N.Y. GBS Law § 285

§ 285. Sale of unclaimed articles by express companies; notice\nthereof; disposition of proceeds of sale. Every express company, or\nperson engaged in the express business, who shall have had any unclaimed\narticle, goods or things, not perishable, in its or his possession, for\na period of one year at least, may proceed to sell the same at public\nauction, and out of the proceeds may retain the charges of\ntransportation and storage of such article, goods or thing, and the\nexpenses of advertising and sale thereof; but no such sale shall be\nmade, until the expiration of four weeks from the first publication of\nnotice of such sale, in a newspaper published at or nearest the place at\nwhich such article, goods or thing was directed to be left, and also at\nthe place where such sale is to take place; and said notice shall\ncontain a description of such article, goods or thing, the place at\nwhich the same was to be left, as near as may be, together with the name\nof the person to whom directed, if known, and the expenses incurred for\nadvertising shall be a lien upon such article, goods or thing, in a\nratable proportion, according to the value of each article, package or\nparcel, if more than one.\n In case such unclaimed article, goods or thing shall in its nature be\nperishable, the same may be sold as soon as it can be, on giving the\nnotice required in this section, after its receipt at the city, town or\nvillage to which it was directed.\n