A transportation company or other person engaged in the business of carriage or of keeping for shipment, or of forwarding things or property, must not, otherwise than is authorized by law or by the contract of delivery to him, make sale of things or property entrusted to him; nor, without the assent in writing of the person to whom he may have given a receipt or bill of lading, or of the legal holder of such receipt or bill of lading, encumber or transfer the same; nor must he, otherwise than as may be authorized by the contract of delivery to him, part with the control or possession of such things or property without the assent in writing of the person to whom he may have given a receipt or bill of lading, or of the legal holder of such receipt or bill of lading.
Ala. Code § 37-2-25 (1975)