The alias “Austin Antrim”?

[MissyS]

I found this article stating Billy the Kid as “Austin Antrim” when the shooting altercation occurred with Cahill? In a Tucson Arizona newspaper, August 25, 1877 edition of the Arizona Weekly Citizen. I was wondering why the Kid would think of that name to use?, however the name could have been printed in error by the wrong information given to the press?, but interesting choice of a name if it wasn’t an error.

www.newspapers.com/clip/14816059/arizona-weekly-citizen/

[RonBk]

Good find Missy! Im not sure what to make of it, but it could suggest Billy the kid was from Texas. Austin is not that far from Buffalo Gap where Brushy said he was born. Austin is also close to Round Rock where Jim McDaniels resided for some time, for whatever thats worth. Keep up the good work!

[MissyS]

I agree, Austin Texas was the closest named city to Billy, and has ties to Brushy, and is the best guess and makes sense to the reason for the choice of the name, however I did find reference to other towns in the US that have the name Austin as well. There is a street in New York named Austin Street, and there’s a town called Austin Indiana, there may be more? These places may need to be researched more with census records because “Austin” could be a clue to Billy’s birth place or his early residence, and could help tie him to Texas. 

[MissyS]

I believe it was only in the Arizona Weekly Citizen news that printed the name as “Austin Antrim” but the Arizona Weekly Star news claimed his name was “Henry Antrim alias Kid”. Two different Arizona newspapers, one printed just two days after the other. I would believe it was all a fake or someone else, but The Arizona Weekly Star also printed a copy of a letter Cahill wrote on his deathbed, in it he claimed he had trouble with “Henry Antrim alias Kid” at Camp Grant on Aug, 18, 1877 I don’t know if the letter is real? There was many different versions of the story and there are persons as brushythekid said who contend that Billy didn’t kill anyone and that story was false. It was also said there was an inquest held by a M.L. Wood J.P. and there can be found six jurors names also, it’s a lot of detail to be fake, but if it is a fake I wonder how it originated? The name Austin Antrim may have been a printing error, it’s a mystery where the name originated also.

tucson.newspapers.com/clip/55899916/arizona-weekly-star/