The Death of a Dummy (part 1) -- Smash Comics #57 (FEB 1945)

Smash Comics #57 (FEB 1945)

 The story starts with Wackey and Gabby buying a lifelike dummy from an apparently Jewish(?) shop-owner.  It seems they intend to use the dummy to stage a fake murder scene in Sniffer Snoop's bed so as to, "scare that prattling parasite into hunting a new house to haunt." When Gabby decides that the ketchup they've already spread across the back of Egbert the Dummy doesn't makes for a gorey-enough scene, Wackey suggests they swing by the local grocery.

Meanwhile, a frantic green-clad man (who we later learn is named "Iggy") hurries to a meeting with Midnight.  Unfortunately, Iggy's back has an unfortunate encounter with a shiv, courtesy of two ne'er-do-wells who smugly announce, "Iggy ain't gonna rat on us no more."

The grisly deed done, one thug worries that because a cop saw them enter the alley when Iggy's body is found the fuzz will know exactly who's responsible.  The fretful felon's companion explains that all they have to do is hide Iggy's body somewhere else.  Of course you've guessed by now that the nearest car is the lately-abandoned conveyance of Doc Wackey.  When the thugs open the door and find Egbert the Dummy, they decide to exchange Iggy's very real corpse for Egbert's very fake one.  That way, "...in case we was seen wit' Iggy we can claim it was a dummy all da time!"

We next shift to Midnight, Sniffer Snoop, and Hotfoot walking down the sidewalk.  Our fedora-ed paladin is concerned because his informant, Iggy the Pig, never showed up with the list of Killer Kride's safe deposit boxes.  As they stroll past Doc Wackey's car, Midnight is shocked to discover a corpse inside!  Sniffer initially sloughs the discovery off, explaining that he overheard Wackey and Gabby planning to trick him by using a dummy.

Satisfied, our hero strolls off to continue his search for Iggy.  Sniffer, meanwhile, hauls the "dummy" out of Wackey's car and back home to, "rig up a trick or two of my own!"

While brooding over the mystery of Iggy's disappearance, Midnight comes to the conclusion that Kride must've found out about Iggy's intentions and, "shut his mouth permanently!"  Midnight concludes the only thing left for him to do: