Diamond Bessie (1854 - January 21, 1877) was the popular name given to Bessie Moore, née Annie Stone (although other sources give her birth name as Annie Moore), a prostitute whose murder in the woods outside Jefferson, Texas propelled her to the level of local legend. She was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head, allegedly by her husband, Abraham Rothschild.

Bessie was born in 1854 in Syracuse, New York, to a shoe dealer. At 15, she left home and took up with a man named Moore. She was described as an extraordinary beauty with black hair and brilliant grey eyes.

After this affair ended, she entered into prostitution (though she kept Moore's name). By all accounts, she adapted to the life quickly, and her numerous male admirers showered her with gifts of diamond jewelry. Moore plied her trade in brothels, firstly in the Mansion of Joy brothel in Cincinnati, Ohio. She later worked at brothels in New Orleans, Louisiana and finally Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Abraham (or Abe) Rothschild (born 1853 in Cincinnati, Ohio) was the son of Meyer Rothschild, a Cincinnati jeweler. He was not a member of the prominent European Rothschild banking family. He was handsome and a capable businessman, and for a time he worked as a traveling salesman for his father's prosperous jewelry business. His future looked bright, but his attraction to fast living and women soon led to alcoholism, and he became an embarrassment to his family, frequenting saloons and brothels. He met Bessie Moore in a Hot Springs brothel in 1876. From this time until her death, they were together.

Moore pressured Rothschild to marry her, and according to various accounts, she may have claimed she was pregnant (an autopsy later showed that she was not) and threatened to reveal this scandalous fact to Rothschild's father. Whatever the motive, Moore and Rothschild's relationship was known to be tumultuous, marred by alcoholism and physical abuse. Rothschild is said to have forced Moore to prostitute herself numerous times during their travels together.

On their way from Chicago to Texas in January 1877, they stopped in Danville, Illinois where they married at the Aetna Hotel. A reporter with the Danville News talked to the couple and published an article about them on January 11, 1877. Later, the Cincinnati Enquirer learned of the nuptials and published the news item from Danville on March 3, 1877: "The following from the Danville News may be accepted as conclusive evidence of the marriage of Abe Rothschild to Bessie Moore. She was as pretty as a picture. Her auburn hair, French twist, contrasted handsomely with her large blue eyes. Her lovely complexion and graceful form would have tired the heart of an Italian sculptor... They arrived as by appointment in the city yesterday afternoon and drove to the Aetna House, where matters were arranged and the date, day, and hour settled... Justice McMahan officiating, the nuptials were tied at the Aetna House. A reporter offered the congratulations of the News to the happy pair last night, and found them in room 52 making preparations for a journey into the Land of Morpheus, but they intended to change cars at 1:10 this morning and go South via E.T.H. & C. Bon voyage Mr. and Mrs. A. Rothschild."

On January 17, 1877, the couple registered as husband and wife at the Capitol Hotel in Marshall, Texas, about 18 miles south of Jefferson. After two days, they traveled to Jefferson by train. Jefferson was, at this time, one of the largest and busiest river ports west of the Mississippi River. The exact nature of Rothschild's business in Jefferson is not known, nor at what point his plan to murder Moore might have been hatched.

The couple registered at the Brooks House in Jefferson as "A. Munroe and wife". Their fine clothes and, of course, Moore's diamonds, made an immediate impression on the townsfolk. Rothschild is said to have first addressed his wife as "Bessie" during this trip, and the locals adapted this into "Diamond Bessie".