Beware The Wrecker — Epilogue

by Tom Nichol

based on the episode of the same name from the
Adventures of Superman
1953

[Writer’s note: This episode marks one of the first, if not the first, uses of what nowadays would be referred to as “drones.” I respectfully remind the readers that this episode was filmed during a time when both State and Federal penalties for both murder and extortion were far more sternly enforced than is the case today. Also, since the first name of the character of “Mr. Crane” was never mentioned during the episode, I have taken “author’s license” and given him one. I hope you enjoy this epilogue.]

Three days had passed since the exposure and arrest of the criminal extortionist known as “The Wrecker,” subsequently identified as Josiah Crane, head of the Crane Steamship Lines, one of three major transportation carriers which had been victimized by “the Wrecker’s” criminal activities.

The arrest had taken place in the office of Perry White, Owner/Publisher of the Metropolis Daily Planet. White was now conducting a follow-up discussion in that office with Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Inspector Bill Henderson of the Metropolis Police Department.

“By the way, Kent,” White inquired, “just where were you when Superman was helping to expose Crane’s crimes?”

For answer, the disguised Man of Steel handed over several typewritten pages. “I was doing some background digging into Josiah Crane’s business activities,” he explained. “To make a long story short, I had already become suspicious about Crane’s behavior, to the point that I felt it was possible that Mr. Crane was in fact ‘The Wrecker’. As it turned out, my suspicions were verified to a degree even I didn’t expect!”

Kent went on to explain that he had discovered that Crane had unwisely sold off a significant part of his own stock holdings in his company some years earlier as part of a bitter divorce settlement. In the years that followed, the other stockholders had become increasingly disenchanted with Crane’s autocratic, dictatorial style of management. So much so, in fact, that those same stockholders had begun proceedings to remove Josiah Crane both as head of the company and from the firm’s Board of Directors altogether. Crane had thereupon hit upon the idea of using the bombings and extortion campaign to raise sufficient funds to buy back the stock, and thereby regain total control of his company.

Looking over the material that Clark had gathered, Perry, Lois, Jimmy, and Henderson were all impressed.

“This fills in most of the pieces of the puzzle,” Henderson commented.

“What we don’t know yet is how Crane came in contact with Emil Hatch, the man who actually built the models. Crane’s not going to tell us, that’s for sure!”

“I’m still working on that angle,” Clark assured him.

“Well, even if we never find that out, there’s still more than enough evidence here to convict Crane on a variety of state and federal charges,” Perry commented.

“Federal charges?” Lois put in.

“Yes, Lois,” Clark replied. “You need to remember that each of the transportation carriers Crane attacked operate over state lines, which automatically gives the FBI primary jurisdiction in this case.” Lois nodded.

“What about the murder of Hatch?” Jimmy asked.

“We’ve already found the murder weapon among Crane’s personal possessions,” Henderson added, “and ballistics tests have already established that it WAS the murder weapon beyond any question! That should be enough to send Mr. Crane straight to the electric chair, especially if the case goes to trial in federal court.”

“How come?” Lois inquired.

“You need to remember, Lois, that under the ‘felony murder rule’, any death that takes place during the commission of a felony is automatically classified as capital murder—especially in a case like this, since Hatch was a federal fugitive!” Clark replied.

As Lois nodded her understanding, Henderson went on, “Yes, and if I know the U. S. Attorney’s office the way I think I do, they WILL seek the death penalty in this case, especially given the severity of the other charges Crane will be facing!”

That was exactly what happened. Some six months after his arrest, Josiah Crane was tried and convicted in Federal court on a variety of charges, including the murder of Emil Hatch. The presiding judge, in harsh language, sentenced Crane to death without any hesitation. One year later, after all of his appeals had been flatly rejected, Josiah Crane was put to death in the electric chair at the Federal Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, thereby officially bringing the case of “The Wrecker” to a close.

Posted June 7, 2026
Jim