Prior to prohibition,this was Angelo Palmeri's personal turf, as much Massina and Ogdensberg as Watertown. He would help Italian and Sicilin, especially Castellammarase,cross the river into NY and either recrit them or more often shake them down for what little they had. This was the origin of the Italains replacing the Dutch, Germans and English in the Mohawk Valley.
A lot of the bootlegging, sugar and molassis rackets were executed by the Irish and Jews and as well as Italians from Buffalo and others from the Castellammarese clans in NY, especially the Maranzano faction.