Newspaper Article:  Shooting at Tavern in Earl, 24 April 1938, 
Washburn Co., WI

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Bonde's Tavern at Earl Scene of Shooting Fray; 2 Killed

"Al" Bonde, 35, operator of Bonde's Tavern three miles north of Trego, and 
two miles northwest of Earl, shot and killed himself and brother-in-law 
Willard Morse, 37; fatally wounded his wife and sister-in-law, Mrs. Morse, 
in a gun battle at one o'clock last Saturday afternoon which culminated from 
domestic trouble and an argument relating to possession of the tavern 
licenses.

After the barrage of shooting, he set fire to his tavern which burned to the 
ground, and before his wounded wife, Patricia Bonde, he stated, "Pat, we 
have lived long enough together and now I am going to end it all."  Mrs. 
Bonde was married twice and has a son 9 years old.

The affair was the outgrowth of domestic troubles which have been brewing 
for three weeks.  Mrs. Bonde had not been living with her husband since last 
fall.  Mr. Bonde, who had been employed on WPA work in Minneapolis during 
the winter months returned to Earl three weeks ago and had his first opening 
dance on April 16.

In Lakeside hospital, Rice Lake, is Bonde's wife, Patricia, 31, whom hospital 
attaches said would live.  She suffered a bullet wound in the chest.  Mrs. 
Morse, her sister-in-law, was shot through the left arm.

Quarreled Over Licenses

According to Sheriff Robert Willis and as told to him by Mike Thompson, 
rural mail carrier of Earl, and the only eye witness to the tragedy, the 
shots were fired by Bonde who became enraged at his wife when she attempted 
to take down tavern operator's licenses from the wall.

Mrs. Bonde and her brother-in-law, Max Blumenstein came to Earl Saturday 
from Minneapolis, the sheriff said.  The couple had been separated for three 
weeks.

Learning that her husband had continued to run the tavern using licenses 
issued to her, Mrs. Bonde visited the tavern to secure the license, and had 
Constable Geo. Canfield of Trego with her.

As she was about to take the last one off the wall, Bonde grabbed a .44 
calibre Belgian revolver, Thompson told the sheriff, and fired at her 
striking her in the right breast.

She made her way out the door to the highway where she was met by her 
brother, Willard Morse.  Morse attempted to interfere and was shot twice, 
once through the heart and then through the shoulder, Thompson informed 
officials.  He died almost instantly.

Then, according to the mail man, Bonde jumped into his car (Thompson's) and 
drove off in the direction of the Morse home.

"This is the way we do things around here," Mrs. Morse said Bonde declared, 
firing a bullet at her which struck her in the left arm below the elbow.  
After Mrs. Morse ran into another room to protect her three small children, 
Bonde drove back to the tavern.

Getting out of the car, Bonde fired at Thompson who ran through the woods in 
the direction of Earl to summon help.  When he returned with a number of 
townspeople, they found the tavern building in flames and Bonde dead with a 
bullet wound in his head.  He had used a different gun, a .38 calibre 
revolver, to shoot himself.

The sheriff said there were evidences Bonde had poured gasoline on the 
building, before setting it aflame.  The blaze destroyed Thompson's car, 
parked nearby.

Bonde was reported to have had three loaded firearms behind the bar at the 
tavern, including a Belgian "44" six-shooter, 410 Shotgun and "38" calibre 
revolver.
	
At Rice Lake Hospital

Mrs. Bonde was given medical treatment at Spooner and then taken to Lakeside 
hospital in Rice Lake.  Attaches said she has a "good" chance for recovery 
if no complications set in.

Funeral services for Morse were conducted Tuesday afternoon at the Earl 
Congregational church, the Rev. James Austin officiating.  Burial in the 
Earl cemetery.

--Taken from the Washburn County Register, Shell Lake, Washburn Co., WI,
Thursday, 28 April 1938.