History
Claude Nite
Claude Nite was a business man who was active during the 1940s. In the winter of 1942, his business with fellow investor Martin Culver was going bankrupt. While Culver was optimistic that he could convince the important bankers attending their costume party to extend their credit, Nite decided a different alternative: crime.
He devised the identity of Madam Crime, likely taking on a female moniker to further disguise his double identity and blackmailed Culver into helping him. In his first robbery as Madam Crime, Nite stole the expensive jewels owned by bank heiress Brenda Hearn. Despite interference by the Human Torch, Madam Crime stole the jewels and escaped, and almost succeeded in drowning the Torch in a pond outside Culver's property if not for the timely arrival of his partner Toro.
In order to further cover his identity, Nite then staged his own kidnapping and made a public demand to his partner to pay out a $50,000 ransom. However, this was merely a cover as Nite -- once more masquerading as Madam Crime -- launched a remote control truck into the wall of a nearby bank, almost striking the Torch in the process. Crime and "her" men managed to escape with the stolen loot thanks in part to the chemical gas emitted from their escape vehicle, which doused Toro's flame and caused him to fall in front of their car and get run down, injuring the boy. Later, Culver informed the Torch that Madam Crime had "killed" Nite and called off the ransom.
Later, when Culver threw a charity bazaar for the USO, Nite appeared again as Madam Crime. The Torch, thinking that Culver, was Madam Crime managed to catch the crook and unmask "her" and was shocked to find that "she" was really Nite. Nite attempted to escape, but his former partner tackled him, and he was soon recaptured by the Torch and taken prisoner.[1]
His subsequent fate is unknown.