Ellis visited the three suspect boyfriends of Tisha and asked about her missing jewels.
The first two, Harry Prince and Tom Albright denied anything about taking them. The Third was Howard Skinner. Ellis found him drunk and in a simple sloppy mood. He admitted stealing the jewels. The alcohol reduced his inhibitions. Questions put to him were answered truthfully with out objection. Producing them, Howie begged Ellis to drop the charges as he did not want to go back to jail again. He told Ellis of the numerous convictions he had lived through. Ellis suspected Howie was an about town huckster who knew many people and a lot about what was going on with crimes. He
asked Howie about all the guns appearing everywhere that the criminals now had in abundance at crime scenes. Ellis sensed Howie was gullible to questions he might pose and that he might provide a valuable tip. This was a good hunch because it lowered the boom on what really was going on. Howie said,”I been buying guns from the North City guys that always have them. Pretty cheap too. I sell them quick to fellows I know that need them to pull jobs. It is extra money for me. The serial numbers and brand information is welded off of them so they being stolen, they can not be traced. I get away with this with no worries. The fellows meet me different places. I hand them cash. In a little time later, they deliver them to where I go to on a stake out. I change these places so I am not seen, suspected, or caught. It is a good layout for me. I know fellers begging me for guns. Any and all the guns I can get my hands on. They buy all that I take and show them. I sell out every time. I can not get enough guns. I made much money a doing this way. Say this Saturday, I am going to buy some more. You may want to go undercover and see this gang in action. You can see their faces, and how they operate. They are called the Skulls. They are the Satan’s Skulls Gang. They are a North Town bunch. An old rail warehouse is their headquarters. At about 10:00 PM this Saturday at Checkers Pool Hall I am to meet four of them, hand over some cash, get a receipt, and I will tell them when and where to deliver them. Then we all leave. If you show up, say nothing, just watch the goings on, you can get the low down on these men. They are tough and will kill people if threatened. So don’t pull any fancy stuff. Just shut your trap, watch, and do not attract any attention. Blend in and stay silent.” Ellis agreed, let Howie Skinner off for the jewels and told him that he would be there the next Saturday. Ellis took the jewelry back to Tisha. She was happy to get them back. She hated that Howie took them. She paid Ellis $300 in cash.