Any person who, being the owner, master or agent of any vessel transporting merchandise or property between ports of this state, departs with such vessel or causes such vessel to depart from the port where such merchandise or property is taken on board, without giving or tendering to the shipper of such merchandise or property, if a bill of lading be demanded by such shipper, a bill of lading or shipping document as provided by section three hundred ninety-eight of this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
New York Legal Code