Ripple v. Mahoning National Bank

The demurrer presents but a single question of law: Where the owner of a building retains control over a suite of offices therein, leased to a tenant, “for the purpose of repairing the same and the doing of daily janitor work,” is such owner liable to an employee of his tenant, who is injured as a result of falling plaster which has been “defectively placed and installed on the base of said ceiling”?

The plaintiff argues that this case differs from the ordinary landlord and tenant case in that here the landlord of a large office .building has retained control over the various suites and…