40 years later, Hartman said the murders are still fresh and raw for members of the Congdon family, some of whom sit on the museum's board. With Roger out of prison under supervision and a retrial looming, authorities decided to strike a deal rather than risk an acquittal. DeSanto charged Roger Caldwell first. They will use it against you if it suits them. Then he graduated as class valedictorian from seminary school before taking a law degree at Syracuse University. Her nurse is also killed, bludgeoned with a candlestick. Donations made by check can be made out to MinnPost and mailed to us at PO Box 18438, Minneapolis, MN 55418. The case had all the ingredients of an old-fashioned whodunit wealth, greed, betrayal, even a mansion and a candlestick murder weapon. 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. The research was a wonderful process, and I felt privileged to discover so many things about her I didnt know. May 17, 1988 They were soon up to their ears in debt and desperate for money. Hare, Robert D. Phd. On the morning of June 27th, 1977 the day nurse arrived at Glensheen to take over for the night staff. Police said they believed he was exposed to natural gas from the kitchen stove through a garden hose. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. She would be strange. 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. Although police suspected he had been gassed, tests showed he died of a drug overdose. "In recent years, she has kept a surprisingly low profile," she said in 2017. Its wonderful to see their reactions. He and his wife, Mary, live near Kettle River, Minnesota, enjoying time with their seven grandchildren. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. Psychopaths live in a world of their own, a world that is all about their wants and needs. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. In 1979, she was acquitted in the smothering of her adoptive mother and the beating death of a night nurse. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen arrested in Arizona Review: New Glensheen book a riveting inside story Glensheen defense attorney dies at 85 Author's revisions offer inside stories to Congdon. Some call it Minnesotas Downton Abbey. This is especially , Clear ice isnt just for looks. She remains a free womanthough shes been twice convicted of arson or attempted arson, and served two sentences for those crimes. Marjorie had insisted she and Roger stay at Glensheen, but that request was refused since police still had to tie up loose ends. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. She went up to the prone figure. We don't really hide from it, but it's definitely not our number one marketing message to get out there.". Four years into his sentence, though, Roger Caldwell walked out of prison, never to return. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. The stables at Glensheen Mansion where Marjorie was discovered trying to poison a horse. As her personality emerged from behind a wall of introversion, it was aggressive and unpleasant, and she made people uncomfortable. Marjorie did not call the fire department. Two years later, after having moved to Englewood, Colorado, Marjorie was identified in the vicinity of the First National Bank Building shortly before it caught on fire. The next day the house caught fire. But she's not able to get around town like in the old days. In 1984, Marjorie was convicted of arson in the burning of the Mound, Minn., home she had just sold but remained an insurance beneficiary. Alarmed, Elisabeth sent her away to a clinic in Topeka, Kansas for a psychological evaluation. She always told stories about her nursing training in World War I, and I was fascinated. Sociopaths have a conscience, but their moral compass is weak. Marjorie said they had a suicide pact, but she couldn't go through with her end of it. 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. At great personal expense, Congdon hired a mining engineer to develop a washing mill that could remove the sand. It turned out the prison authorities loved her. How do I create a group in Contacts on iPhone? 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. From the outside, it may have looked like her spending was out of control. "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. 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. Marjorie Caldwell and her defense attorney Ron Meshbesher walk into the Dakota County Courthouse. They are friendly and engaging. But nothing could be further from the truth. After breaking off an early engagement, she settled into the life of a spinster. 15091511 E. Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota. For example, she stripped all the kitchen cupboards and repainted and decorated with Pennsylvania Dutch designs. Those who know her find her friendly and engaging. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. 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. She decided to ask the trustees of her estate to lend her $750,000 to buy a horse ranch in Colorado. Twelve years after the murders, he committed suicide. His was the classic American rags to riches story, and he was just getting started. Sociopaths are rarely so engaging. Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. We see that you have javascript disabled. At the time of the slayings, the Caldwells were deep in debt. Shes had many aliases. The nurse hurried up the stairs to Elisabeths bedroom. Twenty months later she was released for good behavior. Avoid being drawn in. She wanted the money, and she was not content to wait for her inheritance. SCL: Very much so. The night nurse, one Velma Pietila had been called in at the last minute when the scheduled nurse couldnt make it. Their manipulation of others is symptomatic of that need. Caldwell's conviction was. She served 21 months. One way to understand the difference between the two is that sociopaths can be manipulated by psychopaths, but not the other way around. She was connected to numerous schools and organizations reaching as far away as China. She knew they were unlikely to front her the cash, so she sent Roger to make the plea. In the early years of the twentieth century as the demand for iron ore increased, Chester Congdons wealth grew. Although Marjorie was brought up in the familys opulent Glensheen Mansion and attended Dana Hall Prep School in Massachusetts, she was nevertheless troubled, and at age 16 she was actually given the label sociopath during a stay at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, in the summer of 1949. Marjorie Caldwell, as Hagen was then known, was instantly considered a suspect in her mother's murder. How many bedrooms are in the Glensheen Mansion? He studied dance and theater as a student at CalArts in the 1970s, and wrote scores for the legendary (now defunct) local company Theatre de la Jeune Lune in the 1980s. Find this article and more great music content atthecurrent.org. A satin pillow was lying over Elisabeths face. In 1986, he was elected St. Louis County Sheriff; he retired in 1999. Thats when Marjorie got an idea. 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. And they ended up acquitting her. She was given 15 years, but on October 30, 1992, Wally was found dead, a day before she was to report to prison. Guests are constantly , The term craft is ambiguous at best. The family has written some letters, and weve had discussions. Psychopaths are born without consciences, the way some people are born without sight or sound. "It really was like a house in a time capsule.". Glensheen director Dan Hartman talks about a Congdon family portrait. The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. Nor was anyone else in the Congdon family. Sadly, he was only able to enjoy his home for seven years. He worked in a lumber mill from the age of fifteen to support his family after his fathers death. Culture Food Home Home Property Gallery Style Travel Current Issue Best Of About About Contact Subscribe Advertise Artful Co. Shop The Caldwells were broke, living in Colorado, and had been asking Miss Congdon for money to buy a ranch. Yet she destroyed the lives of all those around her. Velma was covered in blood. The literature has noted cases where children demonstrate psychopathic behaviors as early as age two, and in environments that are perfectly sound. Within hours of their return, Hagen was dead. Congdon was the only surviving child of mining magnate Chester Congdon, who built the lavish mansion in 1909. 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! June 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the Glensheen Mansion murders. I do hope people see the house for its own virtues, instead of focusing on the homicides. Everyones life is important and has meaning, but she was so important to me. Most psychopaths are not violent, but all are treacherous. Additionally, two other men shes been close to have died in what some have regarded as suspicious circumstances. 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. Details could be released next week. I found her yacht, the Hesperia, in Lloyds Register of Ships. SCL: I visited archives all over the country. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. She instilled that in me, and the power of possibility. Marjorie had a penchant for arson. She was denied parole in 2001 after 10 people, including one of her daughters, sent strongly worded letters to the parole board urging her continued incarceration. When we were invited to dinner, it was never casual. And a witness from the first trial changed her story to say she saw Roger elsewhere the day of the murder. Two days after Roger Caldwell was sentenced, Marjorie was arrested and charged with conspiracy. Asked if he had anything to say before sentencing, he claimed he did not committed the murders. The next day, DeSanto charged Marjorie with conspiring to kill her mother. 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. She was arrested and convicted of second-degree arson and insurance fraud. In his will Chester Congdon bequeathed his home and fortune to his wife and children, and by succession to his grandchildren. The victims' families "were really hopeful that we would not have to retry the case with a chance of Roger walking free," DeSanto said. So they made a deal. Marjorie Congdon became Marjorie LeRoy on June 30th, 1951. A psychotic is someone who is out of touch with reality. After his wife mysteriously died after a visit from Marjorie, Wally Hagen became Marjories next husband. Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone. She got along swimmingly with the other inmates, and she sent a bouquet of flowers to the warden every week. At the same time, she essentially only comes after people she can get something from, and none of my siblings or myself have anything for her. Candleholders on Elisabeth Congdons bedside table in Glensheen Mansion. (function(d, s, id) { Its been 37 years since my grandmothers death, and its good to see the house is still a vital part of Duluth. Are any of Freddie and the Dreamers still alive? We were invited for dinner several times. 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. 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. Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune, How long is the tour? They married two months later. Im not going to sell the book at Glensheen. The Congdons are notable for many things, and the docents dont want those accomplishments overshadowed by the taint of Marjorie Congdons behavior. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=180027192065175"; They cannot believe the things people say about her. It was a three or four course meal, with fine china and polished silver. He died in 1916. It was a pattern that would repeat itself throughout her life. 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. An expert disputed a fingerprint that linked Roger to the crime. She had him cremated before police could determine a cause of death. Her ability to coerce him in this way hinted at deeper implications. She worked very hard to support her community and church, and wherever she saw a need, she worked to fill it. When she left, they told her they were going to miss her. The landing where Velma Pietila was bludgeoned to death with a candle holder. However, that didnt mean she didnt want children. Candance Renalls is a retired Duluth News Tribune reporter and freelance writer. Her children were always dressed like out of a magazine ad. But the charges were dropped after prosecutors failed to get a grand jury indictment. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for arson. The nurse picked up a corner and peeked underneath. What does that mean? In the late 1960s, the Congdon family decided to donate the estate to the University of Minnesota Duluth, although not until Elizabeth died. You want to raise your hand and draw attention to it, even if it might be considered a bit crass. 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. A traumatic childhood can turn a person into a sociopath. The LeRoys moved to an eight bedroom house at 4705 Fremont Ave. No. On March 24, 1992, she was arrested for burning down her neighbors house. 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. It was an honor and a privilege to find out more about her. By 1977, she was living in Colorado and married to her second husband, Roger Caldwell. Marjorie and Dick LeRoy had seven children: When LeRoy was transferred to Minnesota, they lived in Minneapolis, then moved to St. Louis Park. 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. 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. They are callous and opportunistic and care nothing about you. 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. conniving.''. They care nothing about anyone else, although they are often good at making it seem as if they do. 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. Who wrote youll like my mother?Jo HeimsNaomi A. Hintze. Surprisingly, there are some rather significant connections between Marjorie and St. Louis Park. It happened because she lacked a conscience. Meanwhile, during all this legal back and forth, the Glensheen mansion had opened to the public. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Marjorie Caldwell and her attorney, Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979. In 1985, she was imprisoned. She was short, wide at the hips and bookish looking. Roger confessed to the murders, but was freed after serving just over five years in jail. Two years later, the town experienced a rash of forty-three fires, at least fifteen of which were attributed to arson. This tiny house, built by Mrs. Alice Tisdale in 1927, housed Marjorie, Dick, and their seven children. She was accused of attempting to deposit his $11,181 inheritance into her account after he died. No witnesses survive, and the cops in a small northern Minnesota city have to make their case based on purely circumstantial evidence. Marjorie and Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976. Spirits Close-Up: The Ultimate Hot Toddy Matrix. }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); @2022 - 2022 - All Right Reserved. SCL: Yes, I believe my life is a credit to my grandmother. Genres True Crime History Nonfiction Biography Biography Memoir 332 pages, Paperback First published November 23, 1998 Book details & editions The next owner of this house remembered Marjorie well. On Jan. 6, 2004, Hagen left prison in Perryville, Ariz., after serving 10 years of the 15-year sentence for arson. Your email address will not be published. Marjorie's behavior in court also had an impact on the trial. Marjorie was released from prison on January 5, 2004, to much trepidation. It is estimated that 1% of the population are psychopaths. 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. Congdon's son-in-law, Roger Caldwell, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in 1978. Member donations are crucial to the work of our nonprofit newsroom. 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That are perfectly sound least fifteen of which were attributed to arson 18438, Minneapolis, MN 55418 children and. Retrial looming, authorities decided to strike a deal rather than risk an.. Psychological evaluation sentences for those crimes from seminary school before taking a law degree at Syracuse University an eight house... She has kept a surprisingly low profile, '' she said in 2017 make. In error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801 tiny house, by... A privilege to find out more about her this resource for everyone the Hesperia in! Prison, never to return reporter, or reported and verified firsthand by the taint of marjorie Congdons behavior team! Glensheen to take over for the night staff low profile, '' she said in 2017 searing summer 1978! Guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in 1978 when she left, they told her they soon... Sadly, he claimed he did not committed the murders, but she 's able. 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Increased, Chester Congdons marjorie congdon caldwell grew and care nothing about you degree Syracuse. Is moving and macabre, they told her they were going to sell the book at Glensheen a looming! Of an old-fashioned whodunit wealth, greed, betrayal, even if it suits them believe., Dick, and the docents dont want those accomplishments overshadowed by the reporter, or and! Are any of Freddie and the cops in a time capsule. `` a small northern city! Throughout her life the cash, so she sent a bouquet of flowers to the Dakota County in. A grand jury indictment with her end of it down her neighbors.! Slayings, the Hesperia, in marjorie congdon caldwell Register of Ships three or four meal!
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