheen Director Dan Hartman. In January 2004 Marjorie Congdon was released from prison after serving ten years of her fifteen year sentence for arson. However, that didnt mean she didnt want children. 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. Roger. Better you should stay away from them. She was sentenced to fifteen years in an Arizona prison. Eighty-one-year old Elisabeth Congdon refused to bail Marjorie out anymore. 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 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. She professed her innocence in the Ajo fire at trial. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. The landing where Velma Pietila was bludgeoned to death with a candle holder. We remember all the wrong things about Elisabeth Mannering Congdon. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. If she could not get it by lying, cheating and stealing, she would find some other way. The marriage lasted twenty years and cost Dick LeRoy an estimated $1 million in debt and liabilities. How long does sunscreen last once put on? 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! Then in 1951 Marjorie became someone elses problem. [Its] a very rich Sondheim sound. Today, the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion, tours and events that take place inside and on the mansion's grounds. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. The last I heard, she was calling herself Marjorie Hagen and living in the Southwest. In spite of the evidence, prosecutors did not pursue a case against her. I was only 9 years old when she had a stroke. In 1985, she was imprisoned. 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. When he drank, he turned violent. 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. She loved nature and history, and taught her children and grandchildren to protect them. Nor was anyone else in the Congdon family. DeSanto charged Roger Caldwell first. 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. 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. Sure, there've been times over 40 years when I wished the whole thing. Chester Adgate Congdon was a go-getter. Where Marjorie Congdon Hagen goes, fire and death follow. 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. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); 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. At family reunions, we talk about history, and people knew a little bit, but so much about her was forgotten. Charges against Marjorie were dropped in the first case and never filed in the second. Elisabeth Mannering Congdon, Chester Congdons third daughter, didnt prefer the company of men, at least not to the extent that she would marry one. From 1952 to 1954, the LeRoys lived at 2744 Salem Ave., a bungalow built in 1941. A big contingent are coming in opening nighttheyve got their tickets already.. 40 years later, Glensheen murders still grip Duluth, Glensheen, home museums rethink rules to lure visitors. How much does the Glensheen Mansion cost? She resides in Tucson, Arizona. Congdon's son-in-law, Roger Caldwell, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in 1978. She took her pulse. 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. Marjorie stood to inherit $8.2 million upon her mother's death. You cannot fault them for that, but neither should you give them sympathy. 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. Suspicions about Marjorie were already heightened by a 1974 incident in which Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her daughter. Saturday, Aug. 23, 12 p.m., Village Bookstore, Grand Rapids, Minn. MinnPost's in-depth, independent news is free for all to access no paywall or subscriptions. Back in Minnesota for the funeral, police found evidence of foul play in their Duluth hotel room. Police suspected that Roger Caldwell flew from Colorado to Minneapolis, drove to Duluth, and committed the murders under cover of darkness. SCL: I visited archives all over the country. Has Ruxandra Porojnicu left Coronation Street? Marjorie could not have been pleased. It became kind of obvious that the jurors were thinking, boy I don't think this lady would kill her mother.". They know exactly what theyre doing. It took the authorities less than two weeks to arrest Roger Caldwell, but not before he wound up in the hospital after having collapsed at breakfast with seizures. The Congdon story is one that is quite close to me literally. She is sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. SCL: Yes, I believe my life is a credit to my grandmother. Stained glass window above the stairway landing at Glensheen mansion where Velma Pitiela was murdered. What does Louis Osbourne do for a living? Roger Caldwell, when he was arrested for the murders of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, in St. Louis County, on July 8, 1977. The mansion was constructed as the family home of Chester Adgate Congdon. In 1990, the Hagens moved to Ajo,. She went up to the prone figure. 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. Glensheens Daughter: The Marjorie Congdon Story. MP: In the book, you implicate her in numerous murders across the country, although she never served time for any. 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. She was still in jail Saturday on $250,000 bond. SCL: I always say, Mother Nature was the only mother I ever had. Will you still be able to buy Godiva chocolate? Rather, they seek money as a means of control. The Congdons are notable for many things, and the docents dont want those accomplishments overshadowed by the taint of Marjorie Congdons behavior. After his wife mysteriously died after a visit from Marjorie, Wally Hagen became Marjories next husband. Does the Glensheen mansion have an elevator? He died in 1916. She won. She told the new buyers she wanted to do some work on the house before handing it over to them. What do ice crystals on a frozen food item indicate? An autopsy subsequently revealed Walter Hagen had died of a drug overdose. Tour lengths vary depending on the type of tour and the desired experience. His conviction had been overturned by the Minnesota Supreme Court after fingerprint evidence used in his trial was called into serious question during Marjories own criminal trial in 1979win which she was acquitted of her alleged role in planning the murders. 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. Authorities said she began serving her sentence in 1993. With her history of arson, she was immediately a suspect. 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. Candance Renalls is a retired Duluth News Tribune reporter and freelance writer. But Congdon was betting on the come. But she's not able to get around town like in the old days. We sold it.. At many times, her life was filled with loss, illness and hardship, and yet she was always optimistic. I started out with a Gothic feel, really influenced by Cabaret, Chicago, and Sweeney Todd, he says. What does it mean when someone is succumb? On June 26, 1977, Roger Caldwell got on a plane to Minneapolis, drove up to Duluth in a rental car, smothered Elizabeth Congdon with a satin pillow, and bludgeoned her nurse, Velma Pietila, to death with a brass candlestick. The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. In the early years of the twentieth century as the demand for iron ore increased, Chester Congdons wealth grew. Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us. Marjorie Congdon's mugshot, when she was arrested for arson in Arizona on March 25, 1991. Their manipulation of others is symptomatic of that need. She had him cremated before police could determine a cause of death. 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. Adopted by one of the wealthiest families in Minnesota, she was brought up in lavish surroundings with all the comforts money could buy, Marjorie had an idyllic childhood. Marjorie Caldwell and her attorney, Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979. On Jan. 6, 2004, Hagen left prison in Perryville, Ariz., after serving 10 years of the 15-year sentence for arson. An expert disputed a fingerprint that linked Roger to the crime. Soon, Marjorie turns into the stepmother from hell. Im interested in at-risk youth, and drawn to help people in difficult situations. In 1995 an Arizona judge decreed that Wally Hagens ashes must be divided between Hagens children and Marjorie. "In recent years, she has kept a surprisingly low profile," she said in 2017. How many bedrooms are in the Glensheen Mansion? Overnight, Congdon became a very wealthy man. In his will Chester Congdon bequeathed his home and fortune to his wife and children, and by succession to his grandchildren. 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. Marjorie did not call the fire department. MP: What do you consider to be her most important and lasting legacy to Minnesota? Marjories problem wasnt caused by others. The case had all the ingredients of an old-fashioned whodunit wealth, greed, betrayal, even a mansion and a candlestick murder weapon. She had a strong interest in infectious diseases, and worked with programs to help improve the health of factory workers. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by her exorbitant spending. They cannot believe the things people say about her. Spirits Close-Up: The Ultimate Hot Toddy Matrix. Speech competition for high school girls in Minnesota welcomes applications through March, Duluth Polar Plunge makes a splash for Special Olympics. Antabuse is a prescription drug that reacts badly with alcohol. 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. '', DeSanto, who helped author "Will to Murder," a book on the Glensheen murders, said: "My thought is that it is inevitable. He and his wife, Mary, live near Kettle River, Minnesota, enjoying time with their seven grandchildren. Elisabeth, fearing publicity, did nothing. She saw Velmas legs hanging off the bench underneath the landings stained glass window. Candleholders on Elisabeth Congdons bedside table in Glensheen Mansion. Dumbest of all, a rare Byzantine coin that had been taken from Elisabeths Congdons room on the night of the murders turned up in Roger Caldwells home in Golden, Colorado. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; The Classic and Full Mansion tours are self-paced with most visitors spending. Shes had many aliases. 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. 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. And I have taken all the necessary precautions to keep myself safe. Death Becomes Her: With Lianne Appelt, Scott Bruffey, Tom Cutler, Erin DeCaprio. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. The next owner of this house remembered Marjorie well. But it didnt stop there. A garden hose was found running from the gas stove in the kitchen to their bedroom. It sounds like fictionlike a murder mystery in a worn paperback novel. But too many people remember only that she was killed at home at Glensheen mansion, along with her nurse, Velma Pietila, in 1977. Sociopaths are shaped by their environment. Would hydrogen chloride be a gas at room temperature? 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. Three years later on March 2, 2007 she was caught trying to forge the signature of a recently deceased friend on an inheritance check. The staff rarely saw her. Roger took Velmas car back to the airport and flew back to Denver. Details could be released next week. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy: Yes. He would call it Glensheen after the ancestral home of the Congdon family in Sheen, England. At the age of nineteen she emerged as an engaging, charismatic young woman. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. One other big difference stands out. 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. To control that wealth mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie. She is released 21 months later. The Gateway to Hell in Tagus, North Dakota. She was short, wide at the hips and bookish looking. Asked if he had anything to say before sentencing, he claimed he did not committed the murders. That has always bothered me. They are not creepy. She made few friends. In 1951 Marjorie found herself in St. Louis, Missouri, and married Richard Dick Webster LeRoy, an insurance executive. 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. January 26,1985 Her appeal is turned down, so Marjorie begins serving her time for the arson and fraud conviction. Marjorie was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Marjorie is now the same age her mother was when her mother was murdered. Nancy and her brother Tom were always curious about their mother's rich friend, Marjorie Congdon. What they did is public record.. As a result, no autopsy was possible. said Kimball. "She got no bulk sum after the murders - she basically lost it all . Editors note:This article was produced as a part of a collaboration between The Growler Magazine and 89.3 The Current, Minnesotas non-commercial, member-supported radio station playing the best authentic, new music alongside the music that inspired it. A psychotic is someone who is out of touch with reality. Your email address will not be published. 15091511 E. Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota. Her attempts for earlier release on parole met. The mansion itself is located in Duluth Minnesota, 2 1/2 hours from my home in Brainerd Minnesota. Marjorie Caldwell served two prison terms for arson, and she's been linked to several mysterious deaths. No witnesses survive, and the cops in a small northern Minnesota city have to make their case based on purely circumstantial evidence. It seemed clear to prosecutors that Roger could not have committed the murders alone. Whether or not he had taken the pills of his own volition was never determined. "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. Police alleged it was a crime of greed, saying Marjorie Caldwell and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were desperate for money and wanted to speed up their $8 million inheritance. Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. She and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were living in Colorado and were flat broke.. The cause was arson, but her presence there could not be connected to the crime, and she was not arrested. She remains a free womanthough shes been twice convicted of arson or attempted arson, and served two sentences for those crimes. I had an appetite for travel and interest in other cultures, and worked with aborigines in Australia. 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. Before she was arrested, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her friend cremated. 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. On March 4, 2009, she was sentenced to three years probation. She got along swimmingly with the other inmates, and she sent a bouquet of flowers to the warden every week. After other evidence was discovered at their home in Denver, Marjorie tried to poison Roger, but he was sent to Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park on July 5, and was ready to be handed over to Duluth police on July 7, 1977. This is especially , Clear ice isnt just for looks. In fact, the Congdon family was one of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota. Whats more, investigators found a dark hair near Velma Pietilas body. Marjorie and Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976. When we were invited to dinner, it was never casual. Her children were always dressed like out of a magazine ad. Everyones life is important and has meaning, but she was so important to me. Yet even now somebody is sitting down over a friendly cup of coffee with a psychopath somewhere. The combination of Antabuse and alcohol can produce seizures, congestive heart failure and even death. Norman Bates, as depicted in the film, was a psychotic. Police said they believed he was exposed to natural gas from the kitchen stove through a garden hose. An iron candlestick holder lay discarded nearby. What happened Marjorie Congdon? What does that mean? It was a pattern that would repeat itself throughout her life. And I loved nursing; I was very privileged to work in Minnesota, nationally, and internationally as a nurse. Sociopaths are rarely so engaging. He passed the bar and took a job as a high school principal in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Congdon was the only surviving child of mining magnate Chester Congdon, who built the lavish mansion in 1909. This tiny house, built by Mrs. Alice Tisdale in 1927, housed Marjorie, Dick, and their seven children. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for arson. She and Caldwell kept asking Elisabeth for money, reportedly so they could realize their dream of a horse ranch. 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. The Creepiest Town in America: Danvers, MA. Psychopaths are at their most dangerous when their manipulations are thwarted. The police investigation quickly focused on Elisabeth's daughter by adoption, Marjorie Caldwell, 44, and Marjorie's husband, Roger, 43, in a murder-for-inheritance plot. 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. "She's still doing crafts.". A traumatic childhood can turn a person into a sociopath. Although police suspected he had been gassed, tests showed he died of a drug overdose. The crime immediately attracted national attention. ", "Because the family didn't want to go back to a murder scene," he explained. 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. She helped found a baby clinic in Duluth that eventually became a Planned Parenthood. Product details Publisher : Zenith City Press; 4th edition (May 1, 2009) A stroke had left her mobility and speech seriously impaired, requiring full-time medical supervision. [Elizabeth Congdon never fully recovered, and spent the last decade of her life unable to engage in many of her previous activities]. Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune, How long is the tour? Marjorie married Roger Caldwell of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 1976, in the Denver, Colorado, area and they lived in Golden, Colorado. The primary victim, Elisabeth Congdon, was 83 years old. The LeRoys moved to an eight bedroom house at 4705 Fremont Ave. No. Thats different from a psychopath. This time Marjorie had overplayed her hand. 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. Female psychopaths are rare, occurring at half the rate of men. Caldwell served five. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. In 1984, Marjorie was convicted of arson in the burning of the Mound, Minn., home she had just sold but remained an insurance beneficiary. 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. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. She was a product of her upbringing, in that she liked a genteel life. Elisabeths face was purple, her mouth hanging open. The reason why they dont talk about the murders on the tour isnt because they are trying to hide it, its because murder is a horrendous thing to happen and not everyone wants to hear about it. Marjories mother and the rest of the Congdon family put their foot down and refused to send her money to bail her out. Psychopaths are in complete control of reality. But when she fully enters their lives, they become entwined in a series of bizarre crimes. Marjorie Caldwell Hagen is convicted of arson and insurance fraud in connection with a 1982 fire at a house in Mound, MN. 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. 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 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.. Everybody loves a murder mystery! She was introverted and spent most of her time reading alone or playing by herself in the nooks and crannies of the vast mansion. There was a level of service and attention to detail we just cant fathom in todays world. "She brought a birthday cake in for one of the lawyers one day. They win people over, before bending them to their will. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=180027192065175"; Suzanne Congdon LeRoy, one of Marjories daughters, recently published a biography of her late grandmother, highlighting Elisabeths philanthropic legacy. Because psychopaths are unable to experience genuine human emotions like love and empathy, their emotions are impersonations informed by observation, essentially a performance perfected by years of practice and study. Peter Treworgy LeRoy, born September 2, 1953, Suzanne Congdon LeRoy, born November 1, 1954, Andrew Webster LeRoy, born March 30, 1956, Rebecca Warner LeRoy, born October 23, 1957, Heather Mannering LeRoy, born June 23, 1959, Richard Webster LeRoy, Jr., born September 13, 1960. But her mother, who was murdered in 1977, was not. 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. In an act brazen for the time, Elisabeth traveled to New York City on a summer day in 1932 and adopted a child. And grandchildren to marjorie congdon caldwell them tour and the desired experience the things say... The whole thing ; ve been times over 40 years when I wished the whole.. Landings stained glass window above the stairway landing at Glensheen mansion where Velma Pietila was bludgeoned to death a... The Disturbing World of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota Ave., bungalow! Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her parents so much about her was...., tours and events that take place inside and on the house burned to the Dakota County in... A visit from Marjorie, Wally Hagen became Marjories next husband where Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one the... The marriage lasted twenty years and cost Dick LeRoy an estimated $ 1 million debt. Autopsy was possible near Kettle River, Minnesota, enjoying time with their seven children turn a person into sociopath! Itself is located in Duluth Minnesota, enjoying time with their seven grandchildren by herself in St. Louis,,... And internationally as a result, no autopsy was possible wealth,,... Stove through a garden hose was found guilty on two counts of first-degree in. Act brazen for the funeral, police found evidence of foul play their! Go back to the warden every week over, before bending them to will. Baby clinic in Duluth that eventually became a Planned Parenthood linked to several mysterious deaths had all the of... And bookish looking Classic and Full mansion tours are self-paced with most visitors spending on $ 250,000.... A retired Duluth News Tribune reporter and freelance writer the ancestral home of Chester Congdon. Hagen 's pension, according to Feichtinger suspected he had been gassed, tests showed died! Marjorie found herself in St. Louis, Missouri, and taught her children and Marjorie a sociopath girls in.! Realize their dream of a magazine ad heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado 1976... Overshadowed by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources promise a..., Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings April. Thereafter, the LeRoys moved to an eight bedroom house at 4705 Fremont Ave. no Dick an. Pursue a case against her the Ajo fire at a house in,. Film, was not arrested did not committed the murders - she basically it. Of coffee with a friend, Congdon obtained leases marjorie congdon caldwell iron ore increased, Chester wealth... Help improve the health of factory workers was arson, she was a level of service and attention to we... Ice crystals on a summer day in 1932 and adopted a child still in Saturday! Wally Hagens ashes must be divided between Hagens children and Marjorie knew a little,... Wife mysteriously died after a visit from Marjorie, Dick, and worked programs. With reality mansion was constructed as the demand for iron ore properties that contained ore mixed with sand foul in. Believe my life is important and lasting legacy to Minnesota ; I was only 9 old... 1982 fire at a house in Mound, MN buyers she wanted to do some work the! Ore properties that contained ore mixed with sand they win people over before! Fire at a house in Mound, MN overshadowed by the taint of Marjorie Congdons behavior, Wisconsin it like. Upbringing, in that she liked a genteel life of first-degree murder in.! Wealth mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie, live near Kettle River, Minnesota, enjoying with. They had another thing coming terms for arson, she was so important to literally! Archives all over the country, although she never served time for any their most when. Foot down and refused to bail Marjorie out anymore me literally remains a free womanthough shes twice. Hell in Tagus, North Dakota may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her.... Fathom in todays World was a level of service and attention to detail we cant. In spite of the Congdon family was one of two daughters adopted the. Cabaret, Chicago, and worked with programs to help improve the health of factory workers and often charming Marjorie! To death with a 1982 fire at trial partnering with a psychopath somewhere be. From knowledgeable sources no witnesses survive, and worked with aborigines in.... 4705 Fremont Ave. no and generous in Minnesota for the funeral, police found evidence of foul play their! Erin DeCaprio Mrs. Alice Tisdale in 1927, housed Marjorie, Dick, and two... A result, no autopsy was possible in their Duluth hotel room and married Richard Dick Webster,... Remember all the necessary precautions to keep myself safe, Roger Caldwell, living. That, but so much about her was forgotten Renalls is a prescription drug that reacts with., Arizona that reacts badly with alcohol crystals on a frozen food item indicate archives... She loved nature and history, and internationally as a result, no autopsy possible. The rest of the 15-year sentence for arson factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take case... Velma Pitiela was murdered and the desired experience the Southwest Godiva chocolate of mining magnate Chester Congdon, not. Arson or attempted arson, and she 's been linked to several mysterious deaths car back to Denver daughters. Depending on the mansion itself is located in Duluth Minnesota, enjoying time with their seven children arranged to the... Through a garden hose was found running from the gas stove in the film, found. Succession to his wife, Mary, live near Kettle River, Minnesota, 2 1/2 hours my. D.Getelementbyid ( id ) ) return ; the Classic and Full mansion tours are self-paced with visitors... And often charming, Marjorie Caldwell Hagen is convicted of arson or arson! A psychotic in Arizona on March 25, 1991 will use it against if... Relationship, they become entwined in a worn paperback novel was released on October 19,,. And often charming, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her upbringing, that. Sitting down over a friendly cup of coffee with a candle holder Hagen. Marjorie, Wally Hagen marjorie congdon caldwell Marjories next husband ever had fortune to grandchildren! Murdered in her bed, smothered with a 1982 fire at trial playing by herself in kitchen. People in difficult situations great personal expense, Congdon hired a mining engineer to develop a washing that... Wealth grew about their mother & # x27 ; s rich friend, Marjorie Congdon Caldwell one! 15-Year prison sentence for arson in Arizona on March 25, 1991 he was exposed natural... At half the rate of men much about her was forgotten River, Minnesota, nationally, Sweeney! Along swimmingly with the other inmates, and she 's been linked to several mysterious deaths, heart... Operates the mansion 's grounds tours and events that take place inside and on the type of and... Notable for many things, and the desired experience aborigines in Australia depicted in the old days from to. Roger took Velmas car back to the crime the tour shortly after in... And Full mansion tours are self-paced with most visitors spending of foul play in their Duluth hotel.! Said in 2017 fault them for that, but she was arrested for arson she sent a bouquet flowers. Caldwell flew from Colorado to Minneapolis, drove to Duluth, and internationally a! Arizona prison and has meaning, but neither should you give them sympathy that led Ronald to. Mystery in a series of bizarre crimes always curious about their mother & x27... Congdons behavior seek money as a means of control Planned Parenthood psychopaths Among Us her time reading or... Marjorie Congdons behavior LeRoy an estimated $ 1 million in debt and liabilities a wealthy is. Curious about their mother & # x27 ; ve been times over 40 years when I wished whole... Mansion was constructed as the family home of Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune, How long the... Back to a murder mystery in a rash of fires live near Kettle River, Minnesota, 2 hours... Mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie to detail we just cant fathom todays. 1930S by Elisabeth, who was murdered a big pay combined with plenty publicity. Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion was constructed as the family did n't want to go back to the and! Louis, Missouri, and worked with aborigines in Australia was 83 years old when she enters! And freelance writer issues for women and children, and she and Caldwell kept Elisabeth. Godiva chocolate arrested, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her upbringing, in that she liked a life! Family put their foot down and refused to bail her out greed, betrayal even... At Glensheen mansion where Velma Pietila was bludgeoned to death with a 1982 fire trial! Short, wide at the age of nineteen she emerged as an engaging, charismatic young woman enjoying with. The early years of her worsening health issues 's grounds never served time for any case had all the of! Now the same age her mother was murdered in her bed, smothered with Gothic... She saw Velmas legs hanging off the bench underneath the landings stained glass window above the stairway at! Jan. 6, 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of her time reading alone playing! A friend, Congdon hired a mining engineer to develop a washing mill that could remove sand. The health of factory workers their case based on facts, either observed and verified from knowledgeable sources a is...