Baldwin was not in a good state. In July 1930, he lodged at Bessborough Street, Westminster, with one Louisa Green, his landlady. He was then briefly employed at the Army Clothing Store and claimed he needed money to buy his alleged girlfriend, one Daisy, from North Kensington, a present. He borrowed £7 from his landlady and then absconded. On 18 October, he went to his mother’s house in Hampton and stole a wireless and clothing to the value of £29. On 19 October, he took Lysol in order to kill himself, but failed. He explained, ‘I bought the Lysol at Charing Cross. If a certain person had met me at 8 pm as previously arranged I should never have taken Lysol. I waited until 9.15 pm, the certain friend did not come so I made up my mind to do myself in and I will do myself in when I choose.’ He failed and was admitted into Kingston Hospital where he was visited by his parents and left five days later. Dr Percy Davies later said of him, ‘I noticed no signs of mental derangement.’