New Britain herald., 1918-07-06
LITkE LET GO FOR GOOD OF SERVICE
Quits Force Rather Than to Make
 Trouble for Superior
OBJECTS TO STIGMA
Action hy Police Commissioners on Acceptance Of Rcsignation-What Chairman King and Former Patrol man Litl@c Have to Say.

man Litllc Have to Say.
 Former Patrolman Gustav Litke is making inquiries today to ascertain the language of the motion adopted by the board of police commissioners last evening on the acceptance of his resignation. Il he finds that the resig- nation was accepted for the good of the service" he will take steps to cure a change in the language. He does not want any stigma attached to his leaving of the police department and he feels that such is implied in the expression. The action of the police board and an interview with MT. Litke discloses reasons for the re- tirement of Litke from the force.
 What the Chairman Says.
 Chairman P. r. King of the police board said this morning that the resignation was accepted for the good of the service," and that MT. Lit5e should not have passed in his resignation without giving the board of police commissioners an opportun- ity to pass on his grievance, and fur thermore should have given a reason able notice of his retirement. Chair man King said that Litke had had trouble with Sergeant Johnson and left in a huff" If he NitIIe) had had trouble with Johnson the board would have been glad to give him a hearing, but he chose to hand in his resigna- 1ion on June 26 to take effect July i. Chairman King said that Police Cap tain T. w. Grace, in the absence of Chief Rawlings, was advised to tell Jitke that he should give the board an opportunity to hear his grievance. It would mean only a few days and the board felt it was entitled to a reasonable notice. Furthermore the members of the board felt that Litke was not amenable to discipline and had not accepted criticism of his su- periors in the right way Chairman King said that the feeling was that Litke was headstrong and stubborn. and had demonstrated that in the way he left the department. In many ways Litke was a good officer. said Chairman King. The Chairman said that the board did not go into the trouble between Litke and Johnson lust night.
 
 and former Patrolman LitIle was long brewing and came to a head a- couple of weeks ago tonight. Mir. Litke said this morning that he left the police force rather than make any trouble for Johnson.
 "I was on my beat north of the railroad tracks one night and Ser Eeant Johnson accused me of being off my beat He said I was in Keeneys theater. I told him that I wasn't. I stood in the doorway of Nair Brothers block, opposite St. Mary's church for 10 minutes after 10 o'clock and then went to ring in. It was raining and l did not have any rubber coat with . me. He called mo a liar and told me to report to the chief in the morn Ing. I went to the station and had lunch. Later when I found out he made q report on the thing I met him again and asked him what time he wanted me to report. He said any time so long as it was in the morning. He wanted me to lose my sleep, I told him I'd report to the chief in the aft ernoon. I saw tho chief and he told me that when I left my beat I should make out a report. I then showed him where my beat slip gave my bent as north of the railroad tracks and did not specify anything about one side of the street or the other. asked the chief if he wanted me to make out reports every time I went across to chase kids out of the Keeney theater lObbies and he said he would speak to Sergeant Johnson. The night after the sergeant approached me on the street and I walked away. He came up and in a loud voice de- manded to know if l told the chief he called me a liar, and added his denial that he had used such language to me I told him he did call me a liar and started to walk away. Johnson shouted loud and people began to gather. I told him to come to the sta- ton and we would talk the thing over and he said no, that we would talk now I walked away.
 '"The trouble started long time ago. because I refused to squeal to him about an officer who was off his beat"
 Regarding the resignation Litke said: "When I decided to resign went to police headquarters and told the chief I intended to resign, having accepted another position The chief wrote out the resignation. He told me that by my action in accepting another position l practically dis charged myself, because the ordi- nances say that a man must give his entire time to police duty.
 Tt was not until after my resigna- ton was in that 1 was advised i'll re- gard to submitting my grievance to the board and | then considered the fact that Johnson has d family. It was not on his account that held off, but on account of the children"
 Mr. Litke said he intends to ascer-