Snuffy, it sounds too close to some of the others to relate to a recent (19/20th century) event, doesn't it? I was thinking of things like Dr Buck Ruxton (words way down in the left-hand corner; tune Red Sails in the Sunset), which is still in living memory.
mick: dunno! Google only adds to the confusion; it seems to be a Spanish word, but doesn't translate into English (I'd guess it means something like "followers" or "supporters", fom the context and the sound of it). I imagine it's a nonsense word, as I haven't turned up a River Salia/Sallia. (Except it was Latin for R Sella, in Spain.)
More erudition required than we have at the moment!