Editing D'Aquila crime family (section)

==Palermitani origin and consolidation==
D'Aquila was born in Palermo, and his leadership circle included a prominent [[Palermitani network (New York City)|Palermitani]] bloc. Critchley identifies Manfredi Mineo, Giuseppe Traina and Frank Scalise among its Palermitan figures.<ref name="CritchleyDAquila">[https://books.google.com/books?id=2eCPAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA157 Critchley, ''Origin of Organized Crime'', pp. 156–161].</ref> The organization was not exclusively Palermitan: Critchley also identifies an Agrigento-linked Manhattan element. Regional origin shaped coalitions but did not create a command chain headquartered in Palermo.

D'Aquila's influence grew gradually and faced resistance from Morello–Terranova remnants and other factions. Secret Service informant Salvatore Clemente reported four New York Mafia families in 1912, including a Harlem D'Aquila gang and a separately led Brooklyn Manfredi gang.<ref name="GangRule" /> Later testimony portrayed D'Aquila as a national figurehead around whom other leaders aligned rather than an all-powerful commander.<ref name="CritchleyDAquila" />

Manfredi Mineo arrived in 1911 and was initially described as commanding a separate third faction. Critchley concludes that Mineo appears to have reached an accord with D'Aquila, and Nicolo Gentile later placed him inside the D'Aquila borgata.<ref name="CritchleyDAquila" /> This supports eventual incorporation of the [[Mineo Gang|Mineo faction]], but no source reviewed gives a secure merger date or mechanism.