N.Y. General Business Law § 285: Sale of unclaimed articles by express companies; notice thereof; disposition of proceeds of sale

§ 285. Sale of unclaimed articles by express companies; notice

thereof; disposition of proceeds of sale. Every express company, or

person engaged in the express business, who shall have had any unclaimed

article, goods or things, not perishable, in its or his possession, for

a period of one year at least, may proceed to sell the same at public

auction, and out of the proceeds may retain the charges of

transportation and storage of such article, goods or thing, and the

expenses of advertising and sale thereof; but no such sale shall be

made, until the expiration of four weeks from the first publication of

notice of such sale, in a newspaper published at or nearest the place at

which such article, goods or thing was directed to be left, and also at

the place where such sale is to take place; and said notice shall

contain a description of such article, goods or thing, the place at

which the same was to be left, as near as may be, together with the name

of the person to whom directed, if known, and the expenses incurred for

advertising shall be a lien upon such article, goods or thing, in a

ratable proportion, according to the value of each article, package or

parcel, if more than one.

In case such unclaimed article, goods or thing shall in its nature be

perishable, the same may be sold as soon as it can be, on giving the

notice required in this section, after its receipt at the city, town or

village to which it was directed.