402 ARTICLE 14.

An. Code, sec. 21. 1910, ch. 336, sec. 21 (p. 38).

21. If some other than the consignee or person in possession of the bill
has a claim to the title or possession of the goods, and the carrier has
information of such claim, the carrier shall be excused from liability for
refusing to deliver the goods either to the consignee or person in possession
of the bill, or to the adverse claimant, until the carrier has had a reasonable
time to ascertain the validity of the adverse claim or to bring legal proceed-
ings to compel all claimants to interplead.

An. Code, sec. 22. 1910, ch. 336, sec. 22 (p. 38).

22. Except as provided in the two preceding sections and in section
12, no right or title of a third person, unless enforced by legal process, shall
be a defense to an action brought by the consignee of a non-negotiable bill
or by the holder of a negotiable bill against the carrier for failure to
deliver the goods on demand.
An. Code, sec. 23. 1910, ch. 336, sec. 23 (p. 38).

23. If a bill of lading has been issued by a carrier, or on his behalf
by an agent or employee, the scope of whose actual or apparent authority
includes the issuing of bills of lading, the carrier shall be liable to—

A. The consignee named in a non-negotiable bill; or

B. The holder of a negotiable bill,

Who has given value in good faith, relying upon the description therein
of the goods, for damages caused by the non-receipt by the carrier, or a con-
necting carrier, of all or part of the goods, or their failure to correspond
with the description thereof in the bill at the time of its issue.

If, however, the goods are described in a bill merely by a statement of
marks or labels upon them or upon packages containing them, or by a
statement that the goods are said to be goods of a certain kind or quantity,
or in a certain condition, or it is stated in the bill that packages are
said to contain goods of a certain kind or quantity, or in a certain con-
dition, or that the contents or condition of the contents of packages are
unknown, or words of like import are contained in the bill, such statements,
if true, shall not make liable the carrier issuing the bill, although the goods
are not of the kind or quantity, or in the condition which the marks or labels
upon them indicate, or of the kind or quantity or in the condition they
were said to be by the consignor. The carrier may also, by inserting in the
bill the words "shipper's load and count," or other words of like purport,
indicate that the goods were loaded by the shipper, and the description of
them made by him; and if such statement be true, the carrier shall not be
liable for damages caused by the improper loading or by the non-receipt
or by the misdescription of the goods described in the bill.

An. Code, sec. 24. 1910, ch. 336, sec. 24 (p. 39).

24. If goods are delivered to a carrier by the owner or by a person
whose act in conveying the title to them to a purchaser for value in good
faith would bind the owner and a negotiable bill is issued for them, they
can not thereafter, while in the possession of the carrier, be attached by