All-American Comics #56 (1944)

Sophisticated gang boss "Elegant" Esmond announces to his followers he's quitting crime, and plans to reform. He's been a crook for so long, though, none of his attempts at doing good works satisfy him, until Esmond sees a man try to drown himself. After hauling the man back onto the street (after having to punch him out to do it), Esmond hails Doiby's cab and has him take them back to his old hideout. His gang recognizes something Esmond himself didn't: the man he saved is Ronny D'Wink, the cast-out heir to an insurance empire, who's been missing for a month. Ronny was apparently trying to kill himself over having no options left but destitution when he jumped. The insidious former heir plays this situation to his advantage, blackmailing Esmond's gang for a million dollars or else he'll tell the police the Esmond gang kidnapped him. Meanwhile, Doiby's also recognized his passengers, and tells Alan Scott where he dropped them off. After charging up his ring, Lantern and Doiby hurry back to the deli Esmond used as his hideout, but Ronny knocks Green Lantern out with a wooden chair and Doiby with a sausage, not willing to let the do-gooders ruin his plans. The gang robs a series of valuables owned by millionaire J.B. Throttleneck, and as he examines the crimes, Green Lantern comes to a startling conclusion. Finally, he and Doiby catch up to the gang aboard Throttleneck's yacht, which sinks when Esmond grapples with him and makes a beam from the power ring go astray, punching a hole through the hull. When the police arrive to slap the cuffs on Esmond, Green Lantern stops them, as no crime's actually been committed. The hero explains "J.B. Throttleneck" was the alter ego Esmond created for himself to use after he gave up crime. All of the wealth from the recent spree was only stolen from himself, and went to the bottom with his sunken yacht. Ronny D'Wink, on the other hand, masterminded the whole affair, and goes to prison. Esmond makes good on his promise to go straight and gets a new job tuning up airplane motors, making use of the skills he developed cracking safes.