§ 97. Penalty for failure to issue bill of lading. 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.