Baby Ring Suspect Held on 3 Charges

Woman Accused of Assaulting Detective - Father Escaped With Address Book

Mrs. Bess Bernard, 44 years old, of 825 West End Avenue, who is being investigated for her alleged connections with a black market in babies, will be arraigned today in Felony Court on charges of felonious assault, resisting arrest and preventing an officer from performing his duty.

At 1:00 P.M. yesterday Detectives William Boehm and James Cashman of the Manhattan District Attorney's office were admitted into Mrs. Bernard's apartment.  Present at the time were Mrs. Bernard's daughter Caryl, 17, and her father, identified only as a Mr. Weiner. 

As the detectives began searching the apartment Detective Boehm picked up Mrs. Bernard's pocketbook.  Suddenly, according to police, Mrs. Bernard attacked Boehm, kicking and scratching.  She is said to have grabbed the purse from his hands and removed from it a memorandum pad containing names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

As Detective Boehm struggled to retrieve it, she threw it to her father, who escaped down a back stairway.  Police of the West 100th Street Station were notified and an alarm was sent out for Weiner.

According to the District Attorney's office, Mrs. Bernard is being investigated in connection with a "baby ring" that allegedly operated in Florida, and in connection with which Irwin Slater, 35, an attorney was arrested on Thursday.