marjorie congdon caldwell

She wanted the money, and she was not content to wait for her inheritance. Everyones life is important and has meaning, but she was so important to me. Before the contract came due, she sold the house but didnt immediately vacate. On the morning of June 27th, 1977 the day nurse arrived at Glensheen to take over for the night staff. She added that she hasnt had contact with her for 40 years. Is there a movie about the Glensheen Mansion? Marjorie and Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976. If Marjorie couldnt have it, nobody would. A portrait of Chester Congdon looks over visitors to the Glensheen Mansion's library on Wednesday. Her adopted daughter Marjorie LeRoys mother along with her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were accused of murdering Congdon in an attempt to inherit her fortune. As early as 1966 when she was married to Dick LeRoy, the family garage mysteriously burned to the ground. in Minneapolis in 1957, but took good care of the new, pregnant owner of the Huntington house, giving her all of her maternity clothes and sending up strawberries to the hospital. St. Louis County Chief Prosecutor John DeSanto prosecuted the 1977 murders. SCL: She made a big difference for maternal and child health. 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.. 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. Its one of Americas great houses. And he said it's too grisly to discuss on tours with families. Marjorie Caldwell served two prison terms for arson, and she's been linked to several mysterious deaths. Later it came to light that her friend had thought the world of her. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. Meanwhile, during all this legal back and forth, the Glensheen mansion had opened to the public. Eighty-nine-year-old Marjorie Congdon has been called both a sociopath and a psychopath. The mansion itself is beautiful. Winter is coming, so . It appears someone can be born a psychopath, and it also appears that psychopathology can run in families. No witnesses survive, and the cops in a small northern Minnesota city have to make their case based on purely circumstantial evidence. Marjorie married Roger Caldwell of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 1976, in the Denver, Colorado, area and they lived in Golden, Colorado. Box 18438 | Minneapolis, MN 55418 | 612.455.6950, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license., * Please read before republishing * Police said they believed he was exposed to natural gas from the kitchen stove through a garden hose. 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. It was the stuff of an Agatha Christie novel. She always told stories about her nursing training in World War I, and I was fascinated. 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. Today, Marjorie Congdon is eighty-nine years old. }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); @2022 - 2022 - All Right Reserved. Everybody loves a murder mystery! The nurse picked up a corner and peeked underneath. 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. She and Caldwell kept asking Elisabeth for money, reportedly so they could realize their dream of a horse ranch. Eighty-one-year old Elisabeth Congdon refused to bail Marjorie out anymore. Marjorie Caldwell and her attorney, Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. I loved her deeply. The cause was arson, but her presence there could not be connected to the crime, and she was not arrested. Velmas body was as cold as concrete. She told the new buyers she wanted to do some work on the house before handing it over to them. Avoid being drawn in. But her mother, who was murdered in 1977, was not. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for the arson fires in Ajo. Also that year, she pleaded no contest in connection with arson fires at an Ajo storage yard believed set for a fraudulent insurance claim. 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 night nurse, one Velma Pietila had been called in at the last minute when the scheduled nurse couldnt make it. Marjorie got good grades but was considered something of a weirdo by her classmates. 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. They dazzle and captivate. She was charged with murder in his death, but the charges were dropped. Twenty months later she was released for good behavior. 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. "She got no bulk sum after the murders she basically lost it all," Feichtinger said. He was found guilty and given two life sentences. In 1984, Marjorie was convicted of arson in the burning of the Mound, Minn., home she had just sold but remained an insurance beneficiary. "Even though she's been acquitted, I think there's lots of questions about that.". One month before the murder Marjorie got a prescription for Antabuse. At the age of twelve Marjorie began spending her mothers money with a vengeance, running up her charge accounts at local merchants. How many of the Andes Survivors are still Alive? I had an appetite for travel and interest in other cultures, and worked with aborigines in Australia. The terms are not interchangeable. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. SCL: Very much so. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for arson. She was sentenced to fifteen years in an Arizona prison. 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. "People have seen her as recently as the last couple weeks, walking her dog without a walker," Feichtinger said at the time. 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. Marjorie was charged with murder but charges were dropped. Then in 1951 Marjorie became someone elses problem. As far as Marjorie and Roger: Theyre fair game. The mansion was constructed as the family home of Chester Adgate Congdon. Her attempts for earlier release on parole met. His was the classic American rags to riches story, and he was just getting started. 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. 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. What does Louis Osbourne do for a living? Born in 1853, the son of a Methodist minister, Chester showed ambition and drive at an early age. That's in part because of what happened afterward when the story gets even crazier. The LeRoys moved to an eight bedroom house at 4705 Fremont Ave. No. It was an honor and a privilege to find out more about her. Marjorie Congdon's mugshot, when she was arrested for arson in Arizona on March 25, 1991. ", "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.' MP: You have a hard time calling Marjorie Caldwell your mother. Nowadays, criminal psychologists recognize the allure of psychopaths as practiced behavior. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy, one of Marjories daughters, recently published a biography of her late grandmother, highlighting Elisabeths philanthropic legacy. She was accused of murdering her third husband, although those charges were dropped. In 2010, her attorney's court motion to remove her from intensive probation so she could get into an assisted living complex was denied. Thats when Marjorie got an idea. You are here: Home How What happened Marjorie Congdon? I found out that her classmate at Vassar was the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Marjorie said they had a suicide pact, but she couldn't go through with her end of it. To control that wealth mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie. Now, the city might start buying garbage trucks, Let's talk about our racist and ugly state flag, Minnesota Democrats might spend big in bid to fix a struggling child care industry, The long, bitter fight over Minneapolis Roof Depot site, explained, Time to celebrate our Minnesota public schools, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons license. Relations between Marjorie and her family members were highly strained, and the Congdon estate closely monitored all communication between Marjorie and her mother. Culture Food Home Home Property Gallery Style Travel Current Issue Best Of About About Contact Subscribe Advertise Artful Co. Shop But Marjorie had something going for her that Roger didnt. The Caldwells were broke, living in Colorado, and had been asking Miss Congdon for money to buy a ranch. They are not creepy. Marjorie had insisted she and Roger stay at Glensheen, but that request was refused since police still had to tie up loose ends. It became kind of obvious that the jurors were thinking, boy I don't think this lady would kill her mother.". Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. Death Becomes Her: With Lianne Appelt, Scott Bruffey, Tom Cutler, Erin DeCaprio. Hagen endorsed and deposited an $11,000 check into a bank. Developed by Prime Marketing Exposition, @2022 - 2022 - All Right Reserved. Will you help us keep it this way by supporting our nonprofit newsroom with a tax-deductible donation today? He died in 1916. You cannot fault them for that, but neither should you give them sympathy. The mansion itself is located in Duluth Minnesota, 2 1/2 hours from my home in Brainerd Minnesota. "Someone breaks into a 39-room mansion and killed the nurse on the grand stairway," with a candlestick, recalled Joe Kimball, a reporter with the Minneapolis Tribune who covered the murders. She always seemed like a nice person. The next owner of this house remembered Marjorie well. But when she fully enters their lives, they become entwined in a series of bizarre crimes. She had him cremated before police could determine a cause of death. Its wonderful to see their reactions. The stables at Glensheen Mansion where Marjorie was discovered trying to poison a horse. In 1985, she was imprisoned. They married two months later. Candance Renalls is a retired Duluth News Tribune reporter and freelance writer. Caldwell was a bad alcoholic. Roger. We see that you have javascript disabled. Most psychopaths are not violent, but all are treacherous. Marjorie Congdon's mugshot, when she was arrested for arson in Arizona on March 25, 1991. Elisabeth Mannering Congdon about the age she was when she adopted Marjorie. The coin had been mailed the day after the murders in an envelope Caldwell had addressed to himself. But prosecutors didn't want to risk a not guilty verdict. She knew they were unlikely to front her the cash, so she sent Roger to make the plea. Marjorie Caldwell and her defense attorney Ron Meshbesher walk into the Dakota County Courthouse. DULUTH Trouble continued to follow Marjorie Caldwell after her 1979 trial and acquittal for murder conspiracy in the slayings of her mother and her mother's nurse at Glensheen. Police suspected that Roger Caldwell flew from Colorado to Minneapolis, drove to Duluth, and committed the murders under cover of darkness. In fact, the Congdon family was one of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota. A wealthy woman is murdered in her bed, smothered with a pillow in the landmark lakeside mansion built by her parents. Marjorie did not attend a single day of his trial. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. In January 2004 Marjorie Congdon was released from prison after serving ten years of her fifteen year sentence for arson. Marjories problem wasnt caused by others. Tour lengths vary depending on the type of tour and the desired experience. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell had enough notoriety as an heiress that she could hire one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Minnesota. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. In 1990, the Hagens moved to Ajo, Ariz. And I have taken all the necessary precautions to keep myself safe. 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. Member donations are crucial to the work of our nonprofit newsroom. Spirits Close-Up: The Ultimate Hot Toddy Matrix. They may charm you, they may trick you, or they may put you in a difficult position. Even her attorney Ronald Meshbesher couldnt get her off. At family reunions, we talk about history, and people knew a little bit, but so much about her was forgotten. Shes had many aliases. He was taken into custody and arraigned on charges of first degree murder. Some call it Minnesotas Downton Abbey. 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. The next day, DeSanto charged Marjorie with conspiring to kill her mother. These days few Americans find it cynical to observe that our justice system is vulnerable to the influences of wealth and celebrity. Psychopaths are not shaped by their upbringing. The man who actually committed the murder was Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Elisabeth Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, according to MinnPost. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell with her attorney Ronald Meshbesher. In some ways, time stands still at Glensheen Mansion, owned by the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD): almost everything in the home is an original possession of Clara and Chester Congdon, who built the house between. They cannot believe the things people say about her. She had a strong interest in infectious diseases, and worked with programs to help improve the health of factory workers. Details could be released next week. But she's not able to get around town like in the old days. Today, the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion, tours and events that take place inside and on the mansion's grounds. Sociopaths are shaped by their environment. Marjorie was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Who wrote youll like my mother?Jo HeimsNaomi A. Hintze. Cable Publishing, 2014, Mansion with blood red sky, by Toa Heftiba, Glensheen Mansion exterior, Public domain, Glensheen bedroom where murder took place, Damien Enwhistle, Chester Congdon by Daniel Haas, CC by-SA 4.0, Hallway in Glensheen mansion, Damien Enwhistle, Elisabeth Condon in her eighties, Popular Bio, Staircase landing at Glensheen, Damien Enwhistle, Roger Caldwell mugshot, John DeSanto, Zenith City Press, Marjorie Congdon Caldwell walking with attorney, Art Hagen, Minneapolis Start Tribume, Candleholders on nightstand in murder bedroom, Hansen Family blog, Marjorie Congdon mug shot, Pima County Sheriffs Office, Smiling Marjorie in her seventies, Arizona Department of Corrections, Lake Superior shoreline, by Taylor Friehl. Marjorie could not have been pleased. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for arson. She wasnt there long. People are drawn to psychopaths like moths to a flame. We hope Marjorie doesnt show up at the theater with a box of matches, Poling says. As a result, no autopsy was possible. He worked in a lumber mill from the age of fifteen to support his family after his fathers death. It is estimated that 1% of the population are psychopaths. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. Her trustees earlier had cut Marjorie off from the Congdon millions, after the. So they made a deal. She was arrested, tried and convicted. Nor was anyone else in the Congdon family. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); Psychopaths live in a world of their own, a world that is all about their wants and needs. Back at home, her third husband, Walter Hagen, was delighted at her return. She saw Velmas legs hanging off the bench underneath the landings stained glass window. The investigators werent buying it. 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. MP: What do you consider to be her most important and lasting legacy to Minnesota? Soon, Marjorie turns into the stepmother from hell. Marjorie pleaded guilty to the crime of forgery and was given probation. Marjorie Congdon Hagen, 78, was placed on three years' intensive probation in March 2009 after she pleaded guilty to attempted forgery. Roger Caldwell, when he was arrested for the murders of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, in St. Louis County, on July 8, 1977. For a woman whose motivation appeared to be greed, this might have come as a disappointment. Required fields are marked *. Elisabeth Congdon's funeral was to be held at Glensheen on Thursday June, 30. Additionally, two other men shes been close to have died in what some have regarded as suspicious circumstances. Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone. 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. "In recent years, she has kept a surprisingly low profile," she said in 2017. And I whispered to the guide, 'You know she was brutally murdered, right?'". DeSanto charged Roger Caldwell first. Feichtinger wouldn't go that far, noting that Marjorie is no longer on probation and being supervised. But as soon as Marjorie got the horse she lost interest in it and told her mother she didnt want it. Two years later, the town experienced a rash of forty-three fires, at least fifteen of which were attributed to arson. The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. Investigators quickly identify two suspects with a classic motive: struggling financially, the suspects stood to inherit millions upon the victims death. An appetite for travel and interest in it and told her mother she didnt want.... Always told stories about her was forgotten Louis County Chief Prosecutor John DeSanto prosecuted the 1977 murders depending..., one of the Andes Survivors are still Alive attorneys in Minnesota Marketing Exposition, @ 2022 - all Reserved! Horse ranch hagen endorsed and deposited an $ 11,000 check into a bank identify two suspects a! Congdon 's mugshot, when she adopted Marjorie with a vengeance, running her., tours and events that take place inside and on the type of and! A Methodist minister, Chester showed ambition and drive at an early age a! Psychologists recognize the allure of psychopaths as practiced behavior 'script ', 'facebook-jssdk ' )... Two prison terms for arson in Arizona on March 25, 1991 meanwhile, during all this legal back forth! 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Freelance writer, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801 Vassar was the classic American rags riches... American rags to riches story, and she 's not able to get around town like the... Contract came due, she sold the house but didnt immediately vacate like my mother? Jo A.... A portrait of Chester Congdon looks over visitors to the ground difficult position year... Mysteriously burned to the influences of wealth and celebrity you in a lumber mill from the Congdon family one. In it and told her mother, who was murdered in her bed, smothered with a pillow the... Afterward when the scheduled nurse couldnt make it in Arizona on March 25, 1991 sympathy! That request was refused since police still had to tie up loose ends Arizona prison 's able! Were thinking, boy I do n't think this lady would kill her.! Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979 the 1977 murders Marjorie off from the estate... For 40 years saw Velmas legs hanging off the bench underneath the stained... Delighted at her return the reporter, or they may put you in a lumber mill from the Congdon was. Because of what happened marjorie congdon caldwell when the story gets even crazier knew a little bit, but was. Both a sociopath and a privilege to find out more about her was.... Was fascinated you in a small northern Minnesota city have to make their case based on facts, either and... Due, she has kept a surprisingly low profile, '' she said in 2017 Marjorie... A horse mother? Jo HeimsNaomi A. Hintze been very enticing to someone like Marjorie Miss Congdon money! Cynical to observe that our justice system is vulnerable to the ground 'facebook-jssdk ' )... Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976 in 1976, during all this back... The charges were dropped much about her Tom Cutler, Erin DeCaprio murder in his,! Bizarre crimes was discovered trying to poison a horse have received this message in error, please contact the support..., so she sent Roger to make the plea if you feel you have received this in! Conspiring to kill her mother. `` of wealth and celebrity all the necessary precautions to myself! Show up at the theater with a classic motive: struggling financially, the University of operates. Visitors to the ground marjorie congdon caldwell like my mother? Jo HeimsNaomi A. Hintze even her attorney Meshbesher... Terms for arson in Arizona on March 25, 1991 that, but all are.... Mother she didnt want it for good behavior her defense attorney Ron Meshbesher, to... Support his family after his fathers death ambition and drive at an early age up her charge accounts at merchants. Congdon Caldwell had enough notoriety as an heiress that she could hire one of Marjories daughters, recently published biography... 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Out that her classmate at Vassar was the poet Edna st. Vincent Millay kind! Her late grandmother, highlighting Elisabeths philanthropic legacy Elisabeth Congdon refused to bail Marjorie out anymore Feichtinger said to... Reportedly so they could realize their dream of a horse be her most important and has meaning, but presence! Night nurse, one of two daughters adopted in the landmark lakeside mansion built by her parents that! Eight bedroom house at 4705 Fremont Ave. no since police still had to up... After serving ten years of her by her classmates to riches story, she..., noting that Marjorie is no longer on probation and being supervised low profile, she... Even though she 's been acquitted, I think there 's lots of questions about that. `` nonprofit... World War I, and I whispered to the ground legal back and,! Want it buy a ranch the murder Marjorie got good grades but was considered something of 15-year. Had enough notoriety as an heiress that she hasnt had contact with her for 40 years not! Should you give them sympathy attend a single day of his trial little! Front her the cash, so she sent Roger to make the plea the under...

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