Marjorie stood to inherit $8.2 million upon her mother's death. The next owner of this house remembered Marjorie well. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. As far as Marjorie and Roger: Theyre fair game. When did Irene Curie win the Nobel Prize? But at the Congdon Mansion in Duluth, Minnesota they want to avoid discussing Marjorie. In an act brazen for the time, Elisabeth traveled to New York City on a summer day in 1932 and adopted a child. Then he graduated as class valedictorian from seminary school before taking a law degree at Syracuse University. They didn't think they could prove the death was murder. 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. The day after she was convicted, Wally Hagen was found dead of a drug overdose. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; Caldwell served five years for the murder; Marjorie was acquitted. Marjorie is now the same age her mother was when her mother was murdered. 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. I found her yacht, the Hesperia, in Lloyds Register of Ships. Sadly, Marjories mother neglected to mention Marjories psychological problems to her new husband before he married her. "In recent years, she has kept a surprisingly low profile," she said in 2017. The court granted him a new trial. In 1991, she was caught trying to set fire to a neighbor's house. "She got no bulk sum after the murders - she basically lost it all . Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen's son is a candidate for a state judge spot. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); With her history of arson, she was immediately a suspect. The child shed adopted was olive skinned with straight, black hair and was so nearsighted she had to wear thick glasses. Marjorie did not call the fire department. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy: Yes. But the charges were dropped after prosecutors failed to get a grand jury indictment. Eighty-one-year old Elisabeth Congdon refused to bail Marjorie out anymore. Marjorie Congdon Hagen, 78, was placed on three years' intensive probation in March 2009 after she pleaded guilty to attempted forgery. The murders were truly reprehensible: attacks of deadly violence committed on two vulnerable, unsuspecting victims. Nancy and her brother Tom were always curious about their mother's rich friend, Marjorie Congdon. It became kind of obvious that the jurors were thinking, boy I don't think this lady would kill her mother.". They purchased the house from Kenneth and Alice Wolfe; he was to become mayor of St. Louis Park and a State Senator. When he drank, he turned violent. June 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the Glensheen Mansion murders. Investigators quickly identify two suspects with a classic motive: struggling financially, the suspects stood to inherit millions upon the victims death. Will Xbox Series X ever be in stock again? A short time later, Wally Hagen moved in with Marjorie. When Elisabeth was found murdered, it didnt take long for the investigation to zero in on the Caldwells. Back at home, her third husband, Walter Hagen, was delighted at her return. '', DeSanto, who helped author "Will to Murder," a book on the Glensheen murders, said: "My thought is that it is inevitable. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell had enough notoriety as an heiress that she could hire one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Minnesota. He now operates a consulting service doing organizational and facility assessments. 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. At the age of twelve Marjorie began spending her mothers money with a vengeance, running up her charge accounts at local merchants. Elisabeth, fearing publicity, did nothing. Then in 1951 Marjorie became someone elses problem. Marjorie and Dick LeRoy had seven children: When LeRoy was transferred to Minnesota, they lived in Minneapolis, then moved to St. Louis Park. SCL: I visited archives all over the country. She and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were living in Colorado and were flat broke.. You cannot fault them for that, but neither should you give them sympathy. And a witness from the first trial changed her story to say she saw Roger elsewhere the day of the murder. If they want something from you, they will stop at nothing to get it. While darkly comic elements pepper the musical, Poling emphasizes that he and Hatcher have been respectful of the victims. Shop for marjorie congdon caldwell hagen wall art from the world's greatest living artists. What they inadvertently let loose on a summer day in 1932 destroyed many lives, and it all began with an act of generosity. Caldwell was a bad alcoholic. Part of the reason is the woman who would drive her died a year ago.". That has always bothered me. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Since Marjorie's release from prison, she has lived in several senior residential communities in Tucson, where neighbors often had conflicts with her and her service dogs. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. 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. 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. They may charm you, they may trick you, or they may put you in a difficult position. Dissatisfied, he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota with $31 in his pocket, passed the Minnesota bar, and joined a law firm. Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. How can I tell how big my Cockapoo will be? He had no way of knowing that two of those grandchildren would not share his genes, and that one of them would be more than a stranger. She put her foot down. How much does the Glensheen Mansion cost? For the Standard Tour which includes the main floor, second floor and lower level. She parted ways with her second husband, Roger Caldwell, after the trials. 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. Whatever the diagnosis revealed was something Elisabeth would never tell anyone. Candance Renalls is a retired Duluth News Tribune reporter and freelance writer. Back in Minnesota for the funeral, police found evidence of foul play in their Duluth hotel room. The Gateway to Hell in Tagus, North Dakota. Marjorie Caldwell, as Hagen was then known, was instantly considered a suspect in her mother's murder. What happened Marjorie Congdon? My interest in travel, education, nature and nursing all come from her. The marriage lasted twenty years and cost Dick LeRoy an estimated $1 million in debt and liabilities. We sold it.. He died in 1916. She would be strange. 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. Where Marjorie Congdon Hagen goes, fire and death follow. Those who know her find her friendly and engaging. When Marjorie was sixteen, Elisabeth sent her away to a boarding school in New England. The Caldwells were broke, living in Colorado, and had been asking Miss Congdon for money to buy a ranch. The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. After breaking off an early engagement, she settled into the life of a spinster. It was the stuff of an Agatha Christie novel. In 1935 Elizabeth adopted another daughter and named her Jennifer. 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. The Associated Press and Arizona Daily Star contributed to this report. January 26,1985 Her appeal is turned down, so Marjorie begins serving her time for the arson and fraud conviction. Only the quick action of Dick LeRoy prevented the fire from spreading and burning the neighborhood down. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell was one of two daughters adopted in the 1930s by Elisabeth, who never married. At many times, her life was filled with loss, illness and hardship, and yet she was always optimistic. Thats when Marjorie got an idea. They win people over, before bending them to their will. 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. Congdon's son-in-law, Roger Caldwell, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in 1978. ", "Because the family didn't want to go back to a murder scene," he explained. If they change to focus to be more about history and the house, Ill reconsider. As far as I know, she is still living. As a single woman, this bordered on the scandalous, but Elisabeths regrets would have little to do with the social opprobrium her action invited. They will use it against you if it suits them. After his wife mysteriously died after a visit from Marjorie, Wally Hagen became Marjories next husband. Roger returned to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and committed suicide by slashing his wrists on May 18, 1988. Roger had gray hair. Elisabeth Mannering Congdon, Chester Congdons third daughter, didnt prefer the company of men, at least not to the extent that she would marry one. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Better you should stay away from them. So they made a deal. In January 2004 Marjorie Congdon was released from prison after serving ten years of her fifteen year sentence for arson. One month before the murder Marjorie got a prescription for Antabuse. We hope Marjorie doesnt show up at the theater with a box of matches, Poling says. 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