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. Surprisingly, there are some rather significant connections between Marjorie and St. Louis Park. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. My interest in travel, education, nature and nursing all come from her. Today, the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion, tours and events that take place inside and on the mansion's grounds. 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. Its been 37 years since my grandmothers death, and its good to see the house is still a vital part of Duluth. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); By 1977, she was living in Colorado and married to her second husband, Roger Caldwell. We see that you have javascript disabled. They turned him down flat. Find this article and more great music content atthecurrent.org. Roger Caldwell was identified by a Duluth cab driver who remembered taking him out to Glensheen on the night of the murders. Paul Airport, were found in the Caldwells hotel rooms, authorities arrested Roger and charged him with the murders. Its a significant part of the mansions history, even if it is a bit unsettling, especially in light of the fact that the likely murderer is still alive and not in prison. Marjorie Congdons sudden magnetic appeal to men is remarkable in light of the fact that she was in no way conventionally attractive. 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. She instilled that in me, and the power of possibility. Nancy and her brother Tom were always curious about their mother's rich friend, Marjorie Congdon. What does that mean? The shores of Lake Superior near Glensheen Mansion. Hagen was arrested in 1977 in connection with the deaths of her mother, mining heiress Elisabeth Congdon, and her mother's nurse, Velma Pietila. "We spend a lot of time trying to make sure that the focus of Glensheen is not the murder. That has always bothered me. She put her foot down. She wanted the money, and she was not content to wait for her inheritance. 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. 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. Was it your intention, in writing this book, to correct that? They will use it against you if it suits them. In 1951 Marjorie found herself in St. Louis, Missouri, and married Richard Dick Webster LeRoy, an insurance executive. They were soon up to their ears in debt and desperate for money. 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. In 1986, he was elected St. Louis County Sheriff; he retired in 1999. 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. Developed by. But at the Congdon Mansion in Duluth, Minnesota they want to avoid discussing Marjorie. At least three books have been written about Hagen, including, "Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes & Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings," by former News Tribune crime reporter Gail Feichtinger, retired Duluth police detective Gary Waller and DeSanto. But psychopaths are not greedy in the same way sociopaths are. "She got no bulk sum after the murders she basically lost it all," Feichtinger said. "She brought a birthday cake in for one of the lawyers one day. While Marjorie stood to inherit millions after her mother's death, she actually got a pittance in comparison. The mansion itself is located in Duluth Minnesota, 2 1/2 hours from my home in Brainerd Minnesota. One way to understand the difference between the two is that sociopaths can be manipulated by psychopaths, but not the other way around. Some psychopaths are highly successful, exercising wealth and power, but no less dangerous for all that. Investigators focused almost immediately on one of Elizabeth's adopted daughters, Marjorie Caldwell, and her husband Roger. During her lifetime, the Duluth mining heiress and philanthropist worked quietly to shape the community and culture of her northern town. "People still won't talk to me on the record, because they're still afraid of retaliation," she said. Then the story took another turn when the Minnesota Supreme Court court threw out Roger Caldwell's conviction based on the new evidence introduced at Marjorie's trial. Is that your grandmothers influence? I'm never surprised to find Hagen's name in the news; I've been covering her since 1977, when she was Marjorie Caldwell and a suspect in the Congdon murders in Duluth. Psychopaths are driven by their need for control. Sadly, he was only able to enjoy his home for seven years. Caldwell's conviction was. 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. Back at home, her third husband, Walter Hagen, was delighted at her return. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Shes had many aliases. A tour guide shares historical facts and interesting details about the mansion and Congdon family. "The big mystery still is, did Roger do it alone or with someone else there, and how involved if at all was Marjorie? The elderly Elisabeth Congdon did what she could to help lessen the damage by covering at least $350,000 of her daughters indebtedness, but it wasnt enough to prevent Dick LeRoy from being ruined. Marjorie used her inheritance to acquit her of the murder of the person who controlled her inheritance. Who wrote youll like my mother?Jo HeimsNaomi A. Hintze. Marjorie and Dick LeRoy had seven children: When LeRoy was transferred to Minnesota, they lived in Minneapolis, then moved to St. Louis Park. Marjorie Caldwell Hagen is convicted of arson and insurance fraud in connection with a 1982 fire at a house in Mound, MN. The child shed adopted was olive skinned with straight, black hair and was so nearsighted she had to wear thick glasses. 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. No one is born a sociopath. The Associated Press and Arizona Daily Star contributed to this report. She made few friends. EARLY LIFE As the nurse climbed the stairs, she stopped dead in her tracks. 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. Chester Adgate Congdon was a go-getter. At family reunions, we talk about history, and people knew a little bit, but so much about her was forgotten. 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. Surprisingly, there are some rather significant connections between Marjorie and St. Louis Park. The Classic and Full Mansion tours are self-paced with most visitors spending. 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. What they inadvertently let loose on a summer day in 1932 destroyed many lives, and it all began with an act of generosity. And a witness from the first trial changed her story to say she saw Roger elsewhere the day of the murder. To control that wealth mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie. A stroke had left her mobility and speech seriously impaired, requiring full-time medical supervision. MP: You write with such rich detail about visiting your grandmother at Glensheen, and the functions of the house the service, the secret call buttons. conniving.''. While darkly comic elements pepper the musical, Poling emphasizes that he and Hatcher have been respectful of the victims. For example, she stripped all the kitchen cupboards and repainted and decorated with Pennsylvania Dutch designs. And I have taken all the necessary precautions to keep myself safe. In the early years of the twentieth century as the demand for iron ore increased, Chester Congdons wealth grew. SCL: Very much so. It was then that he decided to build his dream home on the shores of Lake Superior. The next day the house caught fire. Eight years later in 1974 after arranging for the remodeling of a house shed purchased, Marjorie was slow to pay the contractor, so the contractor placed a lien on her property. Our 12-acre estate features gardens, bridges, and the famous, Chester A. Congdon, 1909. SCL: Yes, I believe my life is a credit to my grandmother. She left an extensive record of philanthropic activities, with the Red Cross, the Duluth Art Institute, the Kings Daughters, numerous museums, hospitals, historical societies. Whether or not he had taken the pills of his own volition was never determined. Prone to arson, Marjorie was suspected of torching her home in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, but the matter was dropped. The crime immediately attracted national attention. These days few Americans find it cynical to observe that our justice system is vulnerable to the influences of wealth and celebrity. How many bedrooms are in the Glensheen Mansion? Better you should stay away from them. A portrait of Chester Congdon looks over visitors to the Glensheen Mansion's library on Wednesday. The stables at Glensheen Mansion where Marjorie was discovered trying to poison a horse. A wealthy woman is murdered in her bed, smothered with a pillow in the landmark lakeside mansion built by her parents. DeSanto charged Roger Caldwell first. On Jan. 6, 2004, Hagen left prison in Perryville, Ariz., after serving 10 years of the 15-year sentence for arson. Im not going to sell the book at Glensheen. Also that year, she pleaded no contest in connection with arson fires at an Ajo storage yard believed set for a fraudulent insurance claim. When I began my research, I discovered so many amazing things. 40 years later, Glensheen murders still grip Duluth, Glensheen, home museums rethink rules to lure visitors. 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. Candance Renalls is a retired Duluth News Tribune reporter and freelance writer. The bedroom where Elisabeth Congdon was murdered. An expert disputed a fingerprint that linked Roger to the crime. He befriended the US District Attorney in St. Paul and got a job as his assistant. In 1990, Hagen and her husband moved to Ajo, Ariz. One year later, authorities said Marjorie Hagen used a kerosene-soaked rag to try to burn down a neighbor's home. Marjorie Caldwell, as Hagen was then known, was instantly considered a suspect in her mother's murder. Is there a movie about the Glensheen Mansion? From an early age, Marjorie showed signs of devious behavior, and as a teenager she was diagnosed as a sociopath. The next owner of this house remembered Marjorie well. She served 21 months. Everybody loves a murder mystery! The marriage lasted twenty years and cost Dick LeRoy an estimated $1 million in debt and liabilities. They are callous and opportunistic and care nothing about you. Some call it Minnesotas Downton Abbey. Norman Bates, as depicted in the film, was a psychotic. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. Marjorie Congdon Hagen, 78, was placed on three years' intensive probation in March 2009 after she pleaded guilty to attempted forgery. A short time later, Wally Hagen moved in with Marjorie. The Hagen family planned a memorial service in January 1996 at Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park. Velma was covered in blood. In addition, they are charming, charismatic and engaging. When did Irene Curie win the Nobel Prize? She was seventy-one years old. But psychopaths are different. The Caldwells were broke, living in Colorado, and had been asking Miss Congdon for money to buy a ranch. In 1991, she was caught trying to set fire to a neighbor's house. What happened to them was a nightmare. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; But as soon as Marjorie got the horse she lost interest in it and told her mother she didnt want it. In the late 1960s, the Congdon family decided to donate the estate to the University of Minnesota Duluth, although not until Elizabeth died. Caldwell served only five years in prison; in 1983, he was released after confessing to the murders. Its wonderful to see their reactions. She warned Roger if he wouldnt do something about his drinking, she would. On June 27, 1977 at 3:00am, Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse Velma Pietila (born April 26, 1911) were found murdered. Psychopaths are without a conscience. It is estimated that 1% of the population are psychopaths. Marjorie pleaded guilty to the crime of forgery and was given probation. Twenty months later she was released for good behavior. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. 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. 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