Salvatore D'Aquila immigrated to New York from Italy in the first years of the 20th century. When he first arrived in America he learned the ropes of organized crime from Giuseppe "Joe" Morello. D'Aquila took control of Morello's rackets when Joe was imprisoned in Atlanta Federal Penitentiary in 1910. Salvatore or Toto, as he was known, ran a criminal network based in Harlem. Giuseppe Masseria's gang soon encroached on D'Aquila's territory, presenting him with strong competition, in Harlem and Lower Manhattan. Masseria also threatened D'Aquila's empire outside New York City, in Cleveland and other cities.